Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Hello and thanks for tuning into Equally Speaking, your daily dose of LGBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Thursday, November 12th. I’m Tommy Lodge.
And I’m Bradley Mayer. We start today with discrimination at an Alabama high school.
A high school in Northern Alabama has barred a lesbian couple from attending the school’s annual prom. 17-year-old Cynthia Stewart, an out lesbian, was told by her principle that she was not allowed to bring her partner to the prom. The principle also demanded that Steward remove a sticker supporting equal rights, and told her, “You don’t have that much freedom of speech at school.” The school has also threatened to cancel the entire prom if Stewart brings her partner.
In international news, after a 10-year legal battle, a lesbian teacher in France was finally allowed the right to adopt a child. The schoolteacher was granted the adoption because she had filed the request as an individual and not with her partner. Despite the ruling, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reiterated his opposition to allowing same-sex couples adoption rights.
The Australian Capital Territory, also known as the A.C.T, legalized civil partnerships ceremonies for same-sex couples on Wednesday. Same- sex couples living in the A.C.T were allowed to register their partners since 2008, but until recently were restricted from holding a ceremony. Although some Australian states allow domestic partnerships for same-sex couples, the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd remains committed to opposing marriage equality.
For the first time, the Mormon church has announced its support of LGBT rights legislation. The church’s support helped the Salt Lake City council’s unanimous decision to expand discrimination laws in housing and employment. The law makes Salt Lake City the first community in Utah to include LGBT people in anti-bias laws.
Congressman Barney Frank of New York suggested on Wednesday that the legislation to repeal the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is likely to be included in the 2010 D. O. D. authorization bill. Frank commented that while he expects the repeal to make it through the House, its passage through the Senate will be more difficult.
A Nevada judged ruled on Tuesday that a high school theater group should not be barred from performing the musical Rent and The Laramie Project. A group of parents from the school district filed a lawsuit in objection to the students playing roles that revolved around drug use and gay issues. David Wall, the Clark County district judge, ruled that any sort of participation and attendance of the shows were voluntary, and therefore the theater groups should be allowed to continue producing the plays.
That’s the news from us today, thanks for watching.
We hope you have a great day and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow.