Several members of Congress spoke this week in favor of legislation to protect students from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Watch Members of Congress Speak Up For LGBT Students
LGBT Youth News Roundup: July 19, 2013
Welcome to the LGBT Youth News Roundup for July 19, 2013!
Here are some of the latest developments:
Law and policy:
• The Washington Blade provides an update on the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act: “House lawmakers spoke out this week in favor of legislation aimed at prohibiting the bullying and harassment of LGBT students as Republican lawmakers refused a vote on such a measure as part of an education reform bill.”
• California Governor Jerry Brown (pictured above) has yet to sign (or veto) a bill that would clarify protections for transgender students.
• Oregon school districts in Salem-Keizer and Lake Oswego have taken steps to conform their anti-bullying policies to the Oregon Safe Schools Act.
• The Montana Board of Regents has voted to broaden the state university system’s anti-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
• In a heated debate over a non-discrimination policy, an Orleans Parish School Board member claimed there is “no such thing” as the separation of church and state.
Watch School Official Struggle to Justify Anti-LGBT Censorship
Another school is censoring a student production of The Laramie Project. This time, it’s in Iowa, which not only recognizes same-sex families, but also has sexual-orientation-inclusive anti-discrimination and anti-bullying laws.
In the video above, the superintendent is offered a chance to justify the censorship. He fails. (Jump to the 1:27 point for the best part.) The high school principal, who made the initial decision to block the play, declined to appear on video.
Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA
It’s a thrilling day for equality advocates!
The Supreme Court’s historic decision striking down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act is available here. Its more complicated ruling in the Proposition 8 case is here.
Additional coverage and analysis are available from the New York Times and SCOTUS Blog.
MK