 | | | TAKE ACTION: FULTON V. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TOWN HALL | | While we exercise patience and restraint awaiting election results, here’s a great way to channel your energy and desire to keep moving equality forward. On Wednesday, November 4th, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that could have widespread, devastating effects for folks across the country. That’s why we are cosponsoring a Virtual Town Hall that evening to break everything down for you. RSVP at OurDayInCourt.org today to join us! Fulton, on its surface, is about whether a private foster care agency that receives public funds can use their religious beliefs to justify not serving LGBTQ+ people. Their refusal has already had a devastating impact on foster kids who are being denied a loving home. But if the court rules in favor of a right to discriminate, it could allow any private agency that receives taxpayer-funding to provide government services -- such as adoption, food banks, homeless shelters, disaster relief and more -- to deny services to anyone they don’t approve of, including LGBTQ+ people, people of different faith backgrounds or no faith background, single people, those previously divorced, and more. This case is too important to miss. That’s why we’re making it as easy as possible to join us on the evening of November 4 so that our panel of legal experts--and moderator Laura McGinnis from PFLAG National--can break down everything that happened in the court that morning. RSVP at OurDayInCourt.org and let’s come together as a virtual community for #OurDayInCourt! | | | | Same-sex couples decide to marry before Judge Barrett's swearing in to the Supreme Court. Actress and comedian Fortune Feimster, daughter of PFLAG Gaston leader Ginger Feimster, was among many LGBTQ+ people who decided to marry before SCOTUS added its next Justice. She married her longtime girlfriend Jacqueline Smith in a small ceremony. Judge Amy Coney Barrett sworn in as Supreme Court Associate Justice. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office in a private ceremony on Tuesday after being confirmed by the Senate in a 52-48 vote. Several crucial cases are in the queue over the coming weeks. No Pandemic Exception': Federal Court Says Minnesota Must Separate Out Later Ballots. A federal appeals court in a 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ordered Minnesota election officials to set aside any mail-in ballots that arrive after 8 p.m. Nov. 3, a move that threatens a seven-day extension the state had imposed to make sure all votes were counted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting these aside indicates that at a later point, the justices might revisit the validity of these ballots. The Supreme Court won't block mail-in ballots in North Carolina arriving up to six days after November 3rd. The new deadline set on October 28th for mail-in ballots to be received is Nov. 12th, though ballots must still be postmarked on or before Nov. 3rd, Election Day. The Supreme Court is not expediting the challenge to Pennsylvania mail-in vote rules. The Supreme Court is leaving in place for now a Pennsylvania state Supreme Court decision that allowed the counting of ballots received up to three days after the election, even if there is no legible postmark. The justices on October 28th denied a request to review the decision on an accelerated basis. SCOTUS did, however, ask that ballots received after Election Day be held separately in the event they choose to revisit the decision. The Supreme Court rules that Wisconsin ballots must arrive on Election night, November 3rd. Several states each received different rulings, and Wisconsin’s request was the only one flatly refused. This article explains the difference among the three most recent rulings. | | | | Senior officials urge Election Day patience. Senior Department of Homeland Security officials on Tuesday urged patience from voters and warned that election results won't likely be known on Election Day this year -- comments that are in contrast with those of the President, who has said he wants immediate results. The reason for needed patience is because of the additional security measures in place. It's now too late to mail in voting ballots. Voters are urged instead to place them in official ballot boxes or to vote in person, now or on Election Day. CDC highlights safety tips for in-person voting. With Election Day days away, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released safety tips for voters to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC encouraged Americans to follow basic public health measures and reiterated the importance of the basic preventative measures while voting in person: social distancing, mask wearing and washing hands. Civil rights organizations file suit over President's Executive Order banning diversity training. On October 29th, The NAACP Legal Defense Fund is representing the National Urban League and the National Fair Housing Alliance to combat the Presidential Action, calling it an unconstitutional assault on free speech and equal rights under the law. The email and phone number hotline established for people to report trainings they find offensive has received 140 complaints in five weeks. CDC redefines close contact with someone with COVID-19 to include cumulative (multiple, brief) exposure. The new definition includes exposures adding up to a total of 15 minutes spent six feet or closer to an infected person. Previously, the CDC defined a close contact as 15 minutes of continuous exposure to an infected individual. Census Bureau count of U.S. households halts on October 31st. The Supreme Court issued a ruling Tuesday that allowed the bureau to carry out its plan to conclude counting on October 31, and advocacy continues to extend the tallying to continue through April 2021. Census Bureau rebukes its year-end statutory commitment on providing state-by-state data. The Trump administration is no longer promising to meet its statutory deadline to deliver state-by-state counts from the decennial census, with officials instead vowing to give themselves “flexibility” to blow past the end-of-year timeframe. | | | | California - Home of civil rights lesbian icons declared as San Francisco historic landmark. The decision to preserve the house of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin was unanimous, for it was where most of their organizing and activism took place for over 53 years. First openly gay Black man nominated to California Supreme Court. Nominated by Governor Gavin Newsom, Martin Jenkins, 66, is an openly out Black former prosecutor. Jenkins will be the first Black man to serve on the Supreme Court in 29 years. Los Angeles Civilian Oversight Committee insists on sheriff's resignation. The Commission unanimously voted (8-0) to approve a Resolution expressing ‘No Confidence’ in Sheriff Villanueva’s leadership and condemning his failure to cooperate with the Civilian Oversight commission asking for him to step down. Florida - Sheriff’s Office undercover operation targets gay men. Known as “Operation Park Cleanup,” the set-up entailed undercover cops enticing gay men for consensual sex, which was followed with arrest and public humiliation, evoking ’50s- and ’60s-era prejudicies. Georgia - Georgia's legacy of voter suppression is driving Black voter turnout. Changing demographics in the Atlanta suburbs and an explosion of civic engagement among first-time voters could affect outcomes for the first time in decades amidst recall of 2018 actions. Tennessee - Student’s anti-LGBTQ+ shirt does not violate school’s dress code, suit says. Father of the 15-year-old daughter who wore “Homosexuality is a sin” shirt to school is now suing the school district, arguing that his child is simply exercising her freedom of speech and religion. Texas - Texas social workers will no longer be allowed to turn away LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. Texas social workers will no longer be allowed to categorically turn away clients who are LGBTQ or have disabilities, after a state board reversed an earlier decision granting them special religious exemptions. | | | | Egypt - [TW] Transgender activist Malak el-Kashif’s story of her abuse and torture in a men's prison illustrates the country's pattern of mistreatment and harm to LGBTQ+ people. A new report by Human Rights Watch captures 15 stories that demonstrate the pattern of abuse and torture. France - France pledges to ban so-called conversion therapy, improve LGBTQ+ education, and ease adoption guidelines for same-sex couples. The country’s 42-point plan cites ways to halt discriminaiton against the LGBTQ+ community. Ireland - Civil partnerships now able to be converted to marriage in Northern Ireland. With over 1,300 same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, the LGBTQ+ community describes the new eligibility as a big win and has received widespread support. New Zealand - The country's ruling party vows to ban so-called conversion therapy, citing it as “fundamentally wrong.” The harmful practice is called out as inhumane, noting that it traumatizes people subjected to the ineffective effort to forceful change. Nigeria - Public displays of same-sex affection charge against 47 men thrown out by judge. Dating back to 2018, the group of men were charged with public displays of same-sex affection with their case being seen as a test to the country’s laws banning same-sex relationships. Poland - Polish LGBTQ+ advocates see hope for same-sex civil unions. Following the remarks of Pope Francis in regard to support for gay marriage and same-sex couple protections, LGBTQ+ activists see a new opening for discussion in the midst of conservative arguments from conservative politicians and church officials. Scotland - Bar disallows patrons with COVID-19, racism, homophobia and transphobia. Wee Mexico in Dundee makes clear its standards on inclusion. Venezuela - President backs same-sex marriage following comments by Pope Francis. As the Pope called for the creation of civil union laws, President Maduro of Venezuela saw an opportunity to encourage the country’s congress to consider legalizing same-sex marriage in its next session. | | | | | | | |
