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NEWS FLASH

West Virginia Republicans Hesitant To Vote For Anti-Discrimination Bill During Election Year | A bill prohibiting “landlords and companies with more than a dozen employees from discriminating against people because of their sexual orientation” has enough support from House and Senate leaders in the West Virginia legislature, but probably won’t come to a vote in this election year because Republicans do not feel comfortable supporting the measure during an election year. “I think members were concerned about this issue in an election year,” Frank Hartman, a lobbyist for Fairness West Virginia told the Charleston Daily Mail. Hartman says he has received “assurances” from lawmakers that “the bill will be taken up next year.”

Romney Tries To Align Himself With Santorum On Gay Adoption Issues

Mitt Romney channeled the social conservative positions of Rick Santorum during last night’s GOP presidential debate in Arizona, arguing that religious organizations should be allowed to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples in the adoption process and claiming that children deserve a home “with a mother and a father”:

ROMNEY: And when we have programs that say we’re going to teach abstinence in schools, the liberals go crazy and try and stop us from doing that. We have to have a president who’s willing to say that the best opportunity an individual can give to their unborn child is an opportunity to be born in a home with a mother and a father. [...]

We battled, for instance, to help the Catholic Church stay in the adoption business. The amazing thing was that while the Catholic Church was responsible for half the adoptions in my state — half the adoptions — they had to get out of that business because the legislature wouldn’t support me and give them an exemption from having to place children in homes where there was a mom and a dad on a preferential basis.

Watch it:

In 2006, however, Romney seemed to accept the idea that same-sex couples can adopt a child. “They are able to adopt children…And I’m not going to change that,” he said, noting that same-sex couples have “a legitimate interest” in adoption. “Obviously, that’s their right,” he explained in 2007.

But in aiming to secure the GOP presidential nomination for 2012, the former Massachusetts governor has walked back his support for gay and lesbian families and has adopted a more nuanced position on same-sex adoption. During an August GOP debate, Romney pledged to institute a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as a between a man and a woman “because I believe the ideal place to raise a child is in a home with a mom and dad.” He doubled down on that position during a town hall in New Hampshire in October, arguing that while he would support “partnership agreements” for same-sex couples, “the ideal setting to raise a child for a society like ours is where there is a man and a woman.”

Ultimately, the Romney campaign maintains that same-sex adoption “should be assessed on a state-by-state basis,” a point the candidate himself failed to make in trying to close the gap between himself and Santorum at Wednesday night’s debate.

Chris Christie: Obama Is Showing ‘Cowardice’ For Trying To Have It ‘Both Ways’ On Marriage Equality

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) accused President Obama of “cowardice” and trying to have it “both ways” on marriage equality during a contentious appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday. Christie defended his recent veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry and reiterated his call to put the question to a popular referendum, arguing, “the Democrats in my state are criticizing me saying my feet are firmly planted on the wrong side of justice. I said yesterday, yeah, my feet are firmly planted right next to President Obama.” “He could have gotten more votes in New Jersey out of Democrats in the legislature — not all of them voted for it –if the President would have taken a stand,” Christie added.

But the Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart challenged Christie’s comparison, pointing out that Obama opposes state efforts to deny rights to gay and lesbian Americans and has ordered his Justice Department to stop defending the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act:

CAPEHART: Governor Christie, I heard you say that you have your feet firmly planted next to President Obama on this issue, but the key difference between you and the President is while you support putting the civil rights of a minority up for a public referendum, the President is certainly not in favor of that.

CHRISTIE: Has he said that, Jonathan? Jonathan, has he said that? I haven’t heard him say that…The President is silent on this like he’s silent on every issue that’s difficult for him. [...] Let’s have the President of the United States show some courage, come on this program, look into the camera like I’m looking into the camera, and state his position. He won’t because he wants to have it both ways. I’m not looking to have it both ways, I vetoed the bill. That’s my position. What I’ve offered to the supporters of same-sex marriage is if one of your reasons for why I should have voted signed it was because you’re telling me the majority of the people of New Jersey want it, then prove it. Put it on the ballot and prove it. At least I’m standing up for what I believe in. The President has hidden on this issue, Jonathan, he’s hidden on it….This is the type of cowardice that we don’t want.

Watch the entire exchange:

Capehart went on to defend the notion that marriage equality is a civil rights issue that should not be left to the whims of voters. Civil marriage is “an issue of equality, of equal treatment under the law,” he explained. “It’s an issue of whether — if I were to get married to my partner and we were to have children, that my children would have the same protections that your children have because you’re able to legally marry.” “In that regard, we’re talking overall a civil rights issue and what African Americans continue to struggle with is exactly what lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are struggling with today.”

The Morning Pride: February 23, 2012

Welcome to The Morning Pride, ThinkProgress LGBT’s 8:45 AM round-up of the latest in LGBT policy, politics, and some culture too! Here’s what we’re reading this morning, but let us know what you’re checking out as well. Follow us all day on Twitter at @TPEquality.

- Rick Santorum reiterated yesterday he opposes civil unions too.

- Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY) called Santorum “homophobic,” chastising him for wanting to nullify the marriages of all same-sex couples.

- After six months with civil unions in Rhode Island, only 46 couples have obtained them.

- Common Cause has filed two complaints alleging that Minnesota for Marriage has failed to comply with the state’s campaign finance laws.

- Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker, an out lesbian, refuses to perform marriage ceremonies in her courtroom until she herself is allowed to marry.

- The Key West City Commission voted unanimously last night on an Equal Benefits Ordinance, which will require the city’s vendors to offer domestic partnership benefits to employees.

- Ten members of Congress have posed for the NOH8 campaign.

- UK’s Prime Minister hosted a summit yesterday addressing homophobia and racism in soccer. Meanwhile, player Ravel Morrison has been fined £7,000 for his homophobic tweet.

- Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said she will not sign a proposed anti-gay bill.

- Conan O’Brien reveals some of the Girl Scouts’ scandalous new cookies:

NEWS FLASH

BREAKING: Bush Appointee Finds DOMA Unconstitutional | Moments ago, Judge Jeffery White of the District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause in a case brought by Karen Golinski. Golinski, represented by Lambda Legal, “was denied spousal health benefits by her employer, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.” White was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002. The decision represents a serious setback for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), whose Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) defended DOMA after the Obama administration announced it would no longer defend the law. Read the full opinion here. (HT: GinnyLaRoe)

Update

The Court has ruled that considerations of discrimination against people based on sexual orientation should be held to heightened scrutiny for all four factors that determine such scrutiny:

HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION: The first factor courts consider is whether the class has suffered a history of discrimination. There is no dispute in the record that lesbians and gay men have experienced a long history of discrimination.

ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY: Similarly, there is no dispute in the record or the law that sexual orientation has no relevance to a person’s ability to contribute to society.

IMMUTABILITY: Regardless of the evidence that a tiny percentage of gay men or lesbians may experience some flexibility along the continuum of their sexuality or the scientific consensus that sexual orientation is unchangeable, the Court finds persuasive the holding in the Ninth Circuit that sexual orientation is recognized as a defining and immutable characteristic because it is so fundamental to one’s identity.

POLITICAL POWERLESSNESS: The Court finds that the unequivocal evidence demonstrates that, although not completely politically powerless, the gay and lesbian community lacks meaningful political power… Although this factor is not an absolute prerequisite for heightened scrutiny, the Court finds the evidence and the law support the conclusion that gay men and lesbians remain a politically vulnerable minority.

Update

The Court rebuked Congress for BLAG’s argument that caution should be taken with issues that can be socially divisive:

Here, too, this Court finds that Congress cannot, like an ostrich, merely bury its head in the sand and wait for danger to pass, especially at the risk of permitting continued constitutional injury upon legally married couples. The fact that the issue is socially divisive does nothing to relieve the judiciary of its obligation to examine the constitutionality of the discriminating classifications in the law.

O’Malley Would ‘Perhaps’ Support Marriage Equality In Democratic Platform, Unsure How To Convince Obama

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) said he may be open to supporting the campaign to include marriage equality in the Democrat’s 2012 party platform, but stopped short of fully endorsing the effort during a radio interview this afternoon. “Perhaps, I haven’t given a whole lot of thought to that,” O’Malley said in a response to a question from SiriusXM’s Michelangelo Signorile, and stressed that the party must prioritize job creation “in order to get re-elected.”

The governor, a supporter of same-sex marriage, was at a loss for words, however, when asked what he would say to President Obama to help him evolve on marriage equality:

O’MALLEY: The..I don’t know. I wouldn’t. I guess, what I would. I don’t know that I’d presume to. What I believe President Obama is trying to do is the same thing that public servants of good will are trying to do on this issue in many different places…I think what all of us try to do in the short time we have to serve….what we try to do is take action and forge consensus on the front end of the wave.

Listen:

The Maryland House of Delegates passed a marriage equality bill last week and the Senate is expected to take-up the measure as soon as tomorrow.

Alyssa

From “If I Only Had a Brain” to “Sweet Home Chicago”: A Complete Guide to Barack Obama’s Music Career

President Obama’s been making headlines for singing in recent weeks, whether it’s Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” or pulling out some soul to serenade his hometown with a rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago.” But just as Bill Clinton had his saxaphone, the current First Family, POTUS in particular, has made a regular habit of rocking out in public over the years, and I don’t just mean singing along to “This Land Is Your Land” at his pre-Inauguration festivities. So here’s a guide to the notable song choices and dance moves the Obamas have employed since the family hit the national stage for real. They may not be ready for The Voice or So You Think You Can Dance (having seen them do an Inaugural Ball shuffle, I can attest to this in person), but for a couple of middle-aged folks, the Obamas seem like a decent couple to bring along for a night of karaoke:

1. “If I Only Had a Brain,” Gridiron Dinner, 2006: Sadly, I couldn’t track down video of this, but the members of the Gridiron Club had Obama, then in his freshman term in the Senate, sing a parody version of the Scarecrow’s song from the Wizard of Oz, including these lyrics: “I’m aspiring to greatness, but somehow I feel weightless, a freshman’s sad refrain. I could be a great uniter, making ethics rules much tighter, if I only had McCain.”

2. “Chain of Fools,” Detroit, 2008: On the campaign trail in 2008, Obama busted out some Aretha in honor of the hometown diva. And man does he sound good:

3. “See You Again,” Inauguration Weekend, 2009: So it might not be what she would choose to listen to, but props to First Lady Michelle Obama for knowing the words to Miley Cyrus’s best song and rocking out along with her daughters at the new administration’s Kids’ Inaugural Concert. With any luck, Obama Karaoke can be a multi-generational affair.

4. “Happy Birthday,” Kennedy Center, 2009: He’s no sexy Marilyn singing happy birthday to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was undergoing treatment for cancer as he celebrated his 77th birthday. But it’s pretty funny to note that absent a podium, Obama has a tendency to conduct a pretend orchestra. Later that year, Obama apparently serenaded Armando Gomez, a Chicago businessman, with the same song at a Cinco De Mayo party at the White House.

5. Fiesta Latina, the White House, 2009: POTUS brought out some slightly more sophisticated dance moves when he was partnered up with Thalia later that fall at a celebration of Latin American music at the White House:

But seriously, someone’s gotta put that goofy head wiggle on lockdown before Obama’s ready for the bigtime:

6. “Move Your Body,” Alice Dean Middle School, Washington, DC, 2011: At least when FLOTUS pulls a out the dorky mom dance moves, she does it for a good cause. And there’s a limit to how dorky you can appear when you’re rocking out to a song that’s part of your partnership with Beyonce Knowles to get kids exercising.

7. “Let’s Stay Together,” The Apollo Theater in New York, 2012: Obama brought the Al Green a month before Valentine’s Day. Turns out speechifying has a tendency to turn you a little husky. Maybe Obama can take vocal cord care tips from Adele:

8. “Sweet Home Chicago,” Chicago, 2012: When he turns on his pipes, the President tends to choose soul or blues. It’s nice of his adopted hometown to provide him with a theme song that’s right in his wheelhouse.

NEWS FLASH

Chicago Lawmaker To Introduce Transgender Protections Ordinance | Chicago Alderman Proco Joe Moreno will “introduce an ordinance that establishes a transgender issues commission in the Chicago Police Department as well as set guidelines for police to follow while handling transgender people,” Windy City Times reports. The ordinance will “mandate a policy for interacting with transgender detainees and set up a mayoral-appointed commission to oversee the treatment of transgender arrestees.” The policy comes after years of complaints from transgender people “who have reported being harassed or misgendered by police officers.”

Obama Administration Announces Health Grants To Help Transgender Population

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced two new grant competitions focusing on connecting HIV-positive transgender women of color with health care services, including primary care and HIV-related care.

The first grant opportunity, which is designed to improve the overall quality of HIV care for transgender women of color, will award each of up to eight grantees $300,000 annually for five years. The demonstration sites will develop, implement, and evaluate innovative programs designed to connect these women with timely and appropriate care. These programs will also help them stay in touch with providers who can provide a range of primary and HIV-related services.

The second opportunity will fund an Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center that will coordinate capacity-building activities, provide technical assistance in clinical and cultural competence around care for HIV-positive transgender women of color, and oversee the dissemination of findings from the demonstration sites.

The new grants are part of a growing number of initiatives by the Department of Health and Human Services that specifically focus on the transgender population. In September 2011, HRSA awarded a grant to Fenway Health, an LGBT community health center in Boston, to establish a National Training and Technical Assistance Center that will help other community health centers serve the LGBT population. Also in 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $55 million over five years to 34 community-based organizations to expand HIV prevention services for transgender youth of color, as well as young gay and bisexual men of color.

More such initiatives are sorely needed. Transgender people frequently encounter discrimination in aspects of everyday life such as employment, education, and housing, and research indicates that they are less likely than the general population to have access to health insurance and culturally competent health care. Though no national surveys currently ask about gender identity or transgender status, the limited research on transgender health that exists demonstrates that transgender people, particularly people of color and those who are poor, young, sex workers, or homeless, experience substantial health disparities. Estimated HIV prevalence rates among the transgender population range from 14 to 69 percent, with reported rates among African American transgender women in excess of 56 percent.

In addition to improving data collection on the demographics and health needs of the transgender population, more research is needed into every aspect of transgender health. Research priorities include the overall health of transgender people across the lifespan, further demonstrations of the safety and medical necessity of transition-related care, and investigations into the role that discrimination plays in driving disparities such as high rates of HIV and AIDS.

Eligible entities for the new HRSA grants include non-profits, community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, community health centers, state and local governments, and Indian tribes. Both programs are funded by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program as Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS). Applications are due by April 16, 2012.

NEWS FLASH

POLL: 50 Percent Of Washington Voters Support Marriage Equality | A new Public Policy Polling survey shows that voters in Washington state are split on whether to uphold marriage equality, with 50 percent saying they’ll support the new law and 46 percent saying they’d vote to repeal it. Still, 78 percent back some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples and even 59 percent of Republicans support offering civil unions. Opponents of the law are currently collecting signatures to place Referendum 74 on the ballot, but in the meantime, marriage equality is set to take effect June 7.

NEWS FLASH

Tennessee’s Republican Governor To Lawmakers: Drop The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill | Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Haslam is calling on lawmakers to drop the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a measure that would prohibit public elementary and middle schools from discussing sexual activity that is not related to “natural human reproduction science.” “I’ve said before I don’t think that should be a priority of the legislature,” Haslam said yesterday. “I think there’s other things that we can and should be focused on right now, and I’ve been up front about that from the very beginning.” Haslam did not say if he would veto the measure, which will likely come up next week. (HT: OnTopMagazine)

Bill O’Reilly: Cut Santorum Slack For Spouting Anti-Gay Rhetoric, He’s ‘Inexperienced’

On The Tonight Show last night, Jay Leno challenged Bill O’Reilly about Rick Santorum’s comments on social issues: “He doesn’t like condoms, he doesn’t like birth control, I don’t understand this anti-gay thing. It doesn’t make any sense to me,” Leno said. O’Reilly responded by defending Santorum, saying that people should disregard the “dopey past comments” he has made because he’s “inexperienced”:

O’REILLY: I think people should define their religion and why they believe and what they believe if you’re running for president. I think they should do that, but I don’t think they should be saying, “Well, my religion is better than yours,” or anything like that. Look, Santorum is a guy is who is inexperienced in this arena. He got drawn into a few things. He’s made some past comments. Everybody has dopey past comments… so we have to cut him a little slack… He’d be wise to say, “Look, I said what I said, now let’s get into the economy,” and that’s where he should go.

In fact, O’Reilly seemed to think candidates’ histories should be disregarded entirely, suggesting also that Newt Gingrich’s conversion to Catholicism made him an entirely different person. Watch the interview:

(HT: Gawker.)

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NEWS FLASH

Tennessee Activists Hold Anti-Gay Lawmaker Accountable | Equality activists in Tennessee are hoping to unseat State Rep. John DeBerry (D), the representative who sponsored a bill to prohibit gay and lesbian adoption in the state and “voted for the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.” The group Tennessee Equality Project claims that DeBerry’s voting record doesn’t reflect the new make-up of his district, which includes many LGBT voters, and is circulating a letter “to raise money to support someone to run against Deberry. The goal is to find a socially liberal candidate and raise at least $50,000.” DeBerry seemed a little shocked by the action, telling a local Fox affiliate, “I respected everybody. If I’m the bad guy, simply for having an opinion just like everybody else has an opinion, then so be it.” Watch the story:

NEWS FLASH

Uganda’s Ethics And Integrity Minister: Gays Should ‘Suffer Their Illnesses’ At Home | Last week, Simon Lotodo, Uganda’s Minister for Ethics and Integrity shut down a secret gay rights conference, claiming “We do not accept homosexuality in Uganda. So go back home” and is now warning other equality activists against assembling. “They cannot organize any other meeting. Let them remain at their homes and suffer their illnesses from there. For the love of God and humanity, I will leave no stone unturned until I defeat them and dissuade them from recruiting young people,” Lotodo told the press. Uganda’s Parliament recently reintroduced the “Kill The Gays” bill, which would allow the death penalty as punishment for homosexuality.

Concerned Women For America Compare Homosexuality To ‘Zoophilia, Necrophilia, Pedophilia’

Last night, the Georgia House Judiciary subcommittee tabled “a bill that would provide workplace protections to all state employees, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers,” GA Voice reports. During the hearing, Tanya Ditty, state director for Concerned Women for America, warned lawmakers that the measure would protect 23 different sexual orientations and even allow pedophiles to teach in the schools. She argued that male cross dressers would be allowed to use women’s restrooms and “exploit the vulnerability of women and children”:

DITTY: There are 23 sexual orientations that fit under this definition and if this bill became law, then what we would be protecting for public employees is not only heterosexuality, bisexuality, pedophilia, transsexuality, transvestitism, I’m not going to read them all. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, feetism, zoophilia, necrophilia, klismaphilia and the list goes on. I teach in the public school system and I wonder if this would impact the public school system. And we have parents who bring their kids to school everyday and expect the school to protect them. And what’s going to protect our children if someone that is a pedophiliac comes in and gets a teaching job, is a bus driver, is a custodian, and they can be people that just want to prey on people and they will be protected with this law.

Watch it:

Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, said the measure is still “very much alive,” but faces “a huge challenge to get it through this year.” Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, “covering 44 percent of the United States population.” Sixteen states or 33 percent of the population is covered by a statewide law prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity.”

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New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez Loses Her Hair Stylist Over Gay Marriage Opposition

An openly-gay hair stylist in New Mexico is protesting Gov. Susana Martinez’s (R) opposition to same-sex marriage by refusing to style her hair unless she changes her position on the issue. KOB Eyewitness News 4 reports that Antonio Darden, “a popular stylist who runs Antonio’s Hair Studio in Santa Fe, said he cut Martinez’ hair three times” but is now refusing to see his famous client:

“The governor’s aides called not too long ago, wanting another appointment to come in,” Darden said. “Because of her stances and her views on this I told her aides no. They called the next day, asking if I’d changed my mind about taking the governor in and I said no again.”

The governor has said she believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that does not cut it with Darden.

“I think it’s just equality, dignity for everyone,” the popular hair stylist said. “I think everybody should be allowed the right to be together. My partner and I have been together for 15 years.”

Watch a local news news segment on the story:

During her gubernatorial campaign Martinez answered “no” when asked whether she’d sign a domestic-partnership bill, adding “I don’t think it is necessary. It is not a law I would sign.” She was recently praised by LGBT equality advocates, however, for appointing Doug Howe, a gay man, to the Public Regulation Commission over the opposition of some social conservatives in the state.

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The Morning Pride: February 22, 2012

Welcome to The Morning Pride, ThinkProgress LGBT’s 8:45 AM round-up of the latest in LGBT policy, politics, and some culture too! Here’s what we’re reading this morning, but let us know what you’re checking out as well. Follow us all day on Twitter at @TPEquality.

- Would President Obama veto a marriage equality bill?

- Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) has said he believes the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and has filed court responses to support a lawsuit to overturn it.

- The Baltimore County Council finally passed its LGBT nondiscrimination bill, but some think it could become the first law in the county’s history to be challenged by petition.

- A New Jersey judge has reinstated a previously dismissed lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

- Leaders in the Oklahoma House of Representatives have blocked a bill that would have implemented an extreme version of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” within the Oklahoma National Guard.

- A Georgia House subcommittee has tabled a bill that would have created workplace protections for all state LGBT employees.

- David Malone, the mayor of Portsmouth, Ohio told city councilman Kevin Johnson that his homosexuality is a “preferred lifestyle” and an “abomination.”

- Students and staff at Britain’s Exeter University are debating whether cross-dressing for sport is offensive to those who are actually transgender or gender non-conforming.

- A headline too bizarre and endearing to ignore: “Swedish farmer seeks companion for bisexual pig.”

- The Trevor Project’s new PSA featuring Daniel Radcliffe debuted during last night’s Glee. Watch it:

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NEWS FLASH

Christie: ‘My Friends… Know I’m Not Bigoted’ | In an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan recorded last week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) explained his intention to veto marriage equality, saying he won’t “compromise my principles for politics.” He also dismissed any accusations that his “core belief” denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry makes him a bigot, saying that even his supposed gay friends “know I’m not bigoted.” Watch it:

(HT: Towleroad.)

UK Study Examines Unique Challenges For Bisexual Community

A new report out of Britain’s Open University last week looks at the unique challenges facing the bisexual community and the compounding impact of homophobia and biphobia. A meta-analysis of various studies found that bisexual people face a higher risk of mental health problems — such as depression, anxiety, self harm, and suicidal thinking — than even gays and lesbians. This is because people who are bi face distinct forms of stereotypes and exclusion that come from both the straight and gay communities. Here are a selection of some of the recommendations the study makes for combating biphobia:

  • Separate biphobia out from homophobia, recognising that there are specific issues facing bisexual people such as lack of acknowledgement of their existence, stereotypes of greediness or promiscuity, and pressure to be either gay or straight.
  • Recognise the role that biphobia and bisexual invisibility play in creating negative outcomes for bisexual people.
  • Recognise that bisexual people are also subject to homophobia, heterosexism and heteronormativity.
  • Tackle biphobic hate crime by separating out the experiences of bisexual people in national surveys, examining bisexual-specific experiences, and particularly addressing sexual assault.
  • Specifically target bisexual youth in sexual health campaigns, rather than subsuming them in lesbian and gay categories. Any restrictions relating to sexual health, such as the donation of blood, should be around safety of sexual practices engaged in rather than the genders or sexual identities of those involved.

The full report is worth a read, as it includes the testimony of many bisexual people and a helpful discussion for understanding the identity’s many possible variations. Given researchers are still wasting time on whether bisexuality even exists — it does — further examination for the unique experiences of bi people can further an understanding of all people’s sexualities and the way society treats them. (HT: Jane Fae.)

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Santorum: The Democratic Party Is About ‘Homosexuality’

During a 2008 “Press & People of Faith in Politics” forum, Rick Santorum described to the Democratic Party as “the party of Woodstock,” and accused lawmakers of “prey[ing] upon our most basic primal lusts.” Asked to name a couple of words he’d heard attached to religion and politics in his years in the Senate, Santorum listed “moderate,” “ultra-conservative,” “liberal,” and “zealous” before launching into a full-on tirade against Democrats:

“Woodstock is the great American orgy. This is who the Democratic Party has become. They have become the party of Woodstock. The prey upon our most basic primal lusts, and that’s sex. And the whole abortion culture, it’s not about life. It’s about sexual freedom. That’s what it’s about. Homosexuality. It’s about sexual freedom.”

Of course Santorum will position Republicans as the “anti-homosexuality” party if he wins the nomination and has pledged to to annul all same-sex marriages and personally campaign in every state against marriage equality.

Fatima Najiy

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