HRC Back Story

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.hrcbackstory.org:80/","20071006022711","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1191637631"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>HRC Back Story</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/web/20071006022711cs_/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/blog/css/home.css" type="text/css"/> </head> <body> <div id="container"> <div id="header"> <a href="/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/" alt="Go Home"> <img id="logo" alt="Human Rights Campaign" src="/web/20071006022711im_/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/blog/images/logo.gif" border="0"/> <h1>HRC Back Story</h1> <p class="tagline">Working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equal rights</p> </a> </div> <ul id="nav"> <li><a href="/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/">Blog home</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/contact_us.html">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/">HRC home</a></li> </ul>    <div id="content"> <div id="left_col"> <div class="post"> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html">Message from Joe Solmonese</a></h2> <p class="date">October 05, 2007 6:06PM<br/> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/mailto:joe@hrcbackstory.org">Joe Solmonese</a></p> <p>The last two weeks have been the most heartbreaking and gut-wrenching of my life—and I know I’m not alone in that sentiment. Ever since we received word last week that the original, complete version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act was in trouble, many in our community have spent more than one sleepless night tossing and turning, trying to figure out the best strategy for moving forward. And although there were different views on which road to take, I personally received strength in knowing that our goal—enacting one bill that protects the entire GLBT community—would be the ultimate destination.</p> <p>Three rock-solid principles have guided my decision-making throughout this ordeal: a) In the context of decisions that lawmakers had made, HRC must craft a strategy that would achieve an inclusive ENDA most expeditiously; b) an “incremental” strategy that said we’d “come back and pick up gender identity in a few years” was not acceptable; and c) we couldn’t affect change if we weren’t part of the legislative process. Those principles have dictated all of my actions and will continue to do so. </p> <p>That final principle—staying in the game in order to influence the outcome—has, thus far, been almost unique to HRC, and the actions we’ve taken based upon it have come under intense scrutiny by others. No matter how difficult it is to come under fire, however, we know that turning our backs on our relationships with Congress is not an acceptable strategy for HRC. It would completely incapacitate us in the fight for a complete bill. Everything that has transpired in the past week, and everything that we will do going forward, reflects this basic understanding: if we remain outside of the legislative process, we have no hope of influencing it. </p> <p>And as we remain engaged in the legislative process we continue to unequivocally state that (a) we only support a complete employment bill—meaning one that provides the most robust protections for everyone in our community, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender; and (b) we do not support the removal of gender identity from ENDA. I won’t leave anyone wondering about where HRC stands: we do not support the incomplete bill recently introduced in Congress, and we only support a complete ENDA. Period.</p> <p>In service of our mission and our principles, at this very moment the Human Rights Campaign is engaged in a full-scale lobbying effort focused on targeted members, both on the Hill and with in-district grassroots work, to support a complete bill. We are facing an uphill battle but we refuse to give up—to quote Bill Clinton—“until the last dog dies.”</p> <p>Our community can work with the people who want to help us, or we can walk out on them. We can fight to move the ball from where it is, or simply go home. HRC chose the former course. In a community facing such fierce opposition from the outside, it is disheartening to see blame and anger hurled at the people on our own side. I know in my heart that HRC’s course of action not only supports the goal of transgender equality, but is the best and most expedient way to ensure it.</p> <p>The fact is that our position and our actions have remained consistent throughout this process. We resolved only to support the passage of an inclusive bill that protects our community to the fullest extent possible. We remain resolved to pass only such a bill, and we are determined to stay in the legislative process, making it both possible and necessary for Congress to do the right thing. By staying at the table, we will prevent precisely what concerns us all—that they take the easier course and leave transgender people behind. </p> <p>- Joe Solmonese</p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/transgender/index.html">Transgender</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/workplace/index.html">Workplace</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&title=Message from Joe Solmonese">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&title=Message from Joe Solmonese">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&t=Message from Joe Solmonese">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&title=Message from Joe Solmonese">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&t=Message from Joe Solmonese">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html&t=Message from Joe Solmonese">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html">Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing</a></h2> <p class="date">October 05, 2007 3:54PM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=240,height=227,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://hrcblog.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/05/victoriaarellano.jpg"><img title="Victoriaarellano" height="170" alt="Victoriaarellano" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711im_/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/images/2007/10/05/victoriaarellano.jpg" width="180" border="0" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 5px 5px 0px"/></a>Yesterday, the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.judiciary.house.gov/committeestructure.aspx?committee=4">House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law</a> held a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=377">hearing</a> on immigration detainee medical care.  HRC, together with <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.immigrationequality.org/">Immigration Equality</a>, sent up questions to Capitol Hill regarding the treatment of detainees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) and/or living with HIV/AIDS. </p> <p>These concerns were made more urgent by the appalling case of Victoria Arellano (pictured), a 23 year old transgender woman living with AIDS who died in custody at a U.S. immigration detention center in San Pedro, CA this past July.  According to news reports, Victoria was denied access to her medication and treatment while her physical condition deteriorated to such an extent that her fellow detainees were forced to care for her themselves.  The detainees repeatedly pleaded with officials for her to receive medical attention to no avail. Needless to say, HRC and Immigration Equality, along with a coalition of GLBT and immigration advocacy groups, are outraged by Victoria’s treatment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.</p> <p>In order to focus additional attention on these concerns, HRC and Immigration Equality submitted a set of questions for the hearing witnesses that were included in a broader packet of coalition questions sent to Committee staff by the ACLU:  </p><blockquote dir="ltr"><p>• On several documented occasions HIV-positive detainees have been denied medication or not given the proper medication to treat their HIV.  One of the reasons often cited is that the facilities do not have the proper medication or that the pharmacies used have not processed the orders in time.  Is there a list of medications that must be available to a detention facility to access in order to threat detainees, and what HIV medication is included in this list?  If there is no such list, why not?</p> <p>• On several documented occasions transgender detainees have been denied hormone therapy treatment despite the well-known medical consequences of lapses in treatment.  Is it the policy of ICE to not treat transgender immigrants with hormone therapy regardless of the health consequences?  If not, is there policy governing hormone therapy treatment for transgender detainees?</p> <p>• Gay, lesbian, and transgender detainees are vulnerable to abuse both on behalf of fellow prisoners as well as by the staff of detention facilities.  When gay, lesbian, and transgender detainees ask for protection one of the common responses is to either transfer them to a different facility or to put the detainee in solitary confinement, effectively punishing the victim of the abuse.  What is current ICE policy regarding the protection of individuals who fear abuse in immigration detention facilities?</p> <p>• Does ICE require its employees or contracted facilities to undergo sensitivity training relating to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations?  </p> <p>• There are frequent and persistent documented examples of medical records not being transferred with detainees as well as inadequate record-keeping regarding medical assistance requested and received in immigration custody.  What are the institutional barriers to maintaining accurate records on detainees and what is being done to address them?</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Assuring the proper care and treatment of HIV-positive and GLBT individuals in state and federal custody - and especially transgender individuals - remains a grave institutional problem that must be aggressively combated. Congress has made a smart decision by opening an investigation in the medical treatment of immigration detainees, but it should also conduct a thorough review of the treatment of GLBT and HIV positive individuals in detention throughout the system.</p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/health/index.html">Health</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/international_rights_immigration/index.html">International Rights & Immigration</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/transgender/index.html">Transgender</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&title=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&title=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&t=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&title=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&t=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html&t=Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html">Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile</a></h2> <p class="date">October 05, 2007 2:20PM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p>Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) will go on the Michelangelo Signorile show today at 5:15 p.m. EST: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://signorile2003.blogspot.com/2007/10/barney-frank-on-show-today-congressman.html">link</a>. Joe Solmonese was on the show yesterday, where he discussed ENDA. We'll try to post a link to the audio files of Joe's segment as soon as we can... </p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/workplace/index.html">Workplace</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&title=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&title=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&t=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&title=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&t=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html&t=Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html">Conservative Arkansas group gets the green light for campaign for placing anti-gay parenting measure on the 2008 ballot</a></h2> <p class="date">October 05, 2007 11:00AM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p>Foes of child adoption by same-sex couples in Arkansas have now secured permission by the Arkansas Attorney General to start collecting the 61, 974 required signatures <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/203380/">to place an anti-gay parenting referendum on the 2008 state ballot.</a> If passed, the measure would prevent unmarried and same-sex couples from adopting children in Arkansas.  The sponsoring group of the initiative, the Arkansas Family Council (which is affiliated with James Dobson's Focus on the Family), was also the main driving force behind the state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that passed in 2004.   </p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/parenting/index.html">Parenting</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html&title=Conservative Arkansas group gets the green light for campaign for placing anti-gay parenting measure on the 2008 ballot">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html&t=Conservative Arkansas group gets the green light for campaign for placing anti-gay parenting measure on the 2008 ballot">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html&t=Conservative Arkansas group gets the green light for campaign for placing anti-gay parenting measure on the 2008 ballot">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/controversial-s.html">Controversial, anti-gay senator decides against resigning </a></h2> <p class="date">October 04, 2007 4:47PM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">BREAKING:</span></strong> The embattled Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) is <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/10/craig-says-he-w.html">staying put</a> in the Senate - for now.  Craig's anti-gay record is long established: he voted for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', voted twice for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, and, just last week, voted against the hate crimes bill. </p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/controversial-s.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/controversial-s.html&title=Controversial, anti-gay senator decides against resigning ">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/controversial-s.html&t=Controversial, anti-gay senator decides against resigning ">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html">New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man</a></h2> <p class="date">October 04, 2007 2:05PM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>UPDATE:</strong> </span>Today a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/100407sandy.htm">New York jury will begin considering the fate of 20 year-old John Fox</a>, one of the defendants in the murder case of Michael Sandy, the 29 year-old gay black man that was killed last October during an attack from four young men in Brookyln, NY.  Fox, 20, along with the three other indicted men, are charged with various crimes in the Sandy attack, including murder as a hate crime. </p> <p>Following his arrest, Fox admitted in videotaped confessions to taking part in luring Sandy to a gay cruising spot in Brookyln where he and the other defendants attacked Sandy and ultimately chased him onto a busy freeway where he was fatally struck by a car. Fox's attorney has fought to have the court throw out his confession on the claims that his statements were illegally coerced by police detectives.</p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/hate_crimes/index.html">Hate Crimes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&title=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&title=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&t=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&title=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&t=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/new-york-jury-t.html&t=New York jury to deliberate fate of defendant charged in fatal attack of gay man">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html">National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community</a></h2> <p class="date">October 04, 2007 10:51AM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p>We're now a week out from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/comingout">National Coming Out Day</a> on October 11. To celebrate the occasion, Joe Solomonese and our staff have been encouraging members of the community to create videos to tell their personal coming out stories and then share with the world by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/issues/7649.htm">putting them on YouTube</a>: </p><br><center><embed src="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711oe_/http://www.youtube.com/v/fSTtGSUJHMs" width="325" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></center><p>We've already received an interesting array of videos responding to our challenge, including one submitted by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/09/videoblogger-co.html">Mary Matthews</a>, a videoblogger and one half of the couple that kicked off the first gay marriage question during the CNN/YouTube presidential debate: </p><br><center><embed src="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711oe_/http://www.youtube.com/v/BBrO9Ge7FEE" width="325" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></center><p>The goal is to weave together a new collection of stories that will serve as a modern tribute to the Names Project AIDS Quilt, which was first assembled twenty years ago on the National Mall during the March on Washington in 1987. If you haven't done so already, check out our Coming Out Day page for more information on how to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/issues/7649.htm">make sure your story gets added</a> to this new chapter of GLBT history. </p> <p>The ability to come out and live our lives openly is something we all should cherish, and, as a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/contrary-to-the.html">gay Iranian living in a country that's unabashedly oppressive of gay people recently reminded us</a>, only by telling our stories are we able to lay the important groundwork to help people understand the importance of supporting GLBT equality. </p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/coming_out/index.html">Coming Out</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&title=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&title=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&t=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&title=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&t=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/national-coming.html&t=National Coming Out Day on October 11 should be properly honored by the GLBT community">Furl</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="entry-header"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html">HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video</a></h2> <p class="date">October 03, 2007 6:47PM<br/> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrc.org/about_us/6045.htm">Chris Johnson</a></p> <p>Today Joe Solmonese released an urgent call-to-action video encouraging people to urge their Members of Congress to support ENDA legislation that protects the entire GLBT organization:</p> <center><embed name="flashObj" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711oe_/http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/372307668" width="379" height="312" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" seamlesstabbing="false" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" flashvars="playerId=372307668&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://services.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"></embed></center></p> <p>Use our action alert to do your part and contact your representative in support of an inclusive ENDA bill: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/enda_oct">http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/enda_oct</a></p> <div class="clb"></div> <ul class="categories"> <li>Categories:</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/transgender/index.html">Transgender</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/workplace/index.html">Workplace</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html">Link</a></li> </ul> <ul class="bookmark"> <li class="title">Bookmark:</li> <li class="delicious"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&title=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Del.icio.us</a></li> <li class="digg"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&title=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Digg</a></li> <li class="yahoo"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/bookmarklet?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&t=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Yahoo</a></li> <li class="google"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.google.com/bookmarks/mark?bkmk=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&title=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Google</a></li> <li class="facebook"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&t=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Facebook</a></li> <li class="furl"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/hrc-president-j.html&t=HRC President Joe Solmonese releases urgent ENDA call-to-action video">Furl</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="more_posts"> <a class="older_posts" href="/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/archives.html">Archive ></a> <div class="clb"></div> </div> </div> <div id="right_col"> <h2>The HRC Blog</h2>  <p>The Human Rights Campaign's perspective on the news, issues and events affecting the every day lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people across the country.</p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/enda " class="callout"> <img alt="Pass ENDA Now" src="/web/20071006022711im_/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/images/banners/enda-callout.jpg"/> <span class="caption">In 31 states, it's still legal to fire someone because they're gay; in 39 states it is legal to fire someone for being transgender. Help HRC pass ENDA, visit passENDAnow.org today.</span> </a> <div class="box"> <h3>Recent Posts</h3> <ul class="side_links"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/message-from-jo.html">Message from Joe Solmonese</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/mistreatment-of.html">Mistreatment of HIV positive, transgender inmates probed during congressional subcommittee hearing</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/congressman-bar.html">Congressman Barney Frank to be interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/conservative-ar.html">Conservative Arkansas group gets the green light for campaign for placing anti-gay parenting measure on the 2008 ballot</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="box"> <h3>Categories</h3> <ul class="side_links"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/coming_out/index.html">Coming Out (9)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/hate_crimes/index.html">Hate Crimes (51)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/health/index.html">Health (14)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/international_rights_immigration/index.html">International Rights & Immigration (3)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/marriage_relationship_recognition/index.html">Marriage & Relationship Recognition (53)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/military/index.html">Military (23)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/parenting/index.html">Parenting (13)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/people_of_color/index.html">People of Color (23)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/religion_faith/index.html">Religion & Faith (20)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/transgender/index.html">Transgender (15)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/workplace/index.html">Workplace (66)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/youth_campus_activism/index.html">Youth & Campus Activism (13)</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="box"> <h3>Archives</h3> <ul class="side_links"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/10/index.html">October 2007</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/09/index.html">September 2007</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/08/index.html">August 2007</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="rss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://feeds.feedburner.com/HrcBackStory" target="_NEW"><img alt="" src="/web/20071006022711im_/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/blog/images/icon_rss.gif"/></a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071006022711/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/feed101" target="_NEW">What is RSS?</a> </div> </div> <div class="clb"></div> </div> <div id="footer"> <p>©2007 The Human Rights Campaign. 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