Category: USA
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Allison Herwitt Promoted to HRC Vice President for Government Affairs
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) today announced Allison Herwitt, currently HRC’s legislative director and a seven year veteran of the organisation, has been promoted to the position of Vice President for Government Affairs.
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HRC Calls on U.S. Catholic Hierarchy to Heed Pope’s Hopeful Message
Last Friday, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin wrote to the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the CEO of Knights of Columbus – an affiliate of the Roman Catholic Church – calling on them to follow Pope Francis’ message of welcome and mercy for gays and lesbians.
Photo credit Photo By John P Salvatore [CC0 or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Members of Congress Introduce Dangerous Legislation Billed as Protecting Religious Freedom
Last Thursday, a group of Members of Congress led by Idaho Republican Raul Labrador introduced the ‘Marriage and Religious Freedom Act,’ which Rep. Labrador claims will ‘protect freedom of conscience for those who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman.’
Photo credit Photo by Casa Rosada ( [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Griffin: Pope Francis Presses “Reset Button” on LGBT Issues
In a wide-ranging interview released in a publication of the Jesuit order, Pope Francis expanded dramatically on his recent comments that “if a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge”—making clear that he intended that tolerant message to apply to all lesbian and gay people, not just priests and members of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy.
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HRC Hires Brad Clark to Develop New Strategies to Achieve Full Equality
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) last Friday announced Brad Clark, currently the executive director of One Colorado, will join the organisation to create and lead new strategies that will allow HRC to bridge the gap between states that have made great strides toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality, and those that have barely any protections for the LGBT community.
Photo credit Photo By Kurt Löwenstein Educational Center International Team from Germany (qe07 (9)) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Military Same-Sex Spouses Eligible for Benefits Today
Today the same-sex spouses of military service members become eligible to receive a range of federal benefits, thanks to a Department of Defense policy change that was announced last month implementing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).