Family Portrait: Mark Mitchell PAGE 35
We don’t like to judge, unless it’s Pink Penny: PGN’s fifth-annual Philly favorites PAGE 23 April 1-7, 2011
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Vol. 35 No. 13
ENDA introduction pending in House
The bill would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in hiring, firing and promotion decisions. The measure has been introduced every session except one since 1994 and last saw success in 2007, when it passed in the House for the first time. By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Out Congressman Barney Frank (DMass.) was set to introduce the Employment Nondiscrimination Act this week, but said he is holding off on formally submitting the bill as he looks for more cosponsors. In a March 30 press conference on Capitol Hill, Frank did not provide a specific timeline for the introduction of ENDA, but said he wanted to make sure it had the most amount of legislative support possible when it was unveiled. He was unequivocal, however, in his thoughts on the bill’s passage under the current Republican-controlled House. “This is a chance to continue — not begin, but continue — a lobbying effort that I am convinced will be successful, frankly, next time the Democrats take back the House of Representatives,” he said. Frank drew the ire of some LGBTs when he dropped “gender identity” from the 2007 version to ensure its passage; the 2009 and current versions are trans-inclusive. Details on a companion bill in the Senate h ave n o t y e t b e e n announced. Currently, 21 states and Washington, D.C., ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, 12 of which also extend protections based on genFRANK der identity. “All Americans worry about their economic future, but LGBT Americans’ anxieties are exacerbated when they can be fired for no other reason than their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “Passing ENDA is a key element of making sure all Americans can get back to work and get our country moving again.” The last version of the bill, introduced in June 2009, died in committee with 203 cosponsors. Last session, a Senate committee held its first-ever hearings on ENDA. ■
Local Presbyterian leaders favor gay ordinations By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
FINALIZING FAIRNESS: City Councilman Bill Greenlee (center) welcomed Mayor Michael Nutter’s signing of his bill to strengthen the city’s nondiscrimination law at City Hall March 24. Greenlee’s measure to update the Fair Practices Ordinance received unanimous approval from Council earlier this month. The new law is the first complete overhaul the legislation has received in 60 years — it revises language to ensure it is in line with state and federal laws, eases restrictions on the same-sex life-partnership registry and heightens fines for violations of the LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination law from $300 to $2,000, among myriad other stipulations. The new law is considered especially critical for the LGBT community, which is one of the protected classes not afforded nondiscrimination protections at the state or federal level. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The governing body representing Presbyterian churches in the area voted last week to support the decision of the national Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to allow gays and lesbians in same-sex relationships to be eligible for ordination. In a 182-108 vote March 22, the Presbytery of Philadelphia approved Amendment 10-A to the church constitution, which would drop the provision that ordained Presbyterian leaders who are not married to a member of the opposite sex must live in celibacy. Last summer, Amendment 10-A passed the Presbyterian General Assembly with 53 percent of the vote. The measure would lift the stipulation that those called must live in “fidelity within PAGE 7
Feds halt, continue deportation of same-sex married couples In what was hailed as a major breakthrough for LGBT immigration rights, the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services said Monday that a hold would be in place for cases of legally married binational same-sex couples — but two days later that hold was lifted. The questions stemmed from the Obama administration’s announcement in late February that it would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court because it is unconstitutional. The law, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing the legal marriages of same-sex couples, prevents
Americans legally married to non-citizens of the same sex for from applying for a green card for their spouse, a right only afforded to heterosexual couples. In a statement to the Advocate on Wednesday, CIS spokesperson Christopher Bentley said the agency had received the proper “legal guidance” from the Office of General Counsel at the Department of Homeland Security that enables it to proceed with the cases. Bentley emphasized that no change in immigration policy has been implemented. ■ — Jen Colletta
ERASING, EMBRACING: The LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities turned out March 26 to support The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium at its annual gala. “Erasing the Stigma” drew more than a hundred to the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, including guest speaker actor Sher yl Lee Ralph, and out CBS3 reporter Jim Donovan. The event also sought to raise awareness about and combat the negative stigma associated with the disease. Photo: Kimberly Kunda