National and World Briefs

Lambda Legal decries Kavanaugh vote

In a statement released Oct. 6, Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal chief strategy officer and legal director, wrote (in part): “The United States Senate’s vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is the culmination of a deeply flawed nomination process the likes of which we have never seen in this nation’s history. While profoundly frustrated and outraged, we are not surprised by this outcome, which is yet another example of the lengths to which this Republican-controlled Senate is prepared to go in order to pack the courts with ideological extremists who will promote the 'values' of the Trump-Pence administration.

“In their haste to shift the Supreme Court to the far right, Senate Republicans abused their power by shielding this nominee’s record from public scrutiny, and by manipulating the process to ensure that deeply troubling questions about his character and integrity would be left unanswered. This deliberate campaign of concealment by Senate Republicans circumvented any meaningful public discussion about how Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation would undermine important protections for LGBT people, women, people of color, people living with disabilities or pre-existing conditions, and workers. Yet, even without this evidence, Brett Kavanaugh revealed himself as a right-wing political operative completely lacking in judicial temperament. His confirmation will undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court for as long as he serves."

Utah cities overall rank low on MEI index

USA Today reports a record number of municipalities — 78 — earned perfect scores for advancing LGBTQ-inclusive policies in 2018, according to a report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Equality Federation Institute. However, Utah ranked slightly below average.

The Municipal Equality Index recently rated 506 cities on inclusive protections and policies. Utah cities included in the index are Logan, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City, West Jordan, and West Valley City. Not surprisingly, SLC ranked highest in the state with an index score of 66 out of 100. Ogden ranked second at 56 and Provo third with 48. Orem fell way short at 20. Overall, Utah's score came in below average, at 43.9, based on nondiscrimination laws, workforce policies, municipal services, law enforcement, and relationship with the LGBT community.

Get married or get out

The State Department on Monday began imposing a new policy, according to NBC News, that restricts visas for the same-sex partners of staff of U.S.-based international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The policy, announced earlier this year, ends a policy spearheaded by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that allowed these same-sex partners to obtain a spousal visa, also known as the G-4 visa. Now, according to the new policy, the United States will issue a G-4 visa to a partner of a legally married couple.

SCOTUS facing at least 10 LGBT-related cases in 2018-19 session

Cases before the U.S. Supreme Court seem almost like an afterthought after the political slugfest over the confirmation process for President Trump’s second nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Windy City Times reports there are several cases that are of great importance to the LGBT community as the high court began its 2018–19 session last week. In fact, this session could be one of the busiest in history for LGBT-related concerns.

At least three cases appealed to the Supreme Court ask whether existing federal law protects LGBT people from employment discrimination and a fourth one is on the way; at least four cases could revisit the question of whether a business person can cite their religious beliefs to violate state law prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people; and three lawsuits challenging President Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military could wind their ways up to the high court this session.

Switzerland outlaws anti-LGBT discrimination; offenders may face prison

A significant win this week for LGBT people in Switzerland against discrimination could land offenders in prison for up to three years. The Swiss National Council voted 118 to 60 to change their penal code, making it illegal to discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation, reports LGBTQ Nation.

Mathias Reynard, a national councilor who has fought for over half a decade on the law, said, “... the National Council accepts my parliamentary initiative against homophobia and transphobia! A great success for human rights!”

Hawaii Supreme Court upholds parental rights for same-sex couples

The Supreme Court of Hawaii has ruled that a lesbian nonbiological parent must pay child support to her former partner in order to take care of the child the couple had previously planned to raise together.

The State of Hawaii filed an amicus brief arguing that the legalization of marriage equality in the state guaranteed that same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples were entitled to the same rights and responsibilities when it comes to parenting.

Trans student barred from shelter during Virginia school’s mass shooter drill

A transgender student was separated from her peers during a mass shooter drill at a Virginia middle school, as school administrators debated where to send her.

A “lockdown” drill at Stafford County Middle School, designed to teach the students how to respond in case of an attack, required students to seek shelter in the nearest bathroom or locker room.

However, the transgender student, whose identity has been withheld, was instead forced to sit in the gym while the other students sought shelter, while teachers “discussed where she should go,” Equality Stafford said in a Facebook post. Q