President Obama to Bestow Presidential Medal of Freedom on Harvey Milk
San Francisco – Today President Obama announced that he will honor assassinated civil rights leader Harvey Milk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor recognizing significant contributions to the nation and the world. The President will also honor Senator Edward Kennedy and tennis legend Billie Jean King, an open lesbian and longtime champion for the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, with the Medal of Freedom on August 12.
Last year, EQCA sponsored the first bill in the country to officially honor Milk, the nation’s first openly gay man elected to major political office, but the Governor vetoed it. Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) introduced the Harvey Milk Day bill, sponsored by EQCA, again this year. The legislation would require the governor to annually proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day, designating it as a “day of special significance,” to recognize Milk’s work to secure equal protections.
Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
| Published by |
 |
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/07/president-oba…
Calif. panel OKs honors for gay leader Harvey Milk
With encouragement from an Oscar-winning screenwriter, a state Senate committee approved legislation Wednesday that would designate a day honoring slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk. The Senate Education Committee voted 7-2 to send the bill by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, to the full Senate. It would designate each May 22 — Milk’s birthday — as Harvey Milk Day. The “day of special significance” would recognize Milk’s life and contributions to the state but would not be an official holiday, meaning there would be no cost to state government.
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/calif-panel-o…
Oscar Winner Dustin Lance Black Testifies in Support of Harvey Milk Day, Which Promply Passes Key Committee
Sacramento – Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award winning writer of the film Milk, testified before the California State Senate Education Committee shortly before it passed the Harvey Milk Day Bill, SB 572, in a 7-2 vote that included bipartisan support from Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) who voted for the bill.
“When I was 14 years old, a theatre director in the Bay Area told me the story of Harvey Milk,” said Black, an advocate for equal rights. “It was a story about an out gay man who stood up to prejudice and bigotry, lived openly as who he was, was elected to public office, and lit the fire of today’s national and global LGBT civil rights movement. Not surprisingly, his story gave me hope,” he said.
The bill, sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and introduced by Senator Mark Leno (D – San Francisco) calls for a “day of special significance” honoring Milk and is designed to educate Californians about the former San Francisco City Supervisor, who became the nation’s first openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) person elected to political office in a major city.
“We may have lost Harvey Milk, but we have not lost his passion, his commitment, and his courage,” said Geoff Kors, EQCA Executive Director. “Harvey Milk’s endurance in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges is a source of pride and inspiration for every Californian.”
Milk’s groundbreaking service as an openly gay official helped bring LGBT people out of the closet and into civic life. During his time in office, he was responsible for both passing San Francisco’s first gay-rights ordinance and helping to defeat the controversial Briggs Initiative, which sought to ban gay and lesbian teachers from public schools. Milk, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, was assassinated in November 1978.
“Harvey Milk gave hope to an entire generation of gay and lesbian people whose basic humanity and freedom had been denied and dishonored,” said Senator Leno. “He literally gave his life so that I and other LGBT elected officials could serve in public office. Thanks to Dustin Lance Black and the creators and stars of the movie “Milk,” Harvey’s incredible story continues to be told around the world. It is only fitting that we continue our work to preserve his legacy for generations to come,” he said.
The legislation was originally introduced last year by Sen. Leno, but Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the measure at the time, claiming Harvey Milk was not well known enough beyond San Francisco. Since that time, however, Harvey Milk has become a focal point of national conversation following the successful release of Milk, the critically acclaimed film depicting the life of the slain civil rights leader for which Black and actor Sean Penn received Academy Awards.
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/oscar-winner-…
Harvey Milk Day Legislation Under Attack!
The same group, motivated by fear and hate, who brought us Prop 8 is at it again—with a new target.
This time they are turning up the heat, urging their members to contact the governor asking him to veto EQCA’s legislation–authored by Senator Mark Leno–to honor my uncle, Harvey Milk.
The governor needs to see a groundswell of support for legislation to honor one of our movement’s greatest heroes, Harvey Milk. Please sign the petition today!
This morning, EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors will be joined by Senator Leno and Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of the movie “Milk,” to give testimony before the Senate Education Committee urging the passage of this legislation that pays tribute to the sacrifices Harvey made to advance equality.
Last year, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill saying that my uncle was a figure of only local significance. Since then, millions have seen how important my uncle was to the LGBT rights movement – and how he inspired so many to fight for what is right.
Please sign the petition to Governor Schwarzenegger and urge him to sign the Harvey Milk Day bill. You can even add in a special message about what Harvey Milk means to you.
The deadline is fast approaching. All the petitions will be delivered to the Governor on May 22, my uncle’s birthday.
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/harvey-milk-d…
Academy Award Winning Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black to Testify in Favor of Harvey Milk Day Bill
Sacramento–Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award winning screenwriter of the film Milk will testify before the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday in support of legislation establishing Harvey Milk Day in California. Senate Bill 572, sponsored by Equality California and authored by Sen. Mark Leno (D- San Francisco), creates a day of special significance on Milk’s birthday, May 22.
Harvey Milk, a former San Francisco City supervisor, was the first openly gay elected official of any large city in the United States, and only the third openly gay elected official in the nation. He and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in San Francisco on November 27, 1978. His life was the subject of last year’s critically-acclaimed film Milk, for which both Black and actor Sean Penn received the Academy Award.
Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/academy-award…
Oscar Winner Sean Penn Leads Call for Harvey Milk DayPenn Joins Equality California and Sen. Leno to Introduce Legislation Honoring Slain Civil Rights
San Francisco - Sean Penn, Academy Award-winning star of Milk, called for a statewide “day of special significance” in honor of slain civil rights leader Harvey Milk. On Tuesday, Penn joined State Senator Mark Leno and State Assemblymember Tom Ammiano at a press conference to introduce the Harvey Milk Day Bill, SB 572. Sponsored by Equality California (EQCA), the bill seeks to educate Californians about the former San Francisco City Supervisor, who became the nation’s first openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) person elected to major political office.
Milk’s service as an openly gay official helped bring LGBT people out of the closet and into civic life. During his time in office, he was responsible for both passing San Francisco’s first gay-rights ordinance and helping to defeat the controversial Briggs Initiative, which sought to ban gay and lesbian teachers from public schools. Milk, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, was assassinated in November 1978.
“We may have lost Harvey Milk, but we have not lost his passion, his commitment, and his courage to fight for equality and justice for all,” said Geoff Kors, Executive Director of Equality California. “Harvey Milk is not just a hero to LGBT people. His endurance in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges is a source of pride for every Californian. This bill aims to give people a positive representation of who LGBT people are – an image that inspires pride and self esteem for all.”
“Harvey Milk was a true American hero,” said Senator Leno. “He gave hope to an entire generation of gay and lesbian people whose basic humanity and freedom had been denied and dishonored, and he literally gave his life so that I and other LGBT elected officials could serve in public office. Harvey’s courage still inspires us today as we continue to struggle for equal rights following the passage of Proposition 8 in California. His story has been told around the world in “Milk,” starring Academy Award winner Sean Penn, and today we fittingly continue our work to preserve that legacy for generations to come.”
The measure would proclaim May 22nd ‘Harvey Milk Day’ and add it to the list of state holidays, although it will be crafted in a way so as not to generate additional state costs or increase the number of paid state holidays.
The legislation was originally introduced last year by Sen. Leno, but Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the measure at the time, claiming Harvey Milk was not well known enough beyond San Francisco. Since that time, however, Harvey Milk has become a focal point of national conversation following the release of the film Milk. Following the Milk’s success, both Sean Penn and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black received an Oscar for their work on the film.* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/oscar-winner-…
Leno kicks off another try at Harvey Milk Day
With Academy Award-winner Sean Penn on hand to provide Hollywood star power, state Sen. Mark Leno launched a new effort Tuesday to recognize May 22 in California as Harvey Milk Day in honor of the slain San Francisco supervisor and gay rights leader.
In September, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill, which would have made Milk’s birthday a “a day of special significance” in the state’s public schools. The governor argued that Milk’s contributions should be “recognized at the local level.”
But Milk’s cause took a huge leap in visibility when Penn received an Oscar last month for his portrayal of Milk, one of the nation’s first openly gay elected officials, in the movie of the same name.
With the Castro district camera shop owner’s name back in the headlines 30 years after his death, Leno, a San Francisco Democrat, is trying again with a new bill, SB572.
See Leno kicks off another try at Harvey Milk Day
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/leno-kicks-of…
California gay rights timeline
As gays and lesbians have fought for rights and won elected office, public opinion has shifted. Back in 1977, singer Anita Bryant of Florida was leading a Bible-based campaign against homosexuals, claiming they were sinners and a threat to children and family life. When pollsters asked more than 1,000 Californians – face to face, in their homes – whether they agreed with her, 45 percent said yes. Emotions still run high on the issue, but more Californians now say they know gays and lesbians, and approve of same-sex marriage. The shift is particularly pronounced among residents ages 18 to 29. Following are notable twists and turns in the history of California’s gay rights movement.
1951: The Mattachine Society, one of the first gay advocacy organizations in the United States, is incorporated in Los Angeles to combat oppression of homosexuals.
1955: The Daughters of Bilitis, a national lesbian organization, is founded in San Francisco.
1961: José Sarria runs for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming what is believed to be the nation’s first openly gay candidate for public office.
1975: Assembly Bill 489, by Assemblyman Willie Brown, decriminalizes sexual acts performed in private by consenting adults in California.
1977: The state Legislature overwhelmingly votes to define civil marriage as a contract between a man and a woman. Harvey Milk later becomes the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, winning a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
1978: Voters defeat Proposition 6, the Briggs initiative, named for Sen. John Briggs, which would have barred gays, lesbians and their supporters from teaching in public schools.
1979: Gov. Jerry Brown issues an executive order barring discrimination against state employees based on sexual orientation.
1984: Gov. George Deukmejian vetoes Assembly Bill 1, the first bill that would have banned job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
1989: Senate Bill 202, by Sen. Diane Watson, requires law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes, including those in which a motivating factor is the victim’s sexual orientation.
1991: Gov. Pete Wilson vetoes Assembly Bill 101, by Assemblyman Terry Friedman, prohibiting discrimination against gays in the workplace.
1992: Wilson signs Friedman’s narrower measure, Assembly Bill 2601, which adds sexual orientation protections to the Labor Code.
1994: Sheila Kuehl is elected to the Assembly, becoming the state Legislature’s first openly lesbian or gay member.
1999: Assembly Bill 26, by Assemblywoman Carole Migden, creates the first statewide domestic partnership registry, allowing the partners of gay state employees to receive health benefits.
1999: Assembly Bill 1001, by Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, adds sexual orientation to anti-discrimination provisions of the state Fair Employment and Housing Act.
1999: Assembly Bill 537, by Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl, makes it illegal to harass students in public schools because of sexual orientation.
2000: Voters pass Proposition 22, which banned same-sex marriage.
2001: Migden’s Assembly Bill 25 greatly expands the rights of domestic partners to include health benefits through private group insurance, death benefits, sick leave, tax deductions and adoption of stepchildren.
2002: The nation’s first legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus is formed in the Legislature. It comprises Assembly members Kuehl, Migden, Jackie Goldberg and Christine Kehoe.
2002: John Laird and Mark Leno are elected to the Assembly, becoming the first openly gay men in the Legislature and members of the LGBT Caucus.
2003: Assembly Bill 205 by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg extends to registered domestic partners nearly all the same rights and responsibilities provided to opposite-sex spouses in California.
2004: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom orders city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. More than 4,000 couples receive licenses and are married before the California Supreme Court orders a halt to the process until its constitutionality can be determined.
2004: Assembly Bill 2208, by Assemblywoman Christine Kehoe, bars insurance providers from discriminating against domestic partners.
2005: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes Assembly Bill 849, by Assemblyman Mark Leno, which would have legalized same-sex marriage. Schwarzenegger urged gay rights advocates to wait for court rulings on Proposition 22 or ask the voters to repeal the ban.
2008: In a 4-3 decision May 16, the California Supreme Court rules that the state constitution gives gays and lesbians the right to marry. On Nov. 4, voters approve Proposition 8, the ban that’s now being challenged.
Sources: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life; the American Civil Liberties Union; Encyclopedia Britannica; World Book Encyclopedia; Bee news archives.
Bee research/Aurelio Rojas, Pete Basofin and Micaela Massimino.
See California gay rights timeline
Sacramento Bee - CA, USA
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/california-ga…
URGENT CALIFORNIA ACTION ALERT: Call Legislature Now!
Anti-equality groups are currently flooding the Capitol with threatening phone calls demanding members of the Senate and Assembly Judiciary committees oppose the two resolutions to overturn Prop 8 when they come up for a vote on Tuesday. We cannot let their attacks and threats go unanswered! We need to make sure that legislators hear from those who support equality. Please call key members of the Senate and Assembly Judiciary Committeeswho have supported LGBT equality in the past (sample script and phone numbers are below). Ask them to support the resolutions to overturn Prop 8 to protect all minorities from the risk of losing their rights at the ballot box. If passed, the two EQCA-sponsored resolutions, SR 7 and HR 5, authored by two of our champions in the Legislature, Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, will put the California Legislature on record as supporting the invalidation of Prop 8, declaring it an illegal revision to the state constitution. This is our fourth of five actions leading up to our giant lobby day to overturn Prop 8 on Tuesday, the day of the vote, when over 2,000 activists will come together at the Capitol to urge their lawmakers to support these critical resolutions. Take Action Today! Call Now!
Sample Script Thank you for past support for equality. My name is [Your Name] and I am calling to ask for you to vote in favor of SR 7 / HR 5 because Prop 8 is a drastic and radical revision to the California Constitution that puts all Californians at risk. I believe in equal protection under the law and do not want a simple majority of voters to be able to take fundamental rights away from any minority. Thank you. [Your Name] If you live in Northern California, please call: Senate Judiciary Committee members (for SR 7) Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5) If you like in the Central Valley, please call: Senate Judiciary Committee members (for SR 7) Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5) If you live in Southern California, please call: Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5)
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/02/urgent-califo…
Equality California to Bring Over 2,000 Californians to Sacramento for Lobby Day to Support the Invalidation of Prop 8
Equality California is sponsoring Lobby Day where a diverse group of volunteers and activists will urge legislators to support Equality California-sponsored companion resolutions SR 7 (Leno) and HR 5 (Ammiano), in the State Senate and Assembly. The resolutions would put the legislature on record as opposing Prop 8 as an invalid revision to the California Constitution. More than 2,000 volunteers have already registered to participate.
When: Tuesday, February 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
10:30 a.m.: Assembly judiciary committee hearing on HR 5
12:15 p.m. Rally
12:30 p.m. Senate Judiciary hearing on SR 7
1-4 p.m.: lobby visits
Where: California State Capitol, 10th Street and Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814
Who: Lobby day will bring together diverse civil rights and faith leaders, community members and allies from across the state and a number of elected officials, including Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), State Assemblymember John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), and Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach).
Lobby Day will follow a series of coordinated actions supporting marriage for same-sex couples over President’s Day weekend. On Monday, February 16, EQCA will also co-sponsor a rally with Equality Action NOW, Marriage Equality USA, and California Outreach at the Capitol.
EQCA works to achieve equality and secure legal protections for LGBT people. To improve the lives of LGBT Californians, EQCA sponsors legislation and coordinates efforts to ensure its passage, lobbies legislators and other policy makers, builds coalitions, develops community strength and empowers individuals and other organizations to engage in the political process. www.eqca.org
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/02/equality-cali…
