Out N.Y. lawmaker makes marriage his priority

Out N.Y. lawmaker makes marriage his priority
This article looks at out New York state Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell’s “intensely personal” lobbying effort win passage of a marriage measure that’s scheduled to be considered today. Passage is considered highly likely in the 150-member Assembly. O’Donnell reportedly has secured the backing of almost 90 colleagues. A similar bill passed the state’s Assembly in 2007. The New York Times (5/11) , Daily News (New York) (5/12) * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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With Gay Issues in View, Obama Is Pressed to Engage

WASHINGTON — President Obama was noticeably silent last month when the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

But now Mr. Obama — who has said he opposes same-sex marriage as a Christian but describes himself as a “fierce advocate of equality” for gay men and lesbians — is under pressure to engage on a variety of gay issues that are coming to the fore amid a dizzying pace of social, political, legal and legislative change.

Two of Mr. Obama’s potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H. Souter, who is retiring. Same-sex marriage is advancing in states — the latest to allow it is Maine — and a new flare-up in the District of Columbia could ultimately put the controversy in the lap of the president.

Mr. Obama’s new global health initiative has infuriated activists who say he is not financing AIDS programs generously enough. And while the president has urged Congress to pass a hate crimes bill, a high priority for gay groups, he has delayed action on one of his key campaign promises, repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule.

Social issues like same-sex marriage bring together deeply held principles and flashpoint politics, and many gay activists, aware that Mr. Obama is also dealing with enormous challenges at home and overseas, have counseled patience.

But some are unsettled by what they see as the president’s cautious approach. Many are still seething over his choice of the Rev. Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor who opposes same-sex marriage, to deliver the invocation at his inaugural, and remain suspicious of Mr. Obama’s commitment to their cause.

In the words of David Mixner, a writer, gay activists are beginning to wonder, “How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?” Last weekend, Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues, published an opinion piece in The Washington Post headlined, “Where’s our fierce advocate?”

The White House, aware of the discontent, invited leaders of some prominent gay rights organizations to meet Monday with top officials, including Jim Messina, Mr. Obama’s deputy chief of staff, to plot legislative strategy on the hate crimes bill as well as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Among those attending was Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, who said afterward that while the gay rights agenda might not be “unfolding exactly as we thought,” he was pleased. See With Gay Issues in View, Obama Is Pressed to Engage New York Times -* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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DiversityMBA Magazine ranks Kaiser Permanente No. 1 on annual list for Diverse Managers

OAKLAND, Calif — Kaiser Permanente’s long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion has been recognized by DiversityMBA Magazine. The health care organization was ranked No. 1 in the publication’s fourth annual “50 Out Front for Diversity Leadership: Best Places for Diverse Managers to Work,” which will hit newsstands in April 2009.

“This award is a great acknowledgement of the priority Kaiser Permanente places on creating a workplace environment that is characterized by respect for the individual and a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for our employees,” said Ronald Knox, senior vice president and chief diversity officer at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

Published quarterly, DiversityMBA Magazine’s aim is to serve the needs of multicultural professionals in corporate America, business students and entrepreneurs. In selecting the 2009 “50 Out Front Companies” the publication’s selection team expanded its research evaluations to include companies that implement intentional strategies based on accountability, strong inclusion practices and ongoing evaluation of retention/recruitment activities that allow and encourage managers of diverse backgrounds to excel and develop into leadership roles.

Today, Kaiser Permanente’s 181,000 employee and physician workforce is composed of 74 percent women and 56 percent people of color, mirroring and exceeding the racial, ethnic and gender composition of its health plan membership and the communities it serves. The organization has been recognized in the past year for corporate diversity leadership by several organizations and publications, including:

– DiversityInc – Top 50 Companies for Diversity (2008; 2007; 2006) — Human Rights Campaign Foundation & the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association – Healthcare Equality Index — Black Collegian Magazine – Top 100 Diversity Employers — DiversityMBA Magazine – Top 50 Companies (2009; 2008) — Asian Enterprise Magazine – Best Companies for Asian Americans (2008; 2007) — Workforce Management Magazine – Optimas Award (Ethical Category) — Latina Style Magazine – LS 50 — Human Rights Campaign – Corporate Equality Index (2008; 2007; 2006; 2005) — The California Diversity Council – DiversityFIRST Award — Gay and Lesbian Medical Association in association with Pfizer – GLMA Achievement Award

Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to workforce diversity is grounded in its Board of Directors – mandated National Diversity Agenda which also includes a focus on multicultural marketing and culturally competent care delivery – health care that acknowledges cultural and linguistic diversity in the clinical setting, respects members’ cultural beliefs and practices, and fully integrates cultural skills, knowledge and considerations into the total healthcare experience of our members. Through its Institute for Culturally Competent Care and Linguistic Programs, Kaiser Permanente has established “Centers of Excellence,” innovative clinical models that respond to the health and language needs of specific populations.

“Diversity is a core value of Kaiser Permanente, and we are delighted to be recognized as the No. 1 place to work by DiversityMBA Magazine. Our commitment to creating a workplace environment that embraces and utilizes the unique cultural expertise and attributes of each employee and physician enables us to better meet the health needs of our increasingly diverse membership, and gives us a distinct edge in the marketplace,” said Knox.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, the program is headquartered in Oakland, Calif. Kaiser Permanente serves 8.7 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Today it encompasses Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the Permanente Medical Groups. Nationwide, Kaiser Permanente includes approximately 167,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and 14,000 physicians representing all specialties. The organization’s Labor Management Partnership is the largest such health care partnership in the United States. It governs how more than 130,000 workers, managers, physicians and dentists work together to make Kaiser Permanente the best place to receive care, and the best place to work. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit the Kaiser Permanente News Center at: http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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Argentina officially ends trials for homosexual acts in military

(Buenos Aires, Argentina) Members of Argentina’s armed forces will be tried by civil courts rather than military tribunals under a new rule – part of a government effort to increase control over the military.

Strengthening civilian control over the military has been a priority for President Cristina Fernandez and her husband …

Conservative Groups Launch Preemptive Efforts To Retain Gay Bans

Anti-gay rights groups alarmed at the election of a gay-affirming president are staging preemptive attacks on the pro-gay positions of the upcoming Barack Obama administration.

One such group, the Alliance for Marriage Foundation (AMF), the organization that drafted the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) in Congress, is working against any attempt to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The conservative group Concerned Women for America (CWA) objects to several progressive Obama ideologies at Obama Watch, but four out of six of their concerns are gay related.

Both groups list defending DOMA from repeal as a priority.

At the AMF sponsored website www.ProtectDOMA.org facts and information about the law that forbids any federal agency from recognizing legal marriage can be found. The law also allows states to ignore legal gay marriages performed in another state.

See Conservative Groups Launch Preemptive Efforts To Retain Gay Bans
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