TheScoutAssociationisopentoallyoungpeopleandadultsregardlessoftheirsexualityorgenderidentity.WehaveaclearEqualOpportunitiesPolicyandattendPrideeventstodemonstrateourcommitmenttoequality.WeopenlywelcomeLGBT(lesbian,gay,bisexualandtransgender)members,havevolunteersspecialisingindiversity(includingournationalteamofSpecialistAdvisers)andevenanationalunitsupportingLGBTadultsinScoutingFLAGS.
LeonDanaila,anRomanianMPhasbeensanctionedbyCNCD(NationalCouncilforCombatingDiscrimination)withafineof2000RON(~$618.44)forhisviewsafteragayLGBTcalledMozaiQclaimedit.ThisiswhatDanailasaidaboutLGBT:
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InsurancebenefitsforemployeesofpharmaceuticalcompanyBristol-MyersSquibb,whichmanufacturesanddistributesseveralHIVmedications,includecoverageforshort-termleaveaftergender-reassignmentsurgery,mentalhealthcounseling,hormonetherapy,andmedicalvisits.
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Likeallcompaniesscoring100%,EastmanKodakisamongthebusinessestheHumanRightsCampaignlistsasofferingatleastonetransgender-inclusivehealthcareplan.
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Inadditiontoofferingcoverageforgender-reassignmentsurgery,IBMhascreatedawebcastonthetopicofgenderidentityandexpressionthatfeaturestransgenderworkerstalkingabouttheirexperiencesandansweringquestionsfromotheremployees.ThewebcastisavailabletoallIBMemployeesworldwide,IBMexecutiveSilvyVluggentellsTheAdvocate.
Fortune500companyJohnson&Johnsonprovidescoverageforgender-reassignmentsurgeryaswellasmentalhealthcounseling.CarolGoodrich,Johnson&Johnson’sdirectorofcorporatemediarelations,saysthecompany’sLGBTaffinitygroupkeepshumanresourcesapprisedofnecessarypolicychangesandupdates.“We’vegotaverystrongLGBTcommunityatJohnson&Johnson,”Goodrichsays.
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MillerCoorsisoneofthemanybeercompaniesthatregularlyandunabashedlymarkettoLGBTconsumers.EngagementofallkindswiththeLGBTcommunityisconsideredintheHRCrankings.
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Marriott
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Decisionsinduelinglawsuitssuggestthereligiousexemptionlawwillbehardtooverturninthecourts.
BeforeNorthCarolinapasseditsexemptionlaw,twojudges,GilbertBreedloveandThomasHolland,suedastateadministrativeofficefortellingthemthattheyhadtoperformsame-sexmarriages.Theyhadaskedforreligiousaccommodation,butofficialsrefusedtogiveit,sotheyresignedfromtheirrespectiveposts.Althoughthelegislaturelateraddressedthisissuebyspecificallyputtingareligiousexemptionforjudgesinplace,BreedloveandHollandkeptpursuingtheirsuit.
Meanwhile,inanothercase,threecouples—onemarriedlesbiancouple,oneinterracialcouple,andoneengagedlesbiancouple—challengedthenewmagistrateslaw.Theseplaintiffshavearguedthatthemeasureessentiallyusespublicmoney,intheformofpaychecks,togetjudgesoutoffulfillingtheirduties.
NorthCarolina’sjudgelawdoesn’taffectahugenumberofpublicofficials:Oneofthesuitsallegesthat“atleast32magistratesacrossNorthCarolinawhohadpreviouslyperformedmarriagesforopposite-sexcouplesinvokedreligiousbeliefstorecusethemselves.”Butithasbecomeasymbolinamuchbiggerfight.Nowthatsame-sexmarriageislegalintheUnitedStates,whatrightsshouldreligiouspeoplehavetoavoidinvolvementintheceremoniesbasedonmoralobjectionsLegislaturesarealsodealingwiththisquestionwhenitcomestootherLGBTrights:Lessthanhalfofstatesforbiddiscriminationagainstlesbian,gay,bisexual,andtransgenderpeopleinhousing,hiring,andpublicaccommodations,andLGBTadvocatesarepushingfornewlegislationinthestateswherethoseprotectionsdon’texist.
Whilethelawsuitsthatweredismissedthisweekarenarrowlyaboutthemagistrateslaw,thestakesarereallyaboutthisbiggerfight:Thoseinvolvedaretryingtoaffirmordenyareligiousindividual’srighttostayoutofthegay-marriagebusiness.Thedetailsmatter,though.Unlesstheseplaintiffscanpersuadeajudgethattheyhavethelegalrighttotakethesequestionstocourt,theywon’tbeabletomakechangeswithlitigation.
Perhapsonesetofplaintiffswillwintheirchallengeonappeal.Ormaybeabettercase,involvingpeoplewhoaremoreclearlyaffectedbythislaw,willcomealong.Eitherway,thelawwillstayinplacefornow,andfortheforeseeablefuture.NorthCarolinajudgeswillcontinuetobeabletorefusetoperformsame-sexmarriages.AndtheTarHeelstatewillremaintheprimarybattlegroundforlegalfightsoverLGBTrightsandreligiousfreedom.
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