LGBT

A LGBT advocacy group in China that has spearheaded many of the country’s legal cases pushing for greater rights is halting its advocacy work for the foreseeable future.

Around 100 regions in Poland signed declarations to declare themselves "free from LGBT ideology." Critics say these so-called LGBT-free zones have made the country the laughingstock of Europe. Activists are now fighting back against a wave of homophobia that goes right to the top of the Polish government.

"Simply put, we stand, in my view, at an inflection point in history," the president told the U.N. General Assembly.

Between 1-5 p.m., families can enjoy the annual LGBTQ+ pride event in the gymnasium of the downtown Ann Arbor YMCA branch.

The annual event will kick off at 10 a.m. with a live stream that will last until 9 p.m.

Rising anger over the policies of Hungary's right-wing government filled the streets of the country's capital on Saturday as thousands of LGBT supporters marched in the annual Budapest Pride parade. March organizers expected record crowds at the event, and called on participants to express their opposition to recent steps by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government that critics say stigmatize sexual minorities in the Central European country. Budapest Pride spokesperson Jojo Majercsik said this year's march is not just a celebration and remembrance of the historical struggles of the LGBT movement but a protest against Orban's current policies targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people.

Dozens of LGBT social media accounts run by university students,were deleted without explanation.

Surveys suggest there are about 70 million LGBT people in China, or about 5% of the population, according to state media.

China’s most popular social media service has deleted accounts on LGBT topics run by university students and nongovernment groups, prompting concern the ruling Communist Party is tightening control over gay and lesbian content. WeChat sent account holders a notice they violated rules but gave no details, according to the founder of an LGBT group, who asked not to be identified further out of fear of possible official retaliation.

The Foreign Office has issued a formal apology for its historical discrimination against LGBT staff, including the refusal to employ gay diplomats. Sir Philip Barton, the most senior civil servant at the department, admitted on Monday that it was a “misguided” approach that had deprived Britain of some of its “brightest and best talent”. The public apology came 30 years after the ban on LGBT staff was officially lifted in July 1991. The policy prior to that had been based on a suggestion that ga

Overnight fires keep Sacramento-area firefighters busy on Fourth of July

The Supreme Court declined to consider overturning rulings for transgender student Gavin Grimm in a case involving gender bathrooms.

Michigan lawmakers have reintroduced legislation to expand Michigan’s civil rights law by including protections against discrimination for LGBT people. Sponsored by Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, House Bill 4297 would add sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of protected classes under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on several factors when it comes to employment, housing and public accommodations. Gretchen Whitmer has indicated her support of making the change to Michigan’s civil rights law and in 2019 extended protections to cover people based on sexual orientation and gender identity within the state workforce and for state contractors and services. Last fall, the group submitted 483,461 signatures to the state for its initiative to amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of protected classes. Her bill, House Bill 4275, specifically references braids, locks and twists as examples of hairstyles that would be protected from discrimination.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Starting Friday, members of Ann Arbor’s LGBTQ community and their families can take part in the Y’s new Out to Swim program. Taking place between 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Fridays, the dedicated swim time was created in response to requests from LGBTQ youth. It offers a welcoming space and opportunities for community members to socialize, according to a release by Ann Arbor YMCA. “At the Ann Arbor Y, we strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, gender identity, gender expression, income, faith, sexual orientation or cultural background has the opportunity to live life to its fullest,” Ann Arbor YMCA President and CEO Toni Kayumi said in the release. Kayumi said a dedicated swim time was discussed when the Y’s leadership team asked local LGBTQ youth about equity and inclusion programs they wanted at the Ann Arbor organization.

Aguilar told lawmakers that Poland appears to be moving away from European fundamental values and called the situation “extremely concerning." Poland has repeatedly been scrutinized in the EU parliament since the conservative nationalist Law and Justice took power in 2015. Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, called it “a threat to the very foundations of our civilization." LGBT rights groups say they have also recorded a rising number of hate crimes against sexual minorities. “We see Poland crossing red line after red line,” said Sophia in ’t Veld, a Dutch parliament member.

DETROIT The United States Supreme Court ruled Monday that LGBT workers are protected from job discrimination and being fired for sexual orientation under the Civil Rights Act. The victory is bittersweet for the ACLU, as Aimee Stephens, the transgender woman at the center of the ruling, died last month. She sued, saying the Civil Rights Act prevents employment discrimination based on sex. Seven years later, the Supreme Court agreed, in a 6-3 decision. John Borsch, the attorney who represented the funeral home before the Supreme Court last year, disagrees.

Poland's parliament speaker says the postponed presidential election will take place June 28. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)WARSAW A senior European Union official on Monday criticized a campaign by Polish authorities against the LGBT rights movement during a close presidential election campaign, saying is is wrong to target minorities for political gain. European Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova, who is in charge of values and transparency, spoke two days after Polish President Andrzej Duda called the LGBT rights movement more dangerous than communism. LGBT rights have become a key campaign theme ahead of Poland's presidential election on June 28. Duda is the front-runner but his key challenger, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a vocal supporter of LGBT rights, has been gaining in opinion polls.

LANSING, Mich. A Michigan judge on Wednesday gave an LGBT rights ballot drive more time to collect signatures due to coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions but refused the group's request to slash the number of signatures needed to make the ballot. The decision will help the group's efforts to now qualify for the 2022 ballot rather than the 2020 election. Tolling the signature expiration for ballot questions is no less burdensome or fraught with peril to the public, she wrote. Fair and Equal Michigan had nearly 178,000 signatures as of May 24, with roughly 135,000 projected to be valid nearly 40% of the 340,047 required. Co-chairman Trevor Thomas said the judge recognized that COVID-19 impacted the fundamental constitutional rights of our nearly 200,000 supporters.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Aut Bar has been a long-standing refuge for the LGBTQ community in Ann Arbor, but a decline in revenue, impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and other problems have lead to its permanent closure. Dear Aut Bar Community, In moments of upheaval and uncertainty, bars and restaurants play a critical role in offering... Posted by Aut Bar on Saturday, June 6, 2020The business was bought in 2019 by BarStar Group, which also operates Nightcap, Lo-Fi and Babs Underground in Ann Arbor. Through email, Micah Bartelme, CEO of BarStar Group said that Aut Bar had been facing financial challenges even before it changes hands from its original owners, Keith Orr and Martin Contreras, who created Aut Bar 25 years ago. After a year of operating at a loss, Aut Bar was in a very vulnerable position when the pandemic struck and shutdowns went into effect., Bartelme said. Although the physical space is closed, Aut Bar intellectual property and social media pages have been given back to Orr and Contreras.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The Ann Arbor Film Festival will celebrate Pride Month by hosting a virtual happy hour at 7 p.m. on June 4. Taking place through Zoom, the virtual happy hour will feature Rusty Tidenberg, subject of the documentary Why Cant I Be Me? Around You focuses on the eight years of Tidenbergs life after she comes out to her family and friends. Leslie Raymond, director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival and Martin Contreras and Keith Orr, former owners of \aut\ Bar will host the celebration. The documentary won the \aut\ FILM Award for Best LGBTQ Film at this years virtual Ann Arbor Film Festival.

The Trump administration on Friday proposed a rule that would allow faith-based foster care and adoption agencies to continue getting taxpayer funding even if they exclude LGBT families and others from their services based on religious beliefs. Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore., said the Trump administration was working overtime to "implement cruel and discriminatory policies, and wasting taxpayer dollars in its obsessive pursuit." But LGBT groups said the administration's plan would reduce the pool of qualified parents wanting to adopt or foster a child. They said that nearly 123,000 foster children are awaiting adoption, and the rule would make even fewer families available to them. "The American public overwhelmingly opposes allowing taxpayer-funded adoption and foster care agencies to turn away qualified parents simply because they are in a same-sex relationship."

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A federal judge has denied Michigan's request to halt his preliminary injunction that preserved a Catholic adoption agency's ability to refuse to place state wards with LGBT couples. Judge Robert Jonker in Grand Rapids declined the stay Tuesday. It had been sought by state Attorney General Dana Nessel and the state Department of Health and Human Services, while the case is appealed. Nessel has denied having hostility toward faith-based agencies that contract with the state. She says Michigan law allows child-placing agencies to turn away families in private cases based on their sincerely held religious beliefs, but not when they place state-supervised children.

Executive producers Sir Elton John and David Furnish attend the "Rocketman" UK premiere on May 20, 2019, in London, England. (CNN) - Elton John is slamming President Vladimir Putin for his remarks on LGBT issues after the recent censorship of the singer's biopic in Russia. "I am not trying to insult anyone because we have been condemned for our alleged homophobia," Putin said in the interview published Thursday. "Let everyone be happy, we have no problem with what," Putin told the outlet. In his statement Friday, John applauded government policies that allow LGBT people to legally marry.

The judge who ruled against gay foster parents in Utah is Mormon, and the battle over that foster child comes amid a wider backlash against the Mormon Church’s new rules for same sex couples and their children. Elaine Quijano reports.

Head of Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin acknowledges historic ruling on same-sex marriage and says the fight continues for civil rights for all.

Obama signs act to protect LGBT federal contractors President Obama signed an executive order protecting gay and transgender federal contractors from discrimination, the latest in his effort to act on Democratic-supported issues he says are being ignored by the Republican-led House.

Obama to sign executive orders on LGBT discrimination President Obama will sign two executive orders Monday that aim to end discrimination against LGBT workers in the federal government. Charlie Rose reports.