The National Association of LGBT Community Centers, NALGBTCC, recently announced that after a research and design process, it has changed its name to CENTERLINK, as well as its logo. The organization began over 20 years ago, and provides a yearly forum for LGBT community centers. (There are 168 such centers in the U.S.) It also helps assist newly-formed LGBT community centers.
A new GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) report shows that gay parents are more involved in their children's K-12 education. They are more likely to attend parent-teacher conferences, for instance. In the U.S., there are an estimated seven million LGBT parents with school-age children. However, the comprehensive study also found that LGBT parents and their children often report harassment from their peers. For example, 42 percent of students reported harassment because they have LGBT parents. More than half of the LGBT parents surveyed reported feeling ignored and excluded at schools because of their family structure.
A nationwide coalition of conservative groups are urging parents to keep their children home from school on April 25, when students in schools across the U.S. observe the National Day of Silence. The annual event was created by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to bring awareness to LGBT issues such as the bullying and harassment of LGBT students. Groups such as the American Family Association and Illinois Family Institute feel that observance of the event allows 'homosexual activism to intrude into the classroom,' according to press release.
Utah's state legislators approved Salt Lake City's domestic partner ordinance as long as it isn't called a domestic partner ordinance, according to 365gay.com . The no-name bill, which allows municipalities to pass such laws as long as they don't use the term 'domestic partnerships,' was recently passed by the state House, already cleared the Senate and awaits the approval of Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. If approved, Salt Lake City will have to find a new name for its registry.
Columbia, S.C., recently became the first municipality in the state to pass a gay and transgender rights bill. The law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity was passed unanimously by the City Council, reported 365gay.com . With this recent victory, Columbia becomes only one of three cities in the Deep South to offer such protections for gay and trans people. The other cities are Atlanta and New Orleans.
According to Edgeboston.com, a Wisconsin school district employee recently filed a grievance because her request for time off to marry her partner in Canada was rejected by the school. The school refused her grievance because her marriage wouldn't be legally binding in Wisconsin. The school also says that the employee's grievance is not based on sexual orientation discrimination.
A judge recently ruled that Kentucky lawmakers were in the wrong when they appropriated $11 million to an anti-gay Baptist university to create a pharmacy school, reported 365gay.com . Gay rights group Kentucky Fairness Alliance and others filed suit. The money will be on hold until all legal questions are resolved. The school, University of the Cumberlands, expelled a student for being gay in 2006.