It's Like a Rainbow Bee Hive
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'scuse me... YOUR CENTRAL PA PRIDE IS SHOWING... Harrisburg, York, Lancaster & Carlisle celebrate THE MANY FACES OF PRIDE PGS. 11-13 REAL GAY NEWS. WE GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT. THECENTRALVOICE.COM | SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2019 | FREE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S AT STAKE US Supreme Court It’s like a rainbow bee hive LANCASTER LGBTQ+ COALITION hears three crucial IS BUZZING ALL OVER WITH ACTIVITY By Frank Pizzoli “We established ourselves to provide services and LGBT employment advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ people, both “The Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition advocates for individuals and the community,” Foley says, adding the health, rights, and visibility of LGBTQ+ people that the organization will also support the hard work discrimination cases across Lancaster County,” Karen Foley tells The of existing organizations to achieve statewide non- Central Voice. She’s one of many ‘founders’ who are discrimination legislation as the legislature returns working organically to coordinate people, resources, from its summer recess. House Bill 1404 by Rep. Dan By Sharon R. López and activity. They’re definitely not resume queers. Frankel and Senate Bill 614 by Sen. Farnese now await A registered 501c(3) organization, the coalition action. With similar language, they provide basic civil ederal law does not explicitly protect gay and officially launched July 15 when that region’s Pride rights for queer individuals. Pennsylvania has had lesbian employees from discrimination. How- Week began, culminating in a July 20 Pride celebra- similar legislation introduced in 2011, 2013, 2016, and F tion in Clipper Stadium. 2018. And that’s where all activity stopped. ever, the Supreme Court of the United States A collectively prepared Coalition statement pre- (SCOTUS) has decided to hear three cases that pared by Cameron Childers says: What’s the end game? “A place where all LGBTQ+ people live courageous, involve LGBT rights and non-discrimination in We believe in highlighting and advancing issues of intersectionality and equity. full, and authentic lives—an affirming Lancaster City employment. We believe in advocating specifically for the more and county where we live and thrive,” Foley says. Two of the three cases SCOTUS agreed to hear address vulnerable subsets of our population. Please see LANCASTER COALITION, page 21 civil rights protections for lesbian, gay and bi-sexual employees and one addresses transgender employees. These are the first big cases being heard by the Court since Justice Kennedy left the court. Kennedy was a champion of LGBT protections and his absence on the court leaves many wondering if the outcome of these cases will be protective of LGBT rights in the workplace. All three cases are being heard together and oral ar- guments are set for October 8, 2019. SCOTUS discussed these cases at least fourteen times at their weekly conferences before finally deciding to hear them and decide what protections LGBT have in the workplace. Sexual orientation cases The question presented on the two sexual orienta- tion cases is the same. The question is: Whether the prohibition in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1), against employment discrimina- tion “because of . sex” encompasses discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation? The Court will be looking for argument on the intent and the plain language of the statute. Does sex discrimination include sexual orientation? The cases being heard came from two different circuit courts, Bostock is from the 11th Circuit and Zarda from the 2nd Circuit, and have they reach contradictory outcomes and legal analysis. Bostock The Bostock case involved a gay man, Bostock who claimed he was fired by the Clayton County Juvenile Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition founding members, from left: Xavier Garcia-Molina, Lee Cohen, Karen Please see SUPREME COURT, page 20 Foley; and Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace celebrating 2019 Lancaster Pride at Clipper Stadium. Celebrate family. THE BIRTH OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. Your birth experience should be uniquely yours — just like family. The new Women and Babies Center at UPMC Pinnacle delivers what you and your baby need. Large, private rooms with ample space for loved ones help you celebrate the newest love of your life in comfort. And for babies who need specialized care, a new private-bed NICU with rooming-in for parents was created to support bonding and peace of mind. Healthy families begin at the new Women and Babies Center. To learn more about all the ways we’ve grown and changed for you, visit UPMCPinnacle.com/Family. Political Updates | WORLD & NATIONAL VOICES only as a man born in Soviet Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia in 1981. It said he had been drunk during the INTERNATIONAL attack. | WIKIPEDIA PHOTO STATE ISTANBUL ERIE JAPAN LGBT community ‘socially unacceptable’ Erie passes conversion therapy ban Police used tear gas to Japanese lawyers ask for swift action Erie City Council passed an ordinance June 5 disperse hundreds of In this 2015 Facebook photo, prohibiting mental health practitioners from con- people at a banned gay Koyuki Higashi (left) and ducting conversion therapy on a minor to change pride march in Istanbul Hiroko Masuhara celebrate their sexual orientation or gender identity reports reports Deutsche Welle. and hold up their same-sex Michael Mahler, Editor, Erie Gay News. This was Activists had gathered to marriage certificate in the final step for passing the ordinance. Speaking promote rights for gay and Tokyo. Last month 13 gay in favor of the ban was Rev. Dr. Rich McCarty of transgender people. They couples filed a lawsuit Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and Community had hoped the ban would be arguing the country’s United Church. Rev. Dr. McCarty pointed out that lifted.Police pushed back crowds celebrating Istan- general rejection of same- this type of therapy can have a very harmful effect bul’s 17th gay pride march, an event Turkish author- sex marriage rights violates the constitution. Law- on youth, sometimes leading to anxiety, depression, ities had banned for the fifth year in a row. The rally, yers in Japan have asked the government to swiftly and suicide, and that numerous national mental on a side street off Istanbul’s main pedestrian legalize same-sex marriage, arguing that the current health and human services strongly oppose this type avenue, drew several hundred people who cheered legal procedures go against the Constitution. of so-called therapy. Opposing passage of the ban and waved rainbow flags. Chants of “shoulder to The lawyers say the current legislation, which does was Dr. John Diamond, who claimed that passage of shoulder against fascism” and “we will not be quiet” not recognize same-sex marriage, ignores the free- the ban would be unconstitutional. He stated that he were heard among the crowd. Amnesty International dom of marriage and equality for all people stipu- would file a lawsuit for violation of his civil rights. had urged Turkey to lift the “arbitrary ban” on the lated in the Constitution. They say banning same-sex In an Erie News Now report he was described as a pride march. It said authorities rejected all suggested marriage is a serious violation of human rights. “conversion therapist counselor.” locations in the city by deeming the LGBT commu- nity “societally objectionable.” | FACEBOOK PHOTO PHILADELPHIA SERBIA NATIONAL Amazon bans; House balks; TWO assails Truth Wins Out assailed the House Republican Told only men & woman can marry PUERTO RICO Study Committee after Vice News revealed that the A lesbian couple launched a group, representing 70% of GOP House members, landmark bid to win legal Gov. Rossello resigns over text message hatched a plan to pressure Amazon into reinstat- Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo recognition for same-sex ing books from a discredited conversion therapist, Rosselló resigned amid a partners in Serbia, saying the late Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, whose work demeans scandal over sexist, homo- they wanted to step out and and dehumanizes LGBT people. Nicolosi was the phobic and otherwise stand up for LGBT+ rights founder of the notorious National Association for offensive text messages he in the Balkans reports Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), and his inner circle ex- Rachel Savage, Thomson which displayed great disdain for LGBT people, once changed reported Bobby Reuters Foundation. It is referring to them as a “purple menace.” The plan Allyn and Scott Neuman for the first such legal challenge to be filed in Serbia, to harass Amazon is ironic, considering it follows NPR. The leaked texts set which has come under fire in the West over minority a landmark video apology last month by several off mass demonstrations and widespread calls for his rights and widespread homophobia. Jelena Dubovi high-profile former “ex-gay” conversion leaders who departure. “I was willing to face any challenge, fully and Suncica Kopunovic, from the northern city of now call for a federal ban on the destructive practice. understanding that I would prevail against any Novi Sad, tried to get a civil partnership at the “It is reprehensible that the GOP is now pressuring accusation or process,” Rosselló, a Democrat who municipal registrar’s office in April, but were told Amazon to reinstate discredited books that abuse was elected in 2016, said at the time. Earlier Rossello that only men and women can marry and turned and dehumanize LGBT people,” said Truth Wins had promised not to seek a second term, but he away, their lawyer said. “As not many same-sex Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen. “Conversion acknowledged that he had “heard the demand of the couples in Serbia are willing to step out, we decided therapy is a waste of time and money, which divides people. I hope this decision serves as a call to citizen to stand for all of us and try to fight and aim to win,” families and destroys lives.