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GAY SAN DIEGO Jan. 28-Feb. 10, 2011
NEWS
HUD proposes protections for LGBT people
By Margie M. Palmer | GSD Reporter
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a proposal for new regulations to ensure that its core housing programs are open to all eligible persons—re- gardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.s The proposed actions
Obama addresses the nation at the 2011 State of the Union.
Obama addresses gays in the military in State of the Union
Mixed reaction among gay and lesbian leaders, activists By Lisa Keen | Keen News Service
President Obama once again brought up the issue of gays in the military during his annual State of the Union address. Last year, he called for repeal of the federal law barring openly gay people from serving. This year, just a month after having signed a bill to repeal that law, the president urged universities, which have barred military recruiters because of the gay ban, to now allow recruiters back on campus. “Our troops come from every corner of this
country—they are black, white, Latino, Asian and Native American. They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that some of them are gay. Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love,” Obama said. “And with that change,” Obama continued over
the applause, “I call on all of our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and the ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.”
Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmo- nese welcomed President Obama’s words concern- ing the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but added that “there remains a number of pressing issues for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender commu- nity when it comes to economic security.” “The President and Congress can do much more
to ensure the economic empowerment of LGBT people including ending the unfair taxation of part-
ner health benefits, prohibiting workplace discrimi- nation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and ensuring that all married couples have access to the same federal benefits and protections for their families,” Solmonese said in a statement released before the president delivered his address to Congress. “We look forward to working with this president and allies in Congress on the challenges ahead.”
But Robin McGehee, director of the activist
group GetEQUAL, expressed disappointment. “Tonight, President Obama missed an opportu-
nity to lay out an agenda and strategy that continues progress made toward LGBT equality—removing the burden of being second-class citizens and ac- knowledging our families,” McGehee said in a state- ment. “Sadly, while national hero Daniel Hernandez sat with the First Lady to witness this historic speech, he did not have the luxury of sitting there as an equal—for that, our elected officials should be ashamed. It is time for the president to put the power of the White House behind the passage of legislation that would give the right of full federal equality to LGBT Americans. As a community, it is our promise and our obligation to continue the work of holding both the president and Congress accountable for the inalienable human rights, digni- ties, and freedoms we all deserve.” He did not, as some LGBT activists had urged, set a new goal for Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.•
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include, prohibiting lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower’s eligibil- ity for FHA-insured mortgage financing; clarifying that all otherwise eligible families, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, have the opportunity to participate in HUD programs; and prohibiting owners and operators of HUD-assisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD, from inquiring about the sexual orientation or gender identity of an applicant for, or occupant of, the dwelling, whether renter- or owner-occupied. The announcement comes just months after HUD is- sued new guidelines that treat discrimination based on gender nonconformity or sex stereo- typing as sex discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in rental, sales and lending on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status.
FROM PAGE 1 KEHOE
the caucus is to serve as a clear- inghouse of information about the LGBT community. “Some legislators still think that LGBT identity.” The purpose of the caucus is
both educational and conscious raising, with a strong emphasis on the successful passing of bills that support the advancement of equality for LGBT Californians. Several upcoming bills relate to “supporting and recognizing
District 3 Councilman Todd
Gloria said the proposed actions will help ensure that LGBT persons who are in Section 8 or public housing will no longer have to worry about regula- tory barriers to access those programs and services. “Within the regulatory envi-
ronment, we have to make sure there is space for our relation- ships and our families within the LGBT community,” Gloria said. “The Obama administra- tion has made it clear that it is their intention to make the gov- ernment more LGBT friendly, and this is a nuts and bolts example of them doing that.” Others say that the an-
nouncement has to do with the fundamental issue of fairness. “We have a responsibility to
make certain that public pro- grams are open to all Americans,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a press release. “With this proposed rule, we will make clear that a person’s eligibility for federal housing programs is, and should be, based on their need and not on their sexual orienta- tion or gender identity.” State Sen. Christine Kehoe
(D-San Diego) said that the HUD’s announcement is a step in the right direction. “Wherever we are reducing
the barriers to jobs, access to housing and access to health care for LGBT Californians or Americans, we’re moving in the right direction,” she said.•
the legal marriages that exist in California between lesbian and gay couples to make sure they’re not discriminated against,” she said.
Ensuring that LGBT stu-
dents and students perceived to be LGBT are safe from bullying is another legislative focus of the caucus. “There will also be quite a
bit of attention paid to making schools safer from bullying on campus for both LGBT students and students who are perceived to be LGBT but are not,” Kehoe said. “Those students need pro- tection too.” Founded by Kehoe in 2002,
the LGBT caucus is currently comprised of seven openly LGBT state legislators including Kehoe, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Sen. Mark Leno, As- semblymember Tom Ammiano, Assemblymember Toni Atkins, Assemblymember Richard S. Gordon and Assemblymember Ricardo Lara. The California State Legisla-
ture was the first full-time leg- islature in the nation to form an LGBT caucus.•
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