Ruling Protecting Transgender Workers Goes Into Effect Today

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that Title VII, the federal sex discrimination law, protects employees who are discriminated against because they are transgender. In its unprecedented decision, the EEOC concluded that “intentional discrimination against a transgender individual because that person is transgender is, by definition, discrimination ‘based on … sex’ and such discrimination … violates Title VII.”

The EEOC is the federal agency that interprets and enforces federal employment discrimination law, and today’s decision marks the first time it has offered clear guidance on this issue.

You can read more about the EEOC decision here and here!

NAACP Endorses Gay Marriage

On May 19, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s board of directors voted to endorse gay marriage. You can follow the updates and find out more about the story here.

Obama Makes Statement in Support of Same-Sex Marriage

Hello readers!

We’re sure you’ve seen this news story by now, but we wouldn’t be a very good Office of LGBTQ Student Life blog if we didn’t share the update that President Obama has made a statement in support of same-sex marriage. This is a much more positive addition to the recent news from North Carolina, where state residents voted on Tuesday in support of a state Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage (referred to as Amendment One).

LGBTQ News for Monday, 5/7

…A few news articles for Monday, 5/7:

Brandy Martell

• An article about Kate Bornstein’s experience in and out of the Church of Scientology and her new book, Queer and Pleasant Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She is Today.
• True Blood star Anna Paquin speaks out about her bisexuality.
• Brandy Martell, a trans* woman, was shot to death on Sunday, 5/6 in Oakland, California in a likely hate crime.

Melissa Haris-Perry engages with LGBTQ experiences and political issues on MSNBC

Check out these two great video clips from Melissa Haris-Perry’s show on MSNBC.

The first clip regards trans* experience and political issues, with guests Kate Bornstein, Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Mel Wymore, a Democratic candidate for the New York City.

The second clip addresses the Obama administration’s policies regarding LGBTQ issues, featuring guests Allison Kilkenny, co-host of Citizen Radio, Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, Kai Wright, editorial director of colorlines.com, and Joy-Ann Reid, contributor at thegrio.com.