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Sixth Circuit Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Bans
By a two-to-one vote, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the right of states to ban same-sex marriages yesterday , overturning rulings in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. Going forward, the challengers in the cases can either ask the full Sixth Circuit bench to reconsider their cases (en banc) or appeal directly to the Supreme Court.
Barriers to Forming Loving Families: Adoption Laws and Same-Sex Couples
After a historic summer for marriage quality and the decision by the Supreme Court to deny review of seven petitions challenging state bans on same-sex marriage, 32 states and the District of Columbia now allow same-sex couples to marry. Although these marriage equality victories helped remove some barriers to same-sex couples looking to start a family, many barriers still exist to same-sex couples—in both marriage equality and non-marriage equality states—that want to raise children.
Standing for Marriage Equality in Israel
I recently ended a three-week trip to the United States and returned home to Israel. This was a particularly emotional trip, as I was in Boston the day of Marathon. I saw firsthand how resilient the people of Boston are in a crisis.
Pride Month: A Year of LGBT Victories
June is coming, which means LGBT Pride Month is just around the corner! Throughout the month of June, we celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community throughout the nation.
What Should Jewish LGBTQ+ Spaces Look Like?
For many LGBTQ+ Jews in the United States, LGBTQ+ synagogues and organizations offer that sustenance.
To Gov. Bryant: Veto Mississippi's HB 1523
On April 1, 2016, RAC Director Rabbi Jonah Pesner sent the following letter to Governor Bryant of Mississippi, urging him to veto HB 1523, legislation that, in the name of religious freedom, affirms a right to discrminate against many Mississippians, including LGBT people.
To Gov. Deal: Veto Georgia's HB 757
On March 21, 2016, RAC Director Rabbi Jonah Pesner sent the below letter to Governor Deal of Georgia, urging him to veto HB 757. This bill would have created an affirmative right to discriminate against many people, including the LGBT community. On March 28, 2016, Governor Deal vetoed HB 757.
LGBTQ Life in Israel
Israel has been called the "gay capital of the Middle East," which is no surprise to many of its supporters who have been touting its outstanding record on gay rights for years.
How LGBT Inclusion in Sports can Inform our Jewish Inclusion Work
I’ll be honest: I don’t normally read articles about sports. I usually skip over the entire sports section of the newspaper, but the other week, I found myself reading some exciting sports-related news: on November 14, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) first openly gay male athlete will compete in one of the big four sports (basketball, baseball, football and hockey). Although I’m not a sports fan, as someone who cares deeply about building inclusive Jewish communities, I felt this story and the reaction of the team could inform our own inclusion work as a Jewish community.
Last April, Derrick Gordon came out publicly, becoming the first openly gay player in Division I men’s college basketball. Since coming out, Gordon’s relationship with his team has changed significantly. A recent profile by Outsports illustrates the transformation of his relationship with his teammates from one in which they made snide remarks and avoided showering with him when they suspected him of being gay to one in which they now ask him about his dating life and treat him just like any other teammate. Gordon’s story illustrates the impact coming out can have on transforming a homophobic atmosphere into one of acceptance and inclusion.