Rebecca Grant was a Staff Sergeant in the Army National Guard. Twelve years into her military career, a fellow soldier found and circulated a picture of her wearing a dress. The Army took issue with the photo because she had enlisted and had been serving as male—her biological sex. Rebecca is now the president of… Continue reading Beyond Pink and Blue: Rebecca Grant, Defining Fairness
Tag: LGBTQ
Chosen Families and the Ballroom Scene: Jaison Gardner, Defining Fairness
Jaison Gardner describes ballroom shows as “akin to fashion shows, akin to a talent shows,” and says they started with LGBTQ people of color, mostly gay men and transgendered women, in 1970s and 80s Harlem. Gardner was one the founders of our local ballroom community—but if you haven’t heard of it, he’s not surprised. “The… Continue reading Chosen Families and the Ballroom Scene: Jaison Gardner, Defining Fairness
Fairness Campaign Director Says Rutgers Student’s Sentence Is Too Light
The head of the Fairness Campaign says the the sentence is too light for a former Rutgers University student convicted of bias intimidation against his gay roommate. Dharun Ravi used a webcam to spy on Tyler Clementi’s romantic encounter with another man. Clementi committed suicide days later, fueling a national debate over the effects of… Continue reading Fairness Campaign Director Says Rutgers Student’s Sentence Is Too Light
LGBTQ Community More Than Black & White: Tiff Gonzales, Defining Fairness
Tiff Gonzales is a fourth-generation Mexican American, native to Texas, who identifies as queer both in gender identity and sexual orientation. Tiff moved to Louisville five and a half years ago for work. She says when we talk about race in Louisville, we’re generally only talking about black and white. Latino issues re rarely part… Continue reading LGBTQ Community More Than Black & White: Tiff Gonzales, Defining Fairness
Bringing Faith to the LGBTQ Community: Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard, Defining Fairness
Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard was born in Promised Land, South Carolina, the son of a Southern Baptist Minister, and says, “I grew up in church as much as I was in home.” He was given his nickname at the age of three, when his grandfather noticed his ability to replicate any dance move he saw. When… Continue reading Bringing Faith to the LGBTQ Community: Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard, Defining Fairness
Defining Fairness: Diane Moten
Years before the city of Louisville offered legal protections to residents based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, Diane Moten was fired by her employer for being a lesbian. She told her story to the Board of Alderman and was part of the Fairness Campaign in its infancy. Diane Moten told her story to… Continue reading Defining Fairness: Diane Moten
President Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal
President Barack Obama, in an ABC News interview: I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I… Continue reading President Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal
Defining Fairness: Walter W. Walker II
Walter W. Walker II has lived in Louisville since his family moved here in 1986. Here’s how he describes himself: “Honestly, I would say I’m Walter. I think that everyone is different, everyone has their own identity, everyone’s unique, and I think that I’m a unique person. I do consider myself an African American, a… Continue reading Defining Fairness: Walter W. Walker II
FDA Ban on Blood Donations By Gay Men Examined: State of the News
Laura Ungar at the Courier-Journal wrote extensively this week about the FDA’s ban on blood donations from men who have had sexual contact with other men. She joined us Friday on State of the News to talk about the reasoning behind the rule, and why it seems to be continuously under fire.
Fairness Campaign Looking Toward Berea
In Kentucky, only Louisville, Lexington and Covington currently have laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing and employment. The Fairness Campaign has spent months working to make Richmond the 4th city to pass such a law. But director Chris Hartman says the efforts have stalled, and there’s no estimate on when Richmond lawmakers may vote on a fairness ordinance.