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In a letter in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine, three scientists from Fox Chase Center in Philadelphia purport that a significant portion of medical studies exclude gay people from participating—often with no scientific reason.
While there are instances where some studies require only heterosexuals, the scientist at the Fox Chase Center found a large number of cases where there was no clear scientific or medical necessity for excluding gays and lesbians in those studies.
Any study that is funded by the government requires an explanation on why a study excludes a group based on gender, race or ethnicity; however, no explanation is required for exclusion based on sexual orientation. Most of the studies that excluded gay people were “private-industry trials”.
Related Media Coverage: The Associated Press – March 18, 2010 “Report Questions Excluding Gays from Some Studies” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jqfw6HtRNUiwq6UCCYHznnH2TOqwD9EGKAA00
Though Virginia legislators have refused to add these protections, Gov. Bob McDonnell did issue a written directive barring such discrimination – which does not carry the force of law.
Related Media Coverage:
The Associated Press – March 17, 2010 “Gay-Rights Group Seeks Backing on Law Change” http://www.wtkr.com/news/dp-va--anti-gaydiscrimin0317mar17,0,4729040.story
Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery) said, “I believe that Senate Bill 707 is the antithesis of what Pennsylvanians need and want, and I am happy that the majority of my colleagues agree with me."
The Philadelphia Inquirer – March 17, 2010 “PA Senate Panel Tables Bill to Ban Gay Marriage” http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/88051127.html
CBS News – March 16, 2010“David Petraeus: ‘Time Has Come to Consider’ Don’t Ask Repeal”http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000573-503544.html
Longtime gay rights activist Brendan Fay described him as “like a Catholic Harvey Milk.” In his memoir, Father Carter wrote, “It was only by our coming out that society’s negative stereotypes would be overcome and we would gain social acceptance.”
The New York Times – March 14, 2010 “Robert Carter, Priest and Gay Activist, Dies at 82” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/nyregion/15carter.html
Los Angeles Times – March 15, 2010 “Mixed-Gender Dorm Rooms Are Gaining Acceptance” http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dorm-gender15-2010mar15,0,4585257.story
On Thursday, the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force announced that it is investigating an assault in Brooklyn to determine whether an anti-gay bias was the motivation behind the attack.
Shortly after midnight on March 2, five men attacked a 22-year-old man in Carroll Gardens leaving him with a badly bruised face and cuts to the back of his head.
The victim alleges that his attackers shouted anti-gay slurs while they brutalized him.
Related Media Coverage MyFoxNY.com – March 11, 2010 "NYPD Probes Hate Assault in Brookln" http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/brooklyn/nypd-probes-hate-assault-in-brooklyn-20100309-akd
On Wednesday, Virginia Governor, Republican Bob McDonnell issued an executive directive advising state agencies not to discriminate against employees on the basis of sexual orientation.
Gov. McDonnell's directive was issued as about 200 gay-rights activists protested at the state's Capitol in response to Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli’s letter last week. Cuccinelli's letter warned public colleges that they did not have the right to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation unless specific authorization was granted by the General Assembly.
It is important to note that in the state of Virginia, an executive directive is an advisement and is therefore not legally binding, while an executive order, which is what the Governor McDonnell used to rescind the gay rights law passed by the previous Governor, Democrat Tim Kaine, is legally binding.
Related Media Coverage Associated Press – March 11, 2010 “Va. Gov Counters State Atty. Gen.'s Advice on Gays” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUFLLesDPxG7Q5eLSKSlrsMsxgbAD9EC35904
The Kissimmee, Florida city commissioners, on Tuesday, voted to allow gay and lesbian spouses of city employees to apply for health and dental benefits. The bill’s supporters said the issue was a matter of equality. Art Otero was the only "no" vote.
Related Media Coverage News 13 –March 10, 2010 "Same-Sex Partners’ Health Care Covered In Kissimmee" http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/3/10/samesex_partners_health_care_covered_in_kissimmee.html
Some of the couples who exchanged vows in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday were residents of Maryland who will now be legally recognized as married in their home state after Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler ordered state agencies last month to recognize marriages for same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions. Maryland does not permit same-sex couples to marry within the state. Related Media Coverage: MyFox Washington, D.C. - March 10, 2010 "Gay Couples from Maryland Marry in D.C." http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/gay-couples-maryland-marry-in-dc-030910
Virginia students, across the state, are banding together to protest a letter from the state’s Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli advising public universities to back down on their policies that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
“I’ve never gotten so many e-mails from students wanting to do something,” said Brandon Carroll, president of the student government association at Virginia Tech. Carroll, further explains that the policy will cost the state “top students” and “top faculty.”
On Monday, Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell indicated he might support legislation extending protections on the basis of sexual orientation if it cleared the state’s General Assembly.
Related Media Coverage The Washington Post – march 9, 2010 “Student irate at Cuccinelli over gay-rights policies” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/08/AR2010030804999.html
The Supreme Court will decide whether the father of a slain Marine killed in Iraq can sue members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, for protesting with signs that read “God Hates You” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” during his son’s funeral.
“For the rest of my life I will remember what they did to me, and it has tarnished the memory of my son’s last hour on earth," Albert Snyder said.
The decision comes after a federal appeals court dismissed the suit on First Amendment grounds and threw out the $5 million award.
Related Media Coverage The New York Times – March 8, 2010 “Justices to Hear Case of Protest at Marine Funeral” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/us/09scotus.html
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