Category: lgbt

Khanna weighs-in on Fremont school board decision to end sex ed for 4th through 6th graders

FREMONT After the Fremont school board voted early Thursday morning to eliminate sex education for the district's fourth through sixth graders, the controversial decision, which has roiled the city since March, is now attracting Rep. Ro Khanna on the side of those who opposed the discontinuation of the program. Congressmembers, typically stay out of local … Continue reading Khanna weighs-in on Fremont school board decision to end sex ed for 4th through 6th graders →

2017 Year in East Bay Politics: The wild and wacky: Let’s Taco About It and Bill Quirk ‘Jumps Around’

2017 YEAR IN EAST BAY POLITICS>>>>The state legislature decides in January that a new portrait of Assemblymember Bill Quirk would be a good idea for his 20th District website. The resulting creation, though, inparts vampire-like features to Quirk's face. Funny thing, according to his district staff, is the web designers thought the new photo looked good. By … Continue reading 2017 Year in East Bay Politics: The wild and wacky: Let’s Taco About It and Bill Quirk ‘Jumps Around’ →

Alameda mayor takes heat from LGBTQ community; group gives back pride month proclamation

Some members of Alameda's LGBTQ communityprotesting a photo-op with Mayor Trish Spencer in the background to celebrating Pride Month.ALAMEDA CITY COUNCILEight years after Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer voted against allowing same-sex curriculum in Alameda schools, members of the LGBTQ community showed up at City Council on Tuesday to reject her proclamation of Pride Month — and … Continue reading Alameda mayor takes heat from LGBTQ community; group gives back pride month proclamation →

Hayward Task Force strongly recommends Council declare sanctuary city status

Some members of the Hayward Community TaskForce discuss sanctuary cities at its meeting onWednesday night.HAYWARD CITY COUNCILA Hayward community task force on Wednesday voiced near unanimity for recommending to the Hayward City Council that it formally declare itself a sanctuary city.The task force was formed by the City Council in January not to study the … Continue reading Hayward Task Force strongly recommends Council declare sanctuary city status →

‘Shame! Shame! Shame!’: Swalwell misses vote allowing LGBT amendment to fail

Rep. Eric SwalwellCONGRESS | 15TH DISTRICT |As cries of "Shame! Shame! Shame!" from Democratic lawmakers rained down on the House floor Thursday over a failed amendment to bar contractors from federal contracts if they discriminate against the LGBT community, the voice of East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell was absent.The amendment offered by New York Rep. … Continue reading ‘Shame! Shame! Shame!’: Swalwell misses vote allowing LGBT amendment to fail →

Oakland City Council will offer resolution opposing Indiana’s religious freedom law

OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL | Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has already banned city government travel to Indiana over passage of its controversial new religious freedom law, which critics say will foster discrimination against members of the LGBT community and other minority groups.Now, Councilmembers Larry Reid and Rebecca Kaplan are planning an Oakland City Council resolution registering … Continue reading Oakland City Council will offer resolution opposing Indiana’s religious freedom law →

Rep. Swalwell did not renew $400 membership in LGBT Caucus

Many Democrats, like Rep. Eric Swalwell, haveleft the LGBT Caucus, apparently over the new$400 annual fee.CONGRESS | 15TH DISTRICT | Rep. Eric Swalwell was a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus during his first term in Congress. This time the caucus created to fight for the human rights of LGBT people does not include Swalwell, … Continue reading Rep. Swalwell did not renew $400 membership in LGBT Caucus →

Council Candidate Tells LGBT Group He’ll Bring Chick-Fil-A to East Oakland

OAKLAND | CITY COUNCIL | DISTRICT 6 | Michael Johnson's campaign conceit in Oakland's City Council District 6 race is the 12-year incumbent Desley Brooks has not brought economic vitality to East Oakland. Johnson's jabs at Brooks on the issue have been consistent, maybe too consistent.During an endorsement meeting for the East Bay Stonewall Democratic … Continue reading Council Candidate Tells LGBT Group He’ll Bring Chick-Fil-A to East Oakland →

Swalwell’s Bad Bet on a House Republican who Dislikes Gays

CONGRESS | DISTRICT 15 | Always choose your friends wisely. Especially, if you’re an East Bay congressman who publicly consorts with a North Carolina Republican who believes employers have the right to fire people because of their sexual orientation.Earlier this year, Rep. Eric Swalwell produced a torturous, tongue-in-cheek YouTube production with Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.) … Continue reading Swalwell’s Bad Bet on a House Republican who Dislikes Gays →

20th Assembly Candidates Support Gay Marriage, but Spar over Gender I.D. Law

Bill Quirk, Luis Reynoso, Jaime PatinoASSEMBLY | 20TH DISTRICT | When it comes to gay marriage, candidates for the 20th Assembly District made a mad dash to the left of each other, but not before two of them swung wildly to the right when it comes to gender identification.Incumbent Assemblymember Bill Quirk, Republican Jaime Patino … Continue reading 20th Assembly Candidates Support Gay Marriage, but Spar over Gender I.D. Law →

Petition Asks Oakland City Council To Send Message To Russia Without Love

Nakhodka, Russia looks a bit likethe Port of Oakland.OAKLAND//CIVIL RIGHTS | An online petition is urging the City of Oakland to end a sister city relationship with its Russian counterpart in protest of the country’s anti-gay laws.The petition located at MoveOn.org is nearing its 1,000 signature goal as of Monday afternoon and hopes to send a … Continue reading Petition Asks Oakland City Council To Send Message To Russia Without Love →

EAST BAY OFFICIALS REACT TO SUPREME COURT RULING ON PROPOSITION 8/DOMA

CIVIL RIGHTS | Following Wednesday's historic U.S. Supreme Court decisions repealing parts of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the high court's decision on Proposition 8 effectively allowing county clerks to soon issue marriage licenses to all, elected officials in the East Bay had much to say as the LGBT community, and the region … Continue reading EAST BAY OFFICIALS REACT TO SUPREME COURT RULING ON PROPOSITION 8/DOMA →

Swalwell Leads Way To Protect LGBT Communities In…Ukraine(?)

CONGRESS 15 | Rep. Eric Swalwell’s first chance to grandstand did not take place in the East Bay, but in faraway Ukraine. Swalwell, along with Reps. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), David Cicilline and over three dozen Democrats sent a letter to the Ukrainian parliament protesting two discriminatory pieces of legislation against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender … Continue reading Swalwell Leads Way To Protect LGBT Communities In…Ukraine(?) →

MARGINALIZED BY THEIR OWN PARTY AND LIBERAL GAY GROUPS, LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS TRUDGE ON

CAGOP CONVENTION | For gay conservatives, the Republican Party is something like, No Party For Gay Old Men. At the party’s state convention this weekend, the Log Cabin Republicans met in a small room tucked far away from the party’s more mainstream groups. But it’s a matter of perspective, for them, a tidy group ostracized … Continue reading MARGINALIZED BY THEIR OWN PARTY AND LIBERAL GAY GROUPS, LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS TRUDGE ON →

Unknown To Many, Judicial Candidate Tara Flanagan Was Once Joel Young’s Attorney

ELECTION '12//SUPERIOR COURT JUDGEMay 30, 2012 | In September 2011, I called 18th Assembly candidate Joel Young to talk about, at the time, a little-known domestic violence allegation filed by an ex-girlfriend in March of that year. Young said he couldn’t comment on advice from his lawyer. But, because everybody in local politics is within a few … Continue reading Unknown To Many, Judicial Candidate Tara Flanagan Was Once Joel Young’s Attorney →