Dear Mr President

Dear Mr. President,

We write with deep concern over a growing trend of laws and proposed legislation targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Africa. These laws, combined with the growing public vitriol by government officials and the media, threaten to usher in an era of widespread oppression of the LGBT community in many African countries. We believe the enforcement of these laws would be a human rights abuse in violation of the standards set forth in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Already this year, both Nigeria and Uganda have enacted laws that impose harsh penalties for homosexual activity and activism on behalf of LGBT people. Despite strong opposition from the United States and many other nations, Nigeria enacted the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act in January, and one month later, Uganda’s President signed into law the Anti-Homosexuality Act. In Nigeria, the legislation immediately triggered an outbreak of violent anti-gay attacks.

As you know, Uganda and Nigeria are among the countries eligible for AGOA, which has allowed for duty-free treatment of certain imports from sub-Saharan African countries since 2000. Congress passed this law with a clear intention to make the benefits of this non-reciprocal agreement contingent on these countries’ commitment to human rights. AGOA states that a country is only eligible for preferential trade status if that country “does not engage in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

The jurisprudence in the area of international human rights supports respect of sexual orientation and gender identity as human rights. We therefore ask that your Administration review Nigeria and Uganda’s eligibility for AGOA’s trade preference and, if it is determined that those countries are not “making continual progress” in meeting the statute’s requirements, that you take steps to revoke AGOA eligibility to Nigeria and Uganda in accordance with 19 U.S. C. §2466a(a)(3). We believe that the discriminatory anti-LGBT laws in those countries represent a clear violation of human rights and hope that the interagency process charged with AGOA’s annual review will make this recommendation. We further ask that you not restore eligibility until these beneficiary countries have taken steps to eliminate harsh penalties for LGBT persons.

As the International Trade Commission (ITC) correctly stated when AGOA was first passed, “Congress never intended AGOA to be a blank check for all African countries, without regard to performance. It was meant to offer tangible incentives for African governments to improve their political and economic governance, not to underwrite poor policies.” Some of the leaders who promote the benefits of AGOA in their respective countries, including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, are the same leaders now presiding over the deterioration of LGBT rights in Africa. By revoking AGOA eligibility, the United States will be sending a clear message that countries must choose between enjoying the benefits of AGOA and violating the human rights of LGBT individuals. We thank you for your attention to this matter and urge you to act swiftly.

Sincerely,

Christopher S. Murphy

United States Senator

Tammy Baldwin

United States Senator

Martin Heinrich

United States Senator

Richard Blumenthal

United States Senator

Barbara Boxer

United States Senator

Al Franken

United States Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

United States Senator

Edward Markey

United States Senator

Sherrod Brown

United States Senator

Mark E. Udall

United States Senator

NoH8

No Hate? How Great!
In response to the Russian "crackdown" these photos in support of freedom of speech and lifestyle were posted:

Check out the full story here
Hat Tip to CT News Junkie, of course

Women's Equality Day

Take Note:
Women are NOT equal in law or civil discourse. Women are barely-released indentured servants, slaves, war-brides, underpaid and disrespected teacher/nurse/mothers. Women are elder-care givers, perpetual clerks, mourners of the dead and givers of Life. Women are cultural memory. Women are NOT EQUAL. 
 

FROM: Teresa Younger
Executive Director, Permanent Commission on the Status of Women

DATE: Monday, Aug. 26, 2013 

RE: Women’s Equality Day

“Women’s Equality Day raises so many issues beyond the 19^th Amendment – beginning with pay inequity, which hurts women’s long-term economic security, retirement assets, and quality of life. We must also ask the critical question: If women are still battling for their full rights every day – even after 93 years of voting rights – how many more generations of capable women will be routinely eliminated from positions of power, elected office, and the “tables” at which real decisions are made? Why does 51 percent of the population hold just 18 percent of Congress and 4 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions? And why is women’s healthcare – most noticeably reproductive rights – continually under assault, after a century of earning – not “being given” as is often said – working for and earning the right to vote?”

PRIDE FLAG RAISED AT GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE

I am Proud to live in Connecticut.
I am Proud to have come from California.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today directed the LGBT Pride flag to be flown over the Governor’s Residence in Hartford in recognition of the Supreme Court decision to overturn the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

###

For Immediate Release: June 26, 2013

Contact: Juliet Manalan

Juliet.Manalan@ct.gov

860-524-7314 (office)

860-770-8298 (cell)

In Case You Missed It: from DailyKos

Unite Against the War on Women

[...]
New Group Poised to Challenge “War on Women”
• Virginia legislators recently tried to enact an invasive, mandatory “trans-vaginal ultrasound” measure for women seeking abortions.
• In Mississippi, lawmakers took a cue from Virginia and are now pushing the same type of regressive, restrictive legislation.
• Texas Governor, Rick Perry, has decided to deny funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers under the Texas Women’s Health Program.
• Some presidential candidates want to end Medicaid funding and turn it into state-by-state bloc grants.
• Personhood legislation and amendments are being actively pushed through state legislatures in attempts to criminalize contraception and family planning.
• State laws regarding voter registration designed to suppress voter turnout especially among poor women, seniors and minorities are already in place and spreading.

A new and growing movement called Unite Against The War On Women is poised to push back on measures like this, with protest marches and rallies across the country on Saturday, April 28.

Join us - Saturday, April 28th as we say NO WAY/NO HOW to these attempts to dictate our personal decisions, our bodies, our health choices, and our families.

The newly-minted organization has garnered almost 20,000 members nationally in less than two weeks in the wake of of Virginia’s “trans-vaginal ultrasound” bill and other pending legislation.

JOIN US - SHARE - PASS THE WORD - WE WILL NOT BE SILENT

 ~ * ~ * ~ *  ~ * ~ * ~ *  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Questions? send an email to unitewomenconnecticut@gmail.com    or    ctFreeRadicals@gmail.com  
sign up at WeAreWomenMarch.net

Local Celebrity Turns 90

Sunday March 18, 2012 at 3:00 pm
New Haven Peoples Center.
37 Howe Street, New Haven Ct 06511

Please join in a very special celebration

of the 90th birthday of
Alfred L. Marder
and his lifelong leadership for peace, equality and social justice

Among Al's many leadership roles, he serves as chair of the New Haven Peoples Center (PERA).  In lieu of gifts, contributions to this outstanding all-volunteer site on the Connecticut African American Freedom Trail will be deeply appreciated toward matching grant requests for restoration.

If you can't attend, or in other ways are moved, please send donations to Al Marder c/o the New Haven People's Center. Terrific website, wonderful man.