PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Tom Corbett Backs LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who so far had been no friend to the gay community, has backed a bill that would protect LGBT residents from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

Corbett, who has previously staked out conservative positions on social issues, told The Inquirer that he was "coming out in support" of the bill after learning that federal law does not cover discrimination in the state. "I've had people come and talk to me about how they were discriminated against," said Corbett, who served for eight years as the state's attorney general. "The federal government has antidiscrimination laws. I believed they covered it." Corbett's support of legislation that has languished in the General Assembly for a decade is viewed by many advocates as a major step forward on a civil rights issue. "This is remarkably big news," said Ted Martin, executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, a statewide gay rights advocacy group. "His leadership will move the issue forward in a way that is long overdue."

Corbett says he's has not changed his mind about same-sex marriage, which he infamously compared to incest during an interview earlier this year.

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Posted in: employment,GOP,housing,LGBT rights,pennsylvania,public accommodations,Tom Corbett

Shreveport Passes LGBT Protections

Via Equality Louisiana:

Today, the Shreveport City Council passed the Shreveport Fairness Ordinance with a vote of 6-1. In Louisiana, and 29 other states, there are no state or federal protections in place to prevent someone from being fired, evicted or denied service just because of who they are or who they love. The Shreveport Fairness Ordinance prevents discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in employment, housing and public spaces. People Acting for Change and Equality (P.A.C.E.), a local organization that works to advance equality in Northwest Louisiana, led the Be Fair Shreveport effort. They are excited to become the only city in Louisiana, other than New Orleans, that has an inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance.

With a population of 200,000, Shreveport is Louisiana's third-largest city.

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Posted in: employment,housing,LGBT rights,Louisiana

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Employee Bus Blocked By Protesters Who Demand $1B

Yesterday protesters in San Francisco blocked a shuttle bus for Google employees and demanded that the company pay $1B in fines for using the city's infrastructure without paying.

The buses have, for some, become a symbol of tech-fueled gentrification, economic inequality and soaring housing prices in the city. The bus, which was headed to Google’s Mountain View campus, had riders on board. A dozen protesters stood around the bus with signs saying “Public $$$$, Private Gains,” “Stop Displacement Now,” “Fine $271, Total Fine $1 Billion,” and “Warning: Two-Tier System.” The Google bus was parked at a 48-Quintara/24th Street Muni stop. The Municipal Transportation Agency in July proposed a plan to have about 200 Muni stops throughout the city serve as shared stops with private employee buses. The bus operators — private companies like Google, Facebook, Apple and Genentech — would pay for permits to use the Muni stops, and would give data to the city to help them plan their use. The 200 stops have not yet been selected, said Carli Paine, a project manager with the transit agency.

The protest spawned a Twitter feud between Google employees and local activists. Photo source.

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Posted in: activism,Google,housing,San Francisco