NBCUniversal LGBT employees group permitted to march at upcoming St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC

BY JIM FITZGERALD

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Organizers of New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade have agreed to allow a gay contingent to march under its own banner for the first time, making an exception for a group of employees from NBC, the network televising the event.

The prohibition on identified gay groups in the world's largest and centuries-old New York parade had made participation a political issue. Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to march this year, and Guinness beer dropped its sponsorship.

The private New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade Committee, in a statement made available to The Associated Press, said Wednesday that [email protected], a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender resource group at the company that broadcasts the parade, would be marching up Manhattan's Fifth Avenue on March 17 under an identifying banner.

Craig Robinson, executive vice president and chief diversity officer at NBCUniversal, said the group had applied to march, but there was no immediate word on why the group was chosen.

"We welcome the parade committee's decision to accept [email protected]'s application to march and enthusiastically embrace the gesture of inclusion," Robinson said. "Our employees, families and friends look forward to joining in this time-honored celebration of Irish culture and heritage."

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SAVE to honor six young LGBT activists Friday at Luminary Awards in Miami Beach Botanical Garden

From SAVE:

FRIDAY: SAVE to Host 2nd Annual Luminary Awards Reception Honoring Standout Young Professional LGBT Activists

 

WHAT:  SAVE is South Florida's largest advocate for the local LGBT community. The Young Guardians' Luminary Awards are an annual gathering of the movers and shakers among South Florida's young professionals in the LGBT community.

The inaugural awards ceremony last year honored four young LGBT activists before a crowd of more than 250 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year, the Luminary Awards presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation will honor six young professionals before an expected crowd of 250 or more at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Tickets are available for sale online until midnight on Thursday at http://savedade.org/luminaries.

WHO:  Honorees at this year's event include:

• Aaron Bos-lun, a southern Miami-Dade educator with the Teach for America program recognized for his efforts to bring student-led Gay Straight Alliances to inner-city and urban high schools;
• Pamela Sweeney, a University of Miami marine biology graduate student recognized for her years of volunteer work on behalf of many high-profile pro-equality advocacy campaigns including SAVE's effort to defeat the constitutional amendment banning marriage equality in Florida and more recent efforts to impact 2014 races in favor of pro-equality candidates;
• Caridad Tabares, a reporter for Univision recognized for her work educating national Spanish-language audiences on issues of equality for the LGBT community;
• Daniel Tilley, recognized for his work as the lead LGBT attorney for the ACLU of Florida and particularly for his successful argument on behalf of eight plaintiff same-sex couples, one widow, and SAVE in Grimsley et al. v. Scott, popularly known as Florida's federal marriage recognition lawsuit;
• Marco Sanchez, the international marketing director for local spirit producer Jestony Vodka, recognized for putting the Jestony brand ahead of the curve by signing on early and often as a proud supporter of South Florida's LGBT community
• Jose Suarez, an executive for NBC recognized for his efforts to put issues of equality for the LGBT community front-and-center before NBC's local audience;
• and, South Florida Gay News, recognized as a source for LGBT empowerment as the gay news outlet of record in the South Florida media market.

In addition, SAVE Executive Director Tony Lima will issue congratulatory remarks to the 2014 honorees as part of the event program.

WHERE:  Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

WHEN:  This Friday, September 5th, 7PM-10PM

Federal judge’s ruling for Louisiana breaks pro-gay marriage streak

BY KEVIN MCGILL

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge upheld Louisiana's ban on same-sex marriages on Wednesday, a rare loss for gay marriage supporters who had won more than 20 consecutive rulings overturning bans in other states.

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman also upheld the state's refusal to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other states. His ruling was the first to uphold a state ban since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last year.

In 2004, 78 percent of Louisiana voters approved an amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage. Gay marriage is legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Feldman said gay marriage supporters failed to prove that ban violates equal protection or due process provisions of the U.S. Constitution. He also rejected an argument that the ban violated the First Amendment by effectively forcing legally married gay couples to state that they are single on Louisiana income tax returns.

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Same-sex couple suing over marriage ban asks Miami-Dade commission for support

From Miami Herald reporter Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei), via Naked Politics blog:

One of the six couples suing Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts Harvey Ruvin over Florida's same-sex marriage ban implored county commissioners Wednesday for their support.

Jorge Diaz and Don Johnston urged the county for a symbolic resolution -- similar to ones passed in cities such as Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando -- backing their case.

"We love each other, and we want to remove the barriers so that we can care for one another," Johnston said.

"This commission has taken strong stances in the past, has stood for what it believes in," said Diaz, the younger brother of former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

Commissioners made no commitment to any legislation. But Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa made an apparent reference to newly elected board member Daniella Levine Cava, a same-sex marriage supporter who will be sworn into office in November.

"I heard through the grapevine that some votes are coming our way," she said.