Tag Archives: Indiana

If $842 Can be Raised For a Homophobic Pizza Joint, Then What Can Be Raised For Homeless LGBT Kids?

The answer nearly $130,000… and counting.

In response to the campaign to raise money for an Indiana pizzeria that said it would refuse service to a gay couples, a campaign was launched aiming to raise the same amount of money, if not more, to be donated to Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund, which aims to end youth LGBT homelessness.

pizza-responce

The campaign is 5 days old,  but awareness is spreading with the hashtag #Pizza4Equality on social media.

The page, set up by Scott Wooledge reads:

“There is much disgust and consternation in the LGBT community over a viral fundraiser effort, that has as of this writing, earned $842,387. Many have lamented, “If only our cause could raise that much money that fast”. I say, yes, we can.”

The True Colors Fund is currently running an initiative called #40tonone, which aims to eliminate youth homelessness, which disproportionately affects LGBT youths.

True Colors Cabaret True Colors Cabaret

Rihanna Speaks Out Against Indiana’s Controversial ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Rihanna joined has a number of other celebrities to slam Indiana’s controversial ‘religious freedom’ law that enables businesses to refuse to serve gay people.

While onstage at NCAA March Madness Music Fest in Indianapolis over the weekend, the singer – in addition to debuting a brand new song American Oxygen – she expressed her political opposition to the law.

Referring to the state’s new RFRA in-between songs, Rihanna said:

“Who’s feeling these new bulls**t laws that they’re trying to pass over here? I say f**k that s**t… we’re just living our motherf***ing lives, Indiana!”

The singer also got the crowd to chant: “f**k that s**t”.

The Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence recently signed into law the controversial ‘Religious Freedom Restoration Act’, which gives people the right to discriminate against gay people on the grounds of religion.

Rihanna has often shown her supporter of gay rights. Last year, the singer shared a photo of herself on social media rocking a hat emblazoned with the logo “P6,” short for Principle 6 — a campaign opposed to Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law.

Rihanna was also one of many stars who opposed to Prop 8, a ballot proposition that was eventually passed in California banning same-sex marriage in the state.

Rihanna’s vocal opposition to Indiana’s RFRA comes on the heels of Miley Cyrus telling Time magazine that supporters of Indiana’s anti-gay bill are “dinosaurs, and they are dying off,” before throwing her social media weight behind the gay community by tweeting the following:

Rosie O’Donnell Strikes Out Anti-gay Pizzeria in Indiana

Rosie O’Donnell has spoke out against the family who run Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, which plans to use the state’s ‘religious freedom’ law to refuse to serve same-sex weddings.

The pizzeria says they will deny service to same-sex weddings after Governor Mike Pence signed into law the controversial ‘Religious Freedom Restoration Act’, which gives people the right to discriminate against gay people on the grounds of religion.

Comedian Rose O’Donnell joked about the shop in an interview with SiriusXM.

Remember the pizza lady was saying that gays were going to cater their wedding with pizza? Not even lesbians would do that. We might have a potluck, we have bring your own chilli… but that’s only if financial situations are tough.”

Incredibly, a GoFundMe page set up in support of the anti-gay business has so far raised over $840,000 in donations from 29,000 people.

The donation page states:

Religious liberty is under assault in Indiana and that’s never been clearer than with the O’Connor family. When asked by local press the hypothetical question of whether or not they’d prefer to have their family owned business, Memories Pizza, cater a gay wedding, the owner said no citing their own religious beliefs as the reason. 

Rather than allowing this family to simply have their opinion, which they were asked to give, outraged people grabbed the torches and began a campaign to destroy this small business in small town Indiana. All for having an opinion that is rooted in faith.”

Possible U-Turn in Arkansas and Indiana as Lawmakers Seek Fixes of Religion Acts

Lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas, the two states in the middle of gay rights protests over laws designed to ‘uphold religious freedom’ are engaging in hurried climbdown today, with both moving to alter legislation that critics say legalises discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

In Indiana, lawmakers are set to introduce new language for the state’s “religious freedom” law Thursday, to clarify that the law does not allow businesses to deny goods or services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

Also read: Sad Fact – Most American States Still Discriminate Against LGBT People

Speaker Brian Bosma told a news conference.

“What was intended as a message of inclusion, inclusion of all religious beliefs, was interpreted as a message of exclusion, especially for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Nothing could have been further from the truth but it was clear that the perception had to be addressed.”

The Arkansas Senate took up the challenge late on Wednesday, sending legislation to the House of Representatives that would bring it in line with federal statutes. A House panel is due to take up that law on Thursday.

The Arkansas act was passed this week in the Republican-controlled statehouse and sent back Wednesday to lawmakers by Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican. Hutchinson was asked to veto the measure by retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which is based in the state.

Twenty U.S. states and the federal government have RFRAs, which allow individuals to sue the government if they believe their First Amendment religious rights have been violated.

But those in Indiana and Arkansas go further than all but one of the state laws, allowing lawsuits between private parties.

That raised the possibility of businesses such as realtors using the law as a defense if they are sued for refusing to show homes to a member of the LGBT community.

 

Hillary Clinton Tweets Against Indiana’s New Anti-Gay Law: “We Shouldn’t Discriminate Against People Because of Who They Love”

Likely Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, last night weighed in on Indiana’s RFRA law, which GOP Governor Mike Pence yesterday morning signed into law.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act allows organisations, including businesses and churches, to refuse service to anyone on religious grounds. Nineteen other states have similar laws, and many others have proposals making their way through the legislature.

Pence said in a statement Thursday…

“Today I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, because I support the freedom of religion for every Hoosier of every faith. The Constitution of the United States and the Indiana Constitution both provide strong recognition of the freedom of religion but today, many people of faith feel their religious liberty is under attack by government action.”

The bill received national attention, but Pence signed it with little fanfare in a ceremony closed to the public and the press.

 

Court Rules that Indiana Must Recognise Terminally Ill Lesbian’s Marriage

Prior to the current flood of in-state support for same-sex marriage, in which several states in the United States of America have had their same-sex marriage bans struck down by judges who have deemed the bans as a violation of the United States Constitution (and are therefore unlawful), judges in the state of Indiana made waves back in May when it was forced to recognise the marriage of Niki Quasney – who has terminal ovarian cancer – and Amy Sandler. At the time, the judge said that there was “no reason” to delay the recognition and in some cases it paved the way for last week’s decision by US District Judge Richard Young to throw out Indiana’s ban on same-sex marriages altogether. However, as the appeals court recently saw that ban reinstated, it may be back to square one for Quasney, Sandler and other same-sex couples like them.

The appeals court in question saw that the ban would be put in place until the appeal is over. It’s unclear as to whether or not the appeal would be successful and therefore bring back Indiana’s same-sex marriage ban full-time, but that ruling did mean that Quasney and Sandler’s marriage was no longer recognised by the state. Thankfully, the ruling was partially overturned by the 7th Circuit Court of appeals meaning good news for the couple at least as their marriage will now be recognised once more.

Paul D. Castillo, Staff Attorney for Lambda Legal said of the rulings,

“It is time for the State of Indiana to leave Niki and Amy in peace and not subject them and their marriage to any more stress and uncertainty as this case proceeds. We’re thrilled that the court ruled in favour of this family as Niki battles stage four ovarian cancer. We will continue to fight until no family in Indiana needs to worry about their marriage being stripped away from them and all Hoosiers have the freedom to marry.”

Hopefully the stress will be kept off of the couple in the future but other couples will possibly have to wait until the end of Summer for a definitive decision on Indiana’s same-sex marriage ban, given that the appeals court is waiting until the 5th of August to hear the case. We’ll keep you posted on developments in the case once we know more.