Lgbtq rights

By Casey Tolan , CNN Updated 1858 GMT (0258 HKT) February 27, 2023 (CNN) In the parking lot of New Jerusalem Church in Jackson, Mississippi, volunteers handed out free cases of bottled water to a line of arriving cars last week -- a new normal in a state capital that has struggled with the fallout of a failing water system . But inside the church, a parade of pastors and organizers addressing the crowd railed against another threat they described as dire to the city's future: their state legislature. Republican state lawmakers are pushing "a takeover of the city of Jackson and disenfranchising local voters," declared Danyelle Holmes, a local activist. "They're banking on us to be quiet. They're banking on us to back down." The T-shirt she wore underscored the political mood of the event -- and the siege mentality that city leaders say they're feeling: JACKSON VS. EVERYBODY. A proposal in the Mississippi legislature to reshape Jackson's criminal justice system has … [Read more...] about A proposed ‘takeover’ has sparked a battle for power in one of America’s Blackest big cities

close Video How the Pentagon's $842B budget is the largest in its history and still may be inadequate Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin discusses the details of Biden’s military budget on ‘America Reports.’ Nearly two dozen House Democrats proposed legislation this week that would prohibit the Department of Defense from discriminating against transgender people who want to serve in the military. The bill from Rep. Sara Jacobs, R-Calif., is aimed at stopping Republicans from reestablishing former President Trump’s ban on enlisting anyone with gender dysphoria or who has already undergone gender transitioning. President Biden reversed that decision, and Jacobs and 22 other Democrats in the House are pushing for a new law that would prevent that Trump-era policy from returning. "Anyone willing and able to serve our country should be able to serve authentically," said Jacobs, who is also vice chair of the … [Read more...] about Dems push transgender rights in the military so people can serve ‘authentically’

Last weekend, hundreds of people packed into a bar in Lower Manhattan for a very exclusive party. “First name must be Ryan,” the flier for the event said. “No Bryans allowed.” To gain entry, each guest had to show an ID to one of two doormen: Ryan Cousins, 32, a copywriter in Bushwick, Brooklyn, or Ryan Le, 24, a software engineer who lives in Hudson Yards in Manhattan. Inside, partygoers were given identical name tags and encouraged to circulate. “Hi, Ryan, I’m Ryan,” was repeated throughout the pub, Ryan Maguire’s Bar & Restaurant . Ryan Maguire, the pub owner’s son (and the inspiration for its name), was in attendance. He knew how special the occasion was — and was not. “The thing about being a Ryan growing up is there was always another Ryan around,” said Mr. Maguire, 34, who lives in the Bronx and works for a transportation company. Ryan Rose, 26, a photographer in Brooklyn, started the Ryan Meetup , a monthly event, in February. She had attempted … [Read more...] about To Get Into This Party, You’ll Need the Right Name. (It’s Ryan.)

The British tenor saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings pawed the stage with his bare feet on Saturday night at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn as he led his trio through a soaring set of crackling originals. Neither leg stayed on the ground for long; it was as if he were constantly making sure the floor was still there, that his saxophone hadn’t lifted him up and away. With an effervescent, Antillean rhythm rising behind him, he emitted a powerful energy from his horn, but vested each note with its own shape and sensitivity. Mr. Hutchings’s trio — with Moses Boyd on drums and Theon Cross on tuba — was playing the final set in a three-act bill that repeated Monday night at Nublu 151 in Lower Manhattan. It was an after-party for the Afropunk Festival that afternoon, and a showcase of young British jazz acts. Both concerts were presented by Jazz Re:freshed, a small British organization that for the last 14 years has fostered young and diverse talents in London. For the American listener who’s … [Read more...] about Ambassadors of London’s Rebooted, Revitalized Jazz Scene Come to New York

For admission to Chief, a women’s leadership network, members pay up to $7,900. That gets them executive coaching, big-name speaker sessions, a Rolodex of female executives and, for an extra cost, access to five sleek clubhouses. Chief is essentially an “old boys’ club” — for the ladies. The venture capital-backed company has grown to over 20,000 members and over $1 billion in value since it started in 2019. This month, in social media battles, some of its members have begun to ask: What does their club of high-powered women stand for? On LinkedIn, some Chief members have criticized the community’s approach to racial diversity and its response to political issues like the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and some have announced plans to quit. Chief’s founders, Lindsay Kaplan and Carolyn Childers, say they’ve donated to abortion access groups, issued statements in the wake of racial violence and acted on their members’ feedback, while remaining focused on the company’s primary goal, which … [Read more...] about Is Empowering Corporate Women Enough?

Wyoming endangers essential medical care Re: “Governor signs measure banning abortion pills,” March 19 news story Wyoming’s Gov. Mark Gordon has signed the law banning the use of mifepristone and similar drugs for abortions in his state. While ostensibly leaving protections in the law for mifepristone’s use to treat miscarriages, the law establishes an ominous threat of government-controlled oversight of women’s medical care. That makes women second-class citizens and means doctors cannot freely render medical care without possibly violating the law. Because surgical procedures and medication pills for miscarriages are identical treatments to those used for abortions, patients can be denied miscarriage care or have care delayed because doctors and pharmacists fear running afoul of the law. Any law that creates hesitancy for doctors to uphold the standard of care for a patient represents a degradation of that care. One consequence of the law is that women may delay or avoid … [Read more...] about Letters: Banning abortion pills — Wyoming endangers essential medical care