Former Vice President Al Gore Endorses Marriage Equality for same-sex couples

Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - Former Vice President Al Gore, winner of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, today became the highest-ranking public figure in to endorse marriage equality for same sex couples.

Watch the video here:
http://current.com/items/88817757_

gay_men_and_women_should_have_the_same_rights

In the video, Gore says: "Gay men and women ought to have the right to join together in marriage. I don't see why it's considered by some people to be a threat to heterosexual marriage to allow it by gays and lesbians. Shouldn't we be promoting the kind of faithfulness and loyalty to one's partner regardless of sexual orientation?"

Gore's position goes beyond support for civil unions, which have failed to provide anything close to consistent equality for same-sex couples in New Jersey, expressed by the leading Democratic candidates running for President, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. Dennis Kucinich supports marriage equality.

"Al Gore gets it in a way that the others don't," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality. "In the real world, civil unions don't give same-sex couples the rights and benefits of marriage, because employers view civil unions as inferior. In New Jersey, the failure of employers to recognize civil unions like marriage has resulted in a failure rate of our civil union law of at least 1 in every 5."

Garden State Equality has received complaints from 512 couples since New Jersey's civil union law took effect on February 19, 2007 -- 512 couples who report that employers are not respecting their civil unions because civil unions are not marriage. Nearly 100 civil-unioned couples and other witnesses recently testified about the failure of the civil union law over eight hours of hearings of the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission, which will release its first interim report on Tuesday, February 19, 2008, the one-year anniversary of the law.

"Anyone who says that civil unions are like marriage simply without the name should be indicted for civil rights fraud," Goldstein said. "Civil unions are to marriage what artificial sweetner is to sugar. It's not the same thing and it leaves a bitter aftertaste."

Contact: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair

Cartoon Features 2 Lesbian Mothers--- Buddy G and his two Mommies!!!

There's a new cartoon in town! "Buddy G - My Two Moms and Me" provides a much needed resource to children of same-sex parent households, their parents and the public at large.

Created by Donna Colley and Margaux Towne-Colley, "Buddy G..." is a stylish, technically exceptional, high production value animated series...currently available on DVD. The birth of their son was the impetus for the creation of the series (in their own words).

I was immediately driven to tell as many people as I could reach about this great little kid and his normal family. I am convinced that the series can and will, finally, build that bridge between those who deny our family structures and GLBTI parents around the world.

Kudos aren't enough. My enthusiasm isn't enough! A resounding "BRAVI TUTTI" to the creators of this marvelous tool! Now our kids can see themselves and their families depicted on the television, just like every other child on the planet.

Have a look at the show's Opening:

Buddy G's theme song was written and is performed by Curt Bright of The String Beans, Lincoln, NE. Buddy G's animation is done by 3D Magic Factory of Austin, TX
http://www.thestringbeans.net/ http://www.3dmagicfactory.com/

savvyplanners.com does not normally endorse non wedding-related products. "Buddy G - My Two Moms and Me", however, is just so well made, well-thought out, and professionally structured. It shows normal kids, living normal lives, playing in the yard and learning life's most important lessons!

I heartily congratulate the mothers for their insight, drive and dedication to getting this project under weigh! Thank you for making it possible to create a more equal and unbiased society. Thank you for depicting the truth about parenting, regardless of the particular make-up of that family unit. Thanks, most of all, for sharing Buddy G and making our families real for the world to see!

Everybody...I hope you'll consider this DVD for your family!

-Mr. MW Savant, CEO

Editor's Note: The preceding opinion is a statement by savvyplanners.com CEO MW Savant. It is his opinion and does not necessarily reflect the position of savvyplanners.com, its principals, staff or affiliates.

Social Security Gender No-Match Letters and Transgender Employees

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) receives calls regularly from transgender people across the country who have been “outed” to their employers by the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) unfair gender “no-match” employment letter policy. We continue to work with individuals to mitigate the impact these letters are having on people’s medical privacy and employment security.

Social Security Gender No-Match Letters and Transgender Employees Information for Transgender Employees---
A Resource from the National Center for Transgender Equality (html).

Transgender workers sometimes have different gender markers in employer records than what the Social Security Administration (SSA) has in their database. When this occurs, those transgender employees can be the focus of no-match letters from SSA. This information sheet explains what no-match letters are and what to do if your employer receives a gender no-match letter about you.

Download a .pdf of the information that can assist you in managing the arrival of a No-Match letter by clicking this link.

Best wishes!

New Jersey just achieved two LGBT civil rights milestones!

BY A STUNNING 100-10 VOTE, THE LEGISLATURE JUST GAVE NEW JERSEY AMERICA'S STRONGEST PROTECTIONS FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY
The Assembly has passed Garden State Equality's comprehensive hate crimes/school bullying bill by 65-10, for a combined Assembly-Senate vote of 100-10. Combined with last year's legislation expanding the Law Against Discrimination, New Jersey will have America's strongest protections for the transgender community. The bill now goes to Governor Corzine.
IT'S THE 154th LGBT LAW IN NEW JERSEY SINCE GARDEN STATE EQUALITY'S FOUNDING IN 2004
That's more LGBT rights laws enacted in less time than in any other state, ever in American history. Onto marriage equality!

Monday, January 7, 2008
Contact: Steven Goldstein

By a 65 to 10 vote, the New Jersey Assembly has just approved bill A4591/S2975, sweeping legislation to strengthen New Jersey's hate crimes and anti-school bullying laws. Last Thursday, the New Jersey Senate approved the bill 35 to 0.

The bill, conceived by Garden State Equality with the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, adds "gender identity or expression" to the state's existing hate crimes law and strengthens the hate crimes law in several other ways.

When paired with the expansion last year of the state's Law Against Discrimination to include "gender identity or expression" – a bill also spearheaded by Garden State Equality - today's final legislative vote will give New Jersey America's strongest protections for the transgender community. Governor Corzine is expected the sign the bill; his administration helped to craft it. The bill's prime sponsors were Senators Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg, and Assembly member Wilfredo Caraballo, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Upendra Chivukula and John McKeon.

The bill includes provisions that will benefit all oppressed communities, including children at risk. It requires schools to post their anti-bullying policies on the internet, and to distribute those policies to parents and guardians, within 120 days. The bill also creates a new Commission on Bullying in Schools that has nine months to investigate the problem and make further recommendations on how to strengthen New Jersey's anti-school bullying laws.

"This is a massive, historic win that fuels our momentum to win marriage equality at year's end," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality.

Two of New Jersey's leading transgender leaders – both members of the Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey – expressed their jubiliation over today's win.

Barbra Casbar Siperstein, president of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats and vice chair of Garden State Equality, said: "New Jersey's LGBT community and our allies again showed the nation what we achieve when we work together and stick together. That's in stark contrast to Washington, where Congress still hasn't passed a hate crimes law encompassing the transgender community, and disgracefully removed gender identity from an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that President Bush isn't even signing."

Leslie Farber, Esq., chair of the GLBT Rights Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and a board member of Garden State Equality, said: "It is a momentous day for all New Jersey when the state takes a big step to protect another group particularly vulnerable to hate crimes, and when it takes meaningful action towards eradicating bullying in our schools. From an important legal standpoint, the bill brings the scope of the state's hate crimes law in line with that of the state's Law Against Discrimination."

Garden State Equality expressed particular thanks to Lisa Mottet and Kara Suffredini of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which played a key role in drafting the bill, and to Etzion Neuer and Robin Roland of the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League, who testified on the bill's behalf and were invaluable partners in the legislative process.

Specifically, the new law does the following:

1. Adds "gender identity or expression" as a protected class to the state hate crimes law.

2. Updates other parts of the hate crimes law by adding "national origin" as a protected category, which thus far has been included in the law by interpreting "ethnicity" to include such; and substitutes the more sensitive term "disability" for "handicap."

3. Specifies that a "mistake of fact" by a defendant committing a hate crime is not a defense.

4. Requires two hours of hate-crimes sensitivity training for all new police officers.

5. Specifies suggested sentencing options to which judges can sentence defendants, such as anti-hate sensitivity training.

6. Creates a study Commission on Bullying in Schools, which has nine months to investigate the problem and make recommendations to the Governor and legislature for further legislation.

7. Requires schools post their anti-bullying policies on their websites, and to distribute their anti-bullying policies, within 120 days after enactment of the law.

Today's final passage of the hate crimes/school bullying bill marks the 154th LGBT law enacted in New Jersey at the state, county and municipal levels since Garden State Equality's founding in 2004. That's more LGBT civil rights laws in less time than in any other U.S. state, ever in American history.

UPDATE: BY A STUNNING 35-0 VOTE, NEW JERSEY SENATE APPROVES OVERHAUL OF THE STATE'S HATE CRIMES AND SCHOOL BULLYING LAWS

The full Assembly will pass the bill on Monday. Earlier today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved the bill 5-0.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Contact: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality

By a stunning 35-0 vote, the New Jersey Senate just approved S2975, sweeping legislation to strengthen New Jersey's hate crimes and anti-school bullying laws. The full Assembly will vote on the bill, conceived by Garden State Equality and the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League, this Monday, January 7th. Earlier today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved the bill 5-0. The bill comes on the heels of a just-released FBI report that ranks New Jersey #2 in hate crimes nationally, behind only California. The prime Assembly sponsors are Wilfredo Caraballo, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Upendra Chivukula and John McKeon. The prime Senate sponsors are Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg.

ASSEMBLY AND SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEES UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE BILL TO OVERHAUL NEW JERSEY'S HATE CRIMES AND SCHOOL BULLYING LAWS

The full Senate will vote on the bill later today, Thursday, January 3rd; the full Assembly, on Monday. The bill is expected to win overwhelmingly in both houses.

The bill adds "gender identity or expression" to the state's hate crimes law and strengthens the state's hate crimes law for all minority groups. The bill also requires schools to post on the web, and widely distribute, their anti-school bullying policies, and creates a Commission on Bullying in Schools to further strengthen the state's anti-bullying law.

The bill will become the 154th LGBT civil rights law enacted at the state, county and local levels since Garden State Equality's founding in 2004 -- an all-time national LGBT civil rights record.

Thursday, January 3, 2008
Contact: Steven Goldstein

By a 5-0 vote, the Assembly Judiciary Committee just approved A4591, sweeping legislation to strengthen New Jersey's hate crimes and anti-school bullying laws. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved an identical version of the bill, S2975, by an 8-0 vote on December 13th. The full Senate will vote on the bill, conceived by Garden State Equality and the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League, later today. The full Assembly will vote on Monday. The bill is expected to sail to victory in both houses.

The bill comes on the heels of a just-released FBI report that ranks New Jersey #2 in hate crimes nationally, behind only California. The prime Assembly sponsors are Wilfredo Caraballo, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Upendra Chivukula and John McKeon. The prime Senate sponsors are Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg.

The bill does the following:

1. Adds "gender identity or expression" as a protected class to the state hate crimes law. Combined with the 2006 expansion of the state's Law Against Discimination to include gender identity or expression, the strengthened hate crimes law will make New Jersey's laws for the transgender community unsurpassed in all America.

2. It updates other parts of the hate crimes law by adding "national origin" as a protected category, which thus far has been included in the law by interpreting "ethnicity" to include such; and substitutes the more sensitive term "disability" for "handicap."

3. It specifies that a "mistake of fact" by a defendant committing a hate crime is not a defense.

4. It requires two hours of hate-crimes sensitivity training for all new police officers.

5. It specifies suggested sentencing options to which judges can sentence defendants, such as anti-hate sensitivity training.

6. It creates a study Commission on Bullying in Schools, which has nine months to investigate the problem and make recommendations to the Governor and legislature for further legislation.

7. It requires schools post their anti-bullying policies on their websites, and to distribute their anti-bullying policies, within 120 days after enactment of the law.

"As Washington stumbles through one of the most disappointing years ever for the LGBT community, including Congress' refusal to pass a hate crimes law and the cruel elimination of the transgender community from an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that President Bush still won't sign," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, "New Jersey continues to be a national beacon for civil rights."

"The enactment of this bill will be the start of another amazing year in New Jersey," said Goldstein, "and we look forward to culminating 2008 with the enactment of a marriage equality statute."

The passage of the hate crimes/school bullying bill will mark the 154th LGBT law enacted in New Jersey at the state, county and municipal levels since Garden State Equality's founding in 2004. That's more LGBT civil rights laws in less time than in any other U.S. state, ever in American history.