Maryland
LGBTQ community members voice concern about state Supreme Court ruling on employer benefits
Gay man sued Catholic Relief Services over husband’s denied benefits
By JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Jackie Abell said she was caught off-guard by the Maryland Supreme Court’s ruling against a gay man whose employer, Catholic Relief Services, refused to provide health benefits for his husband after saying that doing so was contrary to its Catholic values.
“I am very disappointed by Monday’s Supreme Court ruling as I thought Maryland had been on top of protecting LGBTQ+ individuals,” said Abell, 33, of Hampden, who identifies as a lesbian. “Not only am I a part of this community, but I’m also someone who is a recruiter who hires and pays individuals at the same rate regardless of sexual orientation but based on skill set.”
The rest of this article can be found at the Baltimore Banner website.
Maryland
What Anne Arundel County school board candidates think about book bans
State lawmakers passed Freedom to Read Act in April
BY ROYALE BONDS | Parents’ efforts to restrict content available to students in school libraries has become a contentious issue in Maryland. Conservative parent groups, such as Moms for Liberty, have been working to get books they believe are inappropriate removed from libraries in Carroll and Howard counties, sparking protests, new policies, and even a state law.
The Freedom to Read Act, passed in April, sets standards that books cannot be removed from public and school libraries due to an author’s background. Library staff that uphold the standard are protected under this act. The law, however, does not prohibit removing books deemed “sexually explicit,” the stated reason local Moms for Liberty chapters challenged school library books.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner website.
Maryland
Christian Siriano to serve as grand marshal of Annapolis Pride Parade
Fashion designer is an Annapolis native
BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | He’s conquered fashion week. His designs have slayed the red carpet during award season. And now Christian Siriano is coming home.
The Annapolis native will serve as grand marshal and keynote speaker June 1 for the annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival, which is a major coup as the event enters its fourth year.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday signed a bill that seeks to combat efforts to ban books from state libraries.
House Bill 785, also known as the Freedom to Read Act, would establish a state policy “that local school systems operate their school library media programs consistent with certain standards; requiring each local school system to develop a policy and procedures to review objections to materials in a school library media program; prohibiting a county board of education from dismissing, demoting, suspending, disciplining, reassigning, transferring, or otherwise retaliating against certain school library media program personnel for performing their job duties consistent with certain standards.”
Moore on Thursday also signed House Bill 1386, which GLSEN notes will “develop guidelines for an anti-bias training program for school employees.”
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US Census Bureau testing survey on LGBTQ households
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Comings & Goings
Miss Kitty tackles classical mythology in ‘Metamorphoses’
HHS reverses Trump-era anti-LGBTQ rule
4th Circuit rules gender identity is a protected characteristic
Pride season has begun
New World Bank US executive director: LGBTQ rights are human rights
