Song of the day:
Video of the day:
Prince would have been 63 years old yesterday…saw this posted on Twitter yesterday and wanted to share it with you here…what a talent…
Pride Month Facts
On this day in…
1961 - Mary L. Bonauto is born. She is an American lawyer and civil rights advocate who has worked to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and has been referred to by U.S. Representative Barney Frank as “our Thurgood Marshall.” She began working with the Massachusetts-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, now named GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) organization in 1990. Bonauto was one of the leaders who both worked with the Maine legislature to pass a same-sex marriage law and to defend it at the ballot in a narrow loss during the 2009 election campaign. These efforts were successful when, in the 2012 election, Maine voters approved the measure, making it the first state to allow same-sex marriage licenses via ballot vote. Bonauto is best known for being lead counsel in the case Goodridge v. Department of Public Health which made Massachusetts the first state in which same-sex couples could marry in 2004. She is also responsible for leading the first strategic challenges to section three of the Defense of Marriage Act(DOMA). Bonauto was one of three attorneys who argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges arguing state bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional. This much-publicized case determined that state bans against same-sex marriage are unconstitutional and is considered one of the most important civil rights cases which came before the U.S. Supreme Court in modern history. (Ronni Sanlo, Ed.D.)
1975 - Members of the gay rights group GATE appear before a Parliamentary Committee on Immigration in Toronto and call for dropping of all references to homosexuality in the Immigration Act. On November 6th, a Special Joint Committee on Immigration Policy recommends that homosexuals no longer be prohibited from entering Canada.In 1977, the Canadian Immigration Act was amended, removing the ban on homosexual men as immigrants. (Ronni Sanlo, Ed.D.)
2015 - Jamie Lee Henry, a doctor and Major in the Army’s Medical Corps, became the first openly transgender active duty U.S. Army officer. Department of Defense regulations that banned transgender individuals from US military service were officially repealed on June 30, 2016. On April 12, 2019, the Trump administration's policy prohibiting most transgender individuals from entering the military went into effect. The new policy grandfathers in transgender troops and those diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and any person with the diagnosis already under contract to enter the military. (Arlington Public Library)
Throwback Tuesday? Sure. Why not.
This photo was taken four years ago today at the University of Chicago when my dear friend Tasha’s son graduated from high school. It was also Best Friends Day (which I guess means today is also Best Friends Day). Anyway, I love this picture of us. Kudos to Andrew, master photographer.
Such a great picture of you two!
Such a great picture of you two!