Photo: Barack Obama. Credit: Christopher Dilts/Obama for America.
A coalition of 130 LGBT or allied organizations is urging President Obama to rescind a memo from George W. Bush’s administration that they claim has been used to justify taxpayer-funded discrimination.
In a letter addressed to Obama, the groups say the memo in question, which was issued in 2007 by the Office of Legal Counsel, “reaches the erroneous and dangerous conclusion that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) provides a blanket override of a statutory nondiscrimination provision.”
Signatories of the letter include Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Human Rights Campaign, and a variety of religious and civil rights groups.
“RFRA was intended to provide protection for free exercise rights, applying strict scrutiny, on a case-by-case basis, to federal laws that substantially burden religious exercise,” the coalition’s letter reads. “RFRA was not intended to create blanket exemptions to laws that protect against discrimination. Yet, in contrast to this, the OLC Memo relies on flawed legal analysis and wrongly asserts that RFRA is ‘reasonably construed to require’ a federal agency to categorically exempt a religiously affiliated organization from a grant program’s explicit statutory nondiscrimination provision, thus permitting the grantee to discriminate in hiring with taxpayer funds without regard to the government’s compelling interest in prohibiting such discrimination.”
One of the ramifications of the Bush-era OLC memo is that it is being used to permit religiously-affiliated organizations that receive Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funds to use religion as one criterion when hiring employees, despite VAWA’s clear prohibitions against such discrimination. The coalition also says the memo’s broad interpretation is being used to undercut Obama’s executive order barring contractors from discriminating LGBT workers. Lastly, the coalition argues, some grantees and contractors are trying to extend the memo’s reach beyond hiring, citing the memo to create a blanket exemption justifying their refusal to provide certain services or referrals, such as medical care for unaccompanied immigrant children who have suffered sexual abuse.
“The Bush-era policy is based on faulty legal assumptions and is being used to put the government in the business of funding discrimination,” said David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Campaign. “By rescinding this flawed memo, President Obama can make clear that taxpayer money cannot be used for unjust discrimination — period. The President has an unprecedented legacy of advancing fairness and equality for the LGBT community, and with the limited time he has remaining in office, we urge him to solidify that legacy by taking action on this critically important issue.”
The coalition concluded its letter asking Obama to carefully review and correct the interpretation of and extent to which RFRA applies.
“Contrary to the conclusion in the OLC Memo, RFRA is not a tool to categorically override statutory protections against religious hiring discrimination,” the groups write. “Nor does it create an absolute free exercise right — without regard to countervailing compelling interests, as required by RFRA — to receive government grants without complying with applicable regulations that protect taxpayers and participants in federally funded programs. We accordingly request that the OLC Memo be reviewed and its erroneous and dangerous interpretation of RFRA be reconsidered as soon as possible.”
Apple has pulled two of China's most popular gay dating apps from its App Store after receiving an order from the country's top internet regulator and censorship agency.
According to Wired, the tech giant removed Blued and Finka from both Apple's iOS App Store and several Android marketplaces over the weekend. New downloads are now blocked, though the apps remain functional for users who already had them installed.
"We follow the laws in the countries where we operate," an Apple spokesperson told Wired in an email. "Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only." The spokesperson added that the apps haven't been available in other countries for some time.
The Capital Pride Alliance is moving the 2026 Capital Pride celebration to the third week of June -- one week later than usual -- to avoid overlapping with major events tied to President Donald Trump's June 14 birthday and preparations for the nation's 250th anniversary. Pride weekend will run June 20-21, with the parade on Saturday and the festival and concert on Sunday.
Last year, the Trump administration marked the president's birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Armed Forces with a downtown military parade. This year, all national parks will offer free entry on June 14, and the White House is expected to host several Ultimate Fighting Championship matches on the White House lawn to draw large crowds for Trump's 80th birthday and the country's Semiquincentennial celebrations.
As Democrats celebrated major wins in key state contests on November 4, a wave of out LGBTQ candidates scored victories of their own in local and down-ballot races, further boosting LGBTQ representation in public office.
In Virginia, boosted by Abigail Spanberger's win in the governor's race, Democrats picked up 13 seats in the 100-member House of Delegates, increasing the size of their caucus to 64. All six incumbent LGBTQ delegates who were up for re-election -- Rozia Henson (D-Woodbridge), Laura Jane Cohen (D-Burke), Mark Sickles (D-Franconia), Adele McClure (D-Arlington), Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg) and Cia Price (D-Newport News) -- won their races.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.