The Advocacy Council for Human Rights

“Immigration Reform and the Plight of Bi-National Gay and Lesbian Couples” is the topic of a panel discussion at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4 in the Escalanté Room at ISU’s Vrooman Center.

Gay and lesbian couples that include an immigrant are facing unique challenges as the nation struggles to come up with a humane, fair immigration policy. Oftentimes these couples face a double negative in that they cannot get married PLUS the immigrant in the couple might be facing an uncertain future in this country.

Panelists include Michael Jarecki, an immigration lawyer from Chicago; Lawrence B. Solum, professor from the College of Law at the University of Illinois; and Aaron Smith, professor of English at ISU. Alison Bailey from the ISU department of philosophy will moderate the discussion.

The event is sponsored by the Global Review Student Association. For more information contact wgstudies@ilstu.edu.

The fever pitch of 2008 whisked President Obama and many LGBT-supportive candidates into office. And while the last two years have not brought about the degree of change LGBT people and their supporters would like, several key races could prove disastrous for our community unless we get out and support LGBT-supportive candidates and incumbents. Read more »

There is an LGBT fundraiser for congressional candidate David Gill from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 at Lancaster’s Restaurant, 513 N. Main Street in downtown Bloomington.

Free appetizers and a cash bar will be available at the event. There is no suggested donation but since it is a fundraiser his campaign hopes this event will raise some good money to help David in his effort to unseat Congressman Tim Johnson.

Gill is running for the 15th congressional seat held by Johnson since 2001. The district encompasses parts of Bloomington/Normal and stretches east beyond Champaign/Urbana.

Johnson has a clear history of opposing equal rights for LGBT people; in fact, he has consistently scored “0″ on the Human Rights Campaign congressional scorecards. Gill, in contrast, has declared his support for a variety of LGBT issues including the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, overturning the “Defense of Marriage” Act, and granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Please consider joining us in helping elect an LGBT-friendly candidate to represent us in Washington! And please, PLEASE pass along this information to other listserves and individuals!

(see flyer)

A forum on the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy will be at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31 in the Community Room at the Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave.

The event, a collaboration between the Advocacy Council and the Human Rights Campaign, will feature speakers and GLB military personnel who have served under the discriminatory policy. A question and answer period will follow the presentation. Read more »

Freshman Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, whose district includes a good portion of Bloomington/Normal, is in a tough re-election campaign against opponent Adam Kinzinger.

Debbie addressed the local LGBT community in the fall of 2008 and stated her support for issues that are important to us. Read more »

Dr. David Gill will discuss “Health Care Reform…Today and Tomorrow” at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 18 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington/Normal, 1613 E. Emerson St. in Bloomington.

Gill is a candidate for the 18^th Congressional District seat held by Republican Tim Johnson. He has expressed support for several issues of concern to the LGBT community, in sharp contrast to Johnson who has a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign based on his poor voting record on LGBT issues.

On May 27, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson joined 233 other members of Congress in passing the Murphy Amendment, the measure that calls for the Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).”

The amendment is part of a larger military budget bill that now goes to the U.S. Senate where it faces a more uncertain future. Read more »