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Orlando LGBT Community and Allies Form New Unity Coalition One Orlando unites a broad spectrum of diverse organizations and individuals in a common purpose to obtain equality and dignity for all Floridians, and to repudiate and oppose anti-gay bigotry and discrimination.

From: "Bart Coyle" <[email protected]>

http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653 Gay Marriage: Our Mutual Joy | Newsweek.com Excerpt:

Commissioners OK Amendment WordingBy Megan RollandStaff Writer Published: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.Last Modified: Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 11:04 p.m.

Press Release(November 26, 2008) (MIAMI) Equality Florida joins with the Fair Adoption Coalition and the Florida ACLU in celebrating Tuesday’s court ruling that declared Florida's 30-year-old anti-gay adoption ban unconstitutional. In a 53-page ruling, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said, "It is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person's ability to parent.''

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/article911491.ece

Today, Equality Florida honored the 10th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Each year, the Transgender Day of Remembrance is held on November 20th and represents an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence and hatred. "This year is one of the worst on record for the number of hate crimes in the transgender community," said Nadine Smith, executive director for Equality Florida. "Today, we honor the memories of our transgender sisters and brothers lost to hatred and prejudice."

Kevin Beckner is Officially A Hillsborough County Commissioner

Here is the link to the Obama-Biden Plan (scroll down to where it says "Support for the LGBT Community") http://change.gov/agenda/civil_rights_agenda

Liveblog our Executive Director Nadine Smith along with Kate Kendell and Barbara McCullough-Jones on Thursday @ The Bilerico Project! Liveblog with anti-amendment leaders Kate Kendell, Nadine Smith and Barbara McCullough-Jones

Florida's anti-gay adoption ban is back in the court and back in the news.Check out this stunning recommendation from the state of Florida's "expert" who gave testimony defending the ban: He said he would also consider banning Native Americans from adopting because research shows that they are also at much higher risk of mental illness and substance abuse. ''They would tend to hang around each other,'' Rekers testified. ``So the children would be around a lot of other Native Americans who are . . . doing the same sorts of things.''

(St. Petersburg) Today, Equality Florida launched the Undo 2 Campaign, an effort to ensure that all of Florida’s families receive the protections they deserve. In the wake of last week’s election and the devastating passage of Amendment 2, the newly launched campaign will work to guarantee that gay couples and unmarried partners are not treated as second-class citizens in Florida.

Support Options Growing For Gay Teens MIAMI (CBS4) ― Growing up can be tough for any kid. Growing up gay can add to the pressures experienced by any teen, especially when parents don't support them and peers react with hostility. The tension be being gay and in high school is being cited as one possible factor in the shooting death of Dillard High School student Amanda Collette.

Media statement by Nadine Smith, Co-Chair Vote No On 2 Campaign embedded below and attached as a Word document.

Press release regarding the unprecedented volunteer turnout opposing Florida's Amendment 2. Content embedded and attached as a Word document.

http://www.alligator.org/articles/2008/11/03/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/081102_let1.txt

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