President Obama ordered U.S. diplomatic missions and federal agencies working abroad to strengthen efforts to fight international discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender individuals, saying he is “deeply concerned by the violence” against them in many parts of the world. The memo, immediately celebrated by gay and lesbian leaders, elevates the importance of combating discrimination against the LGBT community within Obama’s foreign policy. The issue is an important one to a key element of Obama’s political base, and the move strengthens the argument he is building that he has done more to end the ostracism experienced by the LGBT community, at home and abroad, than his predecessors. Read full article > >

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Obama orders U.S. diplomats to increase efforts to fight LGBT discrimination abroad

Says gender disparity is at the heart of economic inequality.

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Gloria Steinem Highlights OWS’ Feminist Roots

LONDON — In a majestic moment for gender equality, female members of the British royal family were on Friday granted the same rights as males to ascend to the British throne. The 16 Commonwealth nations that acknowledge Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch announced that male heirs will no longer take precedence over their sisters in succession. Read full article > >

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Royal daughters win equal right to ascend to British throne

First born will rule, regardless of gender.

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Female Equal to Males in U.K. Succession

At any given moment in this country, there are museums, galleries, performing arts centers, film societies, theater groups and book clubs, all focusing on the artistic work of people who share something in common: race, gender, religion, sexual identity. And the assumption is almost always the same: that people who are demographically alike in some way must produce artworks with something in common. Read full article > >

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‘30 Americans’: A challenging study of identity

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia will remove all gender barriers in its military over the next five years, opening up positions that had previously been considered too dangerous for women, including front-line combat roles, a minister said Tuesday. Australia will follow Canada and New Zealand in allowing women who meet physical and psychological criteria to perform any role they choose, Defense Minister Stephen Smith said. Read full article > >

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Australia to remove all gender barriers in military, allowing women to serve in infantry

It’s certainly no secret that the government’s Senior Executive Service has a diversity problem. The problem has been repeatedly documented with statistics that show SES doesn’t begin to reflect the racial and gender diversity of the nation it serves. The good news is President Obama recently signed an executive order “to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce.” The bad news is projections indicate that by 2030 Latinos will remain “vastly underrepresented” in the SES, according to a report scheduled for release Thursday by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a liberal think tank. Read full article > >

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Report: Latinos in SES will be ‘vastly underrepresented’ by 2030

At 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, 1st Lt. Josh Seefried, who founded an undercover group of 4,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender active-duty service members, dropped his pseudonym.

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After Toiling in Shadows to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ 1st Lt. Josh Seefried Greets a New Era

Dismisses that it’ll engender sympathy for her.

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McGinniss Defends Palin Screed

A gay Cuban man is set to marry his transgender fiance in what is being seen as the country’s first “gay” wedding.

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Cuba set for first ‘gay wedding’

Change.org also pushing for transgender character.

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Online Petition for Bert and Ernie Wedding

Afghanistan is the most dangerous country for women, an international poll of experts on gender issues says.

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Afghan women are ‘most at threat’

A Toronto couple defend their decision to keep secret their baby’s sex to allow the child to develop his or her own gender identity.

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Canadians defend ‘no-gender’ baby

The name ‘Storm’ may be gender neutral but it is also listed as a synonym for controversy.

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Boy or girl? It’s a secret — and a debate

Advocates hope that teaching about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in schools would prevent bullying and shatter stereotypes.

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California May Require Teaching of Gay History