Catholic univ. to offer partner benefits
MSNBC.com reports Marquette University in Milwaukee will offer domestic-partner benefits to employees next year.
The move by the Catholic Jesuit University comes a year after the school rescinded a job offer to a lesbian. Marquette officials said at the time rescinding the job offer had nothing to do with sexual orientation. But it triggered heated debate.
Both the Academic Senate and the University Student Government voted to urge Marquette to extend benefits.
Medical, dental and vision benefits will be offered to same-sex couples who register with the local county clerk.
Target sues gay-rights group
Yahoo News reports a judge said March 25 he would issue a ruling within the next seven days in a lawsuit filed by Target Corp. against a pro-gay marriage group to make it stop canvassing outside the retailer’s San Diego County stores.
The suit alleges the activists are driving away customers by cornering them and talking about gay marriage.
Gay-rights advocates say the legal battle between Target and Canvass For A Cause could further strain the retailer’s relations with the gay and lesbian community.
Target previously made a $150,000 donation to a group backing a Republican candidate opposed to gay marriage.
Minnesota-based Target insisted it remained committed to the LGBT community and its lawsuit has nothing to do with the political agenda of the organization.
Bill would protect trans
Fox 5 Vegas reports Nevadans who said they were denied interviews or fired because they are transgender cheered a bill that would expand the state’s employment antidiscrimination law.
AB211 would prohibit employers from discriminating based on “gender identity or expression,” in addition to race, religion and sexual orientation.
Proponents said unemployment among transgender people is double that of the general population, but some lawmakers questioned if this was a symptom of Nevada’s high unemployment rather than their transgender identity.
— Larry Nichols