The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – today applauded the Senate introduction of the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2010 (SNDA), which would prohibit discrimination against any public school student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition, SNDA prevents discrimination against students because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of a person with whom that student associates or has associated. SNDA was introduced by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and has 22 co-sponsors. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., introduced a nearly identical version of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 4530) in January 2010.

The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – reaffirmed its call for an end to the ban on blood donations by men who have sex with men, upon news that a key committee will hold a hearing on the subject next month. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability will meet on Thursday and Friday, June 10 and 11, 2010 to discuss the ban.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced that Cybill Shepherd will receive the Golden Gate Award and Lee Daniels will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented in San Francisco by Southwest Airlines on June 5, 2010 at the Marriott Marquis.

Conan O’Brien. Pearl Jam. Courtney Love. Ryan O’Connor.  This summer, the concert tour lineup gets even bigger when actor, singer, comedian, vlogger and YouTube sensation Ryan O’Connor (“How I Met Your Mother,” “School of Rock,” “American Dad”) hits the road on June 7th and takes his one-man show “Ryan O’Connor Eats His Feelings” to a US city near you.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, will hold a free life and estate planning seminar on May 25, 2010, in Minneapolis, MN.  The seminar is part of a national effort to help protect LGBT relationships and educate individuals on various estate and financial planning issues including drafting of wills, durable power of attorney for health care and finances, living wills, domestic partnership, and the Pension Protection Act.  Local financial and estate planning professionals will also be available for questions and answers.  To learn more about this event, visit: www.hrc.org/twincities.

Perhaps you read about it in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly or Variety. Or maybe you saw it on CBS Sunday Morning, ABC Worlds News with Diane Sawyer, or BBC World News. The “high flying cult hit” (as the New York Times calls it), BIRDEMIC: SHOCK AND TERROR will premiere in Houston this weekend, Friday May 21st and Saturday May 22nd.

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) released the following statement today following participation in a press conference earlier today demanding immediate action in both the House and Senate on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The press conference was part of a series of nationwide actions this week calling for a vote on ENDA.

Upon news today that notoriously anti-LGBT Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., is resigning after an affair with a member of his staff, Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Michael Cole released the following statement: