February 17, 2010 - Kentucky Statewide Fairness Coalition Rally in the Capitol - Wednesday, February 24, 1 p.m.
The newly formed Statewide Fairness Coalition of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, the Fairness Campaign, Kentucky Fairness Alliance, the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights and Lexington Fairness will join with students, legislators and supporters from across the commonwealth on Wednesday, February 24, 1 p.m. to rally the Capitol Rotunda. Supporters will call for a statewide Fairness law protecting all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Kentuckians from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Read more...
January 18, 2010 - Statewide Fairness Coalition Awarded $30,000 from State Equality Fund
The Tides Foundation’s State Equality Fund, a philanthropic partnership that includes the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the Gill Foundation, and anonymous donors, has awarded the Kentucky Statewide Fairness Coalition $30,000 to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The Fund is programmatically staffed on behalf of the donors by the Gill Foundation’s Movement Building Center. Read more...
January 12, 2010 - Ten Grassroots Organizations Present "The People's Forum"
Ten of Louisville’s grassroots social justice organizations are joining forces to present “The People’s Forum,” a mayoral candidate forum on Tuesday, February 2, 6-8 p.m. at the Metro United Way Building, 2nd floor, 334 E. Broadway. A reception will follow the event from 8-9 p.m. in which candidates may meet and greet the Forum audience. Admission to “The People’s Forum” is free, and granted on a “first come, first served” basis. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Read more...
October 28, 2009 - President Obama Signs Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act Into Law
Just before 3 p.m. today, President Barack Obama signed into law the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that includes the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act as an amendment. The bill will expand the 1969 federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Read more...
October 22, 2009 - Senate Passes Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, Vote 68-29
“Despite Kentucky's Senators Bunning and McConnell's votes in opposition to the National Defense Authorization Act containing the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, the Senate has taken a bold step towards full equality and civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans with their historic 68-29 vote in favor of the bill," said Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign. Read more...
October 5, 2009 - Fairness to Announce Boycott of Woody's Tavern, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 4 p.m.
On the night of Monday, September 21, just one month after Woody’s Tavern owner David Norton’s public apology for racist and sexist remarks made one year earlier, Mr. Norton launched another tirade of prejudice and hate against customers in his bar. According to witnesses, a bar patron lifted the corner of a pool table to dislodge balls stuck inside, which prompted a yelling spree from Mr. Norton, who ultimately chased every patron out of his establishment. As he ejected them, he yelled after patrons, calling them “trashy faggots,” and then, referring to a group of African American patrons, stated, “Look at their skin color. You know what’s on the tip of my tongue.” Following these incidents, the Fairness Campaign Coordinating Committee has approved a public boycott of Woody’s Bar and Tavern, supported by the organizations listed below. Read more...
October 2, 2009 - Actors Theatre Premieres “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” Monday, Oct. 12
For more than a decade, the gruesome murder of young Laramie, Wyoming resident Matthew Shepard has reverberated across the country. It brought national attention to the urgent need of a federal Hate Crimes law that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals as a protected class, which has yet to pass the United States Congress. To explore and better understand the community in which this crime occurred, the Tectonic Theater Project conducted a series of interviews with Laramie residents that, in 2000, became The Laramie Project, one of the most performed plays in America. Read more...
October 1, 2009 - “Fairness X-travaganza” Celebrates 10 Years of Civil Rights in Louisville Saturday, October 24
Ten years ago this October, the Jefferson county Fiscal Court passed the first comprehensive anti-discrimination Fairness Ordinance, protecting all Louisvillians from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. To mark that historic occasion in Louisville’s advancement, Fairness Campaign supporters are hosting a series of Fairness X-travaganza fundraising dinner parties across the city on Saturday, October 24, that will end in Fairness X-plosion, a community celebration and dance party held at The Monkey Wrench, 1025 Barret Avenue, from 10pm-2am. Read more...
September 8, 2009 - Fairness Campaign Endorses National Equality March, Oct. 11 - Campaign Will Bus 50 Supporters to D.C. on “Equality Express”
The Fairness Campaign today announces its endorsement of the National Equality March on Washington D.C., set for October 11, 2009. Called for in May of this year by former Harvey Milk intern and LGBT rights advocate, Cleve Jones, the National Equality March seeks to organize constituents in all 50 states to call for equal civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Read more...
August 14, 2009 - Woody’s Tavern Owner David Norton to Offer Public Apology for Racist, Sexist Remarks Saturday, Aug. 15, 6:30PM
Woody’s Tavern owner David Norton is set to offer a public statement of apology to a group of University of Louisville students and faculty almost a year and a half after he chased the group out of his Old Louisville bar using racist and sexist slurs. Until this week, Mr. Norton, who also owns Magnolia Bar & Grill a few blocks away from Woody’s, denied the incident ever occurred. Read more...
May 6, 2009 - McDonald’s Agrees To Training and Settlement After Staff Called Gay Customers Anti-Gay Slurs
April 6, 2009 - Straight Minister Suing Former Employer Under Fairness Ordinance
March 27, 2009 - Bill Seeking to Ban Adoption, Foster Parenting By Unmarried Couples Dies in Kentucky Legislature
March 5, 2009 - Anti-Gay Adoption Bill SB 68 Passes in Secret Meeting
February 23, 2009 - Opposition to Senate Bill 68 Draws Additional Allies