EDGE on the Net

Former GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan has come out in support for gay adoption but still believes marriage should be between one man and one woman.

The Williams Institute released a study on Wednesday, May 11, that concludes the exclusion of transgender people from Massachusetts’ employment non-discrimination laws costs the Commonwealth millions of dollars each year.

Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank announced on Wednesday, March 30, he plans to reintroduce the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. It is highly unlikely the GOP-controlled House will pass the measure during this Congress, but Frank stressed activists need to start laying the groundwork for its passage now.

According to a poll released by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., 62% of heterosexual Americans believe LGBT employees deserve equal benefits on the job, such as health insurance for partners or spouses.

Members of the Human Rights Campaign’s Dallas/Fort Worth Steering Committee, the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce and Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies have stepped up their efforts in support of the federal Employee Non-Discrimination Act.

Momentum is building for Congress to pass the first major civil rights act protecting gays and transsexuals, supporters say, and one of the stars in the debate is a barrier-breaking transgender staffer on Capitol Hill.