Weekly Political Roundup

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  • Former President Bill Clinton spoke at the progressive conference Netroots Nation. Blogger Lane Hudson confronted him on DADT and DOMA. Hudson explains why.
  • The Anchorage Assembly approved an ordinance that bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, credit, public accommodations, and housing. It includes exemptions for churches and other religious organizations.
  • Equality California officials recommended waiting until 2012 to go back to the ballot to repeal Proposition 8.
  • Not only did Delaware do the right thing for same-sex parents this week, but Gov. Jack Markell expanded anti-discrimination bans in state government workplaces to include gender identity and expression.
  • Maine is the next battleground for marriage equality post-Prop 8, and the Advocate compares the two battles.
  • Paul Koering, a Republican state senator from Minnesota, abandoned his potential bid for governor, saying state party delegates would not be able to accept the fact that he is gay.

Around the world:

  • TIME has a long piece on gay and lesbian rights in Asia, including Nepal, Japan, and India.
  • British MP’s have criticized a draft constitution for the Cayman Islands for deliberately excluding sexual orientation as a protected category under anti-discrimination laws. The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory.
  • One quarter of the population of Iceland turned out for Reykjavik’s Pride festival. (Of course, it helps that the prime minister is a lesbian mom.)
  • The village of Easkey, in County Sligo, Ireland, however, was hoping for a Pride turnout of 80 from its population of 250.
  • About 5,000 people rallied for full marriage equality in Dublin, Ireland.
  • Malawi has banned same-sex couples from marriage, following several other central and southern African countries.
  • The Mormon Church in the U.K. is attempting to rally other religious organizations behind efforts to exempt religious groups from LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination laws.
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