Dozens Testify in Support of Monument to Gay Rights Near Stonewall Inn; New York Times, 5/9/16

Noah Remnick, New York Times; Dozens Testify in Support of Monument to Gay Rights Near Stonewall Inn:

"The meeting on Monday, attended by a host of local politicians and led by Representative Jerrold Nadler of Manhattan; Sally Jewell, the United States secretary of the interior; and Jonathan B. Jarvis, the National Park Service director, was the latest step in a growing effort to recognize the area as a national monument. Mr. Nadler and Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, both Democrats of New York, introduced legislation to have Congress designate the area as a unit of the national park system, and President Obama is considering executive action. Although the White House would not confirm its support, several officials last night expressed confidence that the president would follow through, and some even thanked him prematurely for his support.

“We are long overdue for recognition of the struggle for L.G.B.T. civil rights in our national park system, and there is no better way to begin telling those stories than at Stonewall,” Mr. Nadler said, to applause from the audience.

Ms. Jewell said, “The National Park Service is America’s storytelling, and we know there are stories yet to be told.”...

Two-thirds of America’s national park sites are dedicated to issues of cultural and historic significance, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. Still, there are no sites within the National Park Service dedicated solely to the gay rights movement."

Pitt Constitution Day event explores gay rights movement; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/17/15

Kim Lyons, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Pitt Constitution Day event explores gay rights movement:

"With the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling in June, same-sex marriage advocates celebrated a victory that was a long time coming. But there are still smaller obstacles to be met in the quest for marriage equality, said Anthony Infanti, a professor at University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law.

“It’s the lesser-known things, issues of discrimination, that will take longer,” Mr. Infanti said.

There already has been pushback, most recently from a clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on religious grounds, he said.

“There will always be the Kim Davises and other resistance and other kinds of backlash. But there are also a lot of heteronormative issues to think about, especially looking through a legal lens.” One example he gave from his own experience: Having to cross out “mother” and “father” and write in “parent and parent” on his daughter’s school forms.

To commemorate Constitution Day, which marks the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, the Pitt law school is presenting a discussion on same-sex marriage issues tonight, featuring Mr. Infanti and Evan Wolfson, founder and president of the Freedom to Marry campaign. The talk will look at the history of the marriage equality movement and the challenges that lie ahead for the LGBT community...

Tonight’s event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412- 648-1418."