What We're Reading: Making the AIDS crisis worse

The Washington Post published an article Thursday on the public health consequences of recently enacted anti-homosexuality laws in Nigeria, Uganda, and elsewhere – specifically citing their negative impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS.

It is the job of public health officials to account for the reality of human behavior in pursuit of the public good. Anti-gay laws complicate that task in practical ways. MSM who are afraid of prosecution and violence are less likely to attend meetings where they are given education, condoms and lubricants. Less likely to be honest with their physicians about their sexual histories. Less likely to be tested for AIDS and receive treatment and care. And more likely to inadvertently infect others.

When Western governments lecture African countries about their retrograde views, it can feed a populist, anti-colonial backlash. When donors threaten to cut off aid, it can cause lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists to cringe — fearing they will be scapegoated for the punishment of their whole country.

What might be more effective is a forceful health-related message. This is an area in which civil rights — starting out with a simple zone of personal privacy — is a requirement of public health. Nations such as Nigeria and Uganda are committed to ambitious objectives in fighting AIDS. Those goals are unachievable while any group is targeted for discrimination and excluded from effective outreach. 

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, spoke out against the enactment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill in February calling the law “a setback for human rights around the world” and appeared on MSNBC earlier this month to discuss steps the U.S. can take to combat the law and stand up for Uganda’s LGBT community.

Click here to read the full article on the Washington Post’s website.

Video: Senator Coons talks foreign policy in Ukraine, Uganda on MSNBC

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee, joined MSNBC's Steve Kornacki Sunday morning to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine and actions the U.S. can take to combat Uganda's unacceptable anti-LGBT law, including scaling back assistance related to police training, opening up avenues for asylum for those fleeing oppression, and considering sanctions and/or visa denials for those who incite violence against the LGBT community. “We need to make sure that our rhetoric is matched by our actions,” Chris said. Watch the full interview below.

Senator Coons writes IOC about Russia's anti-LGBT laws

Above: Senator Coons wears a Russian-language "Love Conquers Hate" t-shirt in support of the Human Rights Campaign's fight against Russia's anti-LGBT laws.

Senator Coons and ten of his colleagues have written to the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing their concern about the IOC’s recent declaration that it is “fully satisfied” that a Russian law banning “homosexual propaganda” does not violate the Olympic Charter.

The senators noted that the Olympic Charter requires the IOC to take action against any form of discrimination. According to the Olympic Charter, "any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."

"In that regard, we write to express our deep concern about the IOC’s recent declaration that ‘as long as the Olympic Charter is upheld, we are fully satisfied,’ ” the senators wrote. “We disagree with this position, and strongly urge you to reconsider given that the Russian law banning ‘homosexual propaganda’ is clearly inconsistent with the Olympic Charter."

Read the full letter below:

Senator Coons participates in discussion on civil rights

Senator Coons, a dedicated advocate for civil rights, participated in a roundtable discussion Wednesday to discuss priorities and the path forward on a number of civil rights issues. The meeting was hosted by the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee and featured more than 20 leaders in the labor, LGBT, and civil rights communities, including NAACP President and Chief Executive Officer Ben Jealous and Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin.

The roundtable highlighted the calamitous effects of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Shelby County v. Holder to strike down the crucial Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act. The discussion also focused on employment discrimination, comprehensive immigration reform, Republican obstruction of confirmation for executive and judicial nominees, and marriage equality.

“We have a number of joyful days now happening across this country – wedding days – where couples are able to join in legal union without the barrier of DOMA to prevent them from enjoying the full blessings of marriage,” Senator Coons said. “But we have had a very tough Supreme Court term. The doors of justice are steadily closing for those who would go to courts and seek relief whether it’s through class action or defense against wage abuse or harassment in the workplace. We face election days this year and next year without a functioning Voting Rights Act. If we don’t come together and act, we will see states change laws in ways that will deny access to the ballot for people all across this country.”

The discussion followed the Supreme Court’s recent landmark decisions dismantling the Voting Rights Act, but extending federal benefits to married same-sex couples. It also overlapped with an ongoing clash over the confirmation of executive and judicial nominees — including those to the important D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals — the markup of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and the House’s consideration of comprehensive immigration reform.

Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said that the Supreme Court’s voting rights decision “is not a minority problem” but rather is “a problem for democratic participation in our country.”

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Shuler warned participants, “We could be looking at a Labor Day with a non-functioning NLRB and unenforceable labor law” due to Republican obstruction of confirmation for NLRB nominees and Secretary of Labor nominee Thomas Perez.

Senator Coons: It just got a whole lot better

Two years ago, almost to the day, Senator Coons led a dozen of his colleagues in an It Gets Better video to tell LGBTQ youth that they were working to make it better.

After the Supreme Court's decision overturning the Defense of Marriage Act today, Chris released a new video to celebrate the decision:

Senator Coons praises Delaware marriage equality bill

Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and an original cosponsor of the federal legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, on Thursday congratulated lawmakers in Dover on the introduction of HB 75, the Civil Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom Act of 2013. The bill extends the freedom to marry to same-sex couples and ensures that same-sex married couples have the same protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples.

“Every Delawarean deserves access to the full rights and responsibilities of marriage, no matter their sexual orientation,” Chris said. “This is a truly exciting day for our state. While the nation holds its breath as the Supreme Court considers overturning the federal ban on same-sex marriage, I’m proud that Delaware is moving forward. The freedom to marry the one you love is an idea whose time has come. It’s time for marriage equality in Delaware. Speaker Schwartzkopf, Rep. Smith, and Senator Blevins should be congratulated on their commitment to ensuring this bill will be considered by the General Assembly, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure it becomes law.”

Yesterday, Chris and the president of Equality Delaware, Lisa Goodman, briefed Democratic senators in the Capitol on Wednesday on Delaware’s campaign to offer full marriage equality to its citizens. The briefing was part of a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with national leaders from the LGBT community.

“We’ve reached this point in no small part because of the work of Equality Delaware and its supporters around the state,” Chris said. “They have my full support and will have my continued partnership as the bill makes its way through the Assembly.”

Chris is a strong supporter of civil rights and LGBT equality. He is a cosponsor of the legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Uniting American Families Act, Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act, Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act.

Last week, he published an op-ed on HuffingtonPost.com making the case for Delaware’s marriage equality campaign. Read it here: http://huff.to/12ok3Mn

Video: Senator Coons touts Equality Delaware at HRC Gala

Senator Coons wasn't able to make it to the Human Rights Campaign's Philadelphia Gala on Saturday night, so he recorded a video urging attendees' support for Equality Delaware. “Equality Delaware already has my full support," he said, "but it needs yours, too. We have a real chance to pass marriage equality in Delaware this year, and show the next generation of LGBTQ youth that they are not broken; that they are not wrong; that they ARE equal.”

Senator Coons calls for equality for LGBT couples facing deportation

One day after President Obama announced in a historic interview that he supports same-sex marriage, Senator Chris Coons joined 16 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Administration to protect married LGBT couples facing deportation.

Chris and his colleagues called on the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to provide relief to same-sex couples in which one spouse is not a U.S. citizen. Chris believes that while the Defense of Marriage Act is being challenged in court, the denial of green card applications in these cases is unfairly forcing couples to choose between breaking the law or being separated from their families. He strongly opposes the Defense of Marriage Act and believes Congress should repeal this discriminatory law.

Led by Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the letter reads in part “We write to you to reiterate our request that the Administration provide relief for lesbian and gay families in which one spouse is not a U.S. citizen during this time of legal uncertainty…With marriage equality rights being extended to more and more citizens of this country, and with the Department of Justice’s repudiation of DOMA, we are concerned with the toll the continued denial of I-130 applications for same-sex immigrant spouses is exacting on families in this country.”

Along with Senator Coons and Senator Kerry, the letter was signed by Senators Patrick Leahy, Ron Wyden, Bernard Sanders, Jeff Merkley, Daniel Akaka, Al Franken, Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Mikulski, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Senator Coons on President Obama’s support for marriage equality

This afternoon, President Obama made a historic statement. In an interview with ABC News, he said “I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

Senator Coons believes this is an important moment on the journey to equality. Chris is a member of the Senate Judiciary, a cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act and a strong advocate for civil rights. Today, he noted that this is “the first time a sitting president has endorsed the idea that every American, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be able to marry the person they love. Period.”

Chris recognized that for some Americans, the question of marriage equality is difficult to answer, saying “I respect that everyone comes to a position in their own way and in their own time.”

He complimented the President on his leadership on LGBT equality, which did not begin today. Previously President Obama ordered the federal government to extend key benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, banned discrimination based on gender identity in federal workplaces, signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, clarified the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure family leave for LGBT employees, endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act and declared the government would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act and repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell so gay and lesbian members of the military can serve their country openly and proudly.

As Chris said this afternoon, “President Obama is doing the right thing. By coming out for marriage equality today, he is sending a clear message: LGBT rights are human rights, and the right to marry the person you love is intrinsic to what it means to be an American. President Obama may be taking a huge political risk, but some risks are worth taking. That’s what leaders do.”

Senator Coons says marriage equality should be part of Democratic platform

Senator Coons last week voiced his support for the growing effort to make marriage equality a part of the official Democratic Party platform at this summer's convention, telling the Washington Blade:

Of course marriage equality should be a part of the Democratic Party platform. It should be a part of the Republican Party platform, too. Whom you love should have no bearing on your access to the equal rights due every American citizen. It is time the law recognizes what the majority of Americans already recognize is a human right: marrying the person you love. Democrats have led the way in significant marriage equality victories in the states these last few years, so for the Democratic Party to not include marriage equality in our platform now would be to miss an important opportunity to reinforce and strengthen our continued national leadership on the issue.

Senator Coons is a cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act and an outspoken supporter of marriage equality.