POLICIES

US Supreme Court the next battleground for LGBT rights.

A new genre of employment discrimination cases that could be the next battleground for supporters of LGBT rights are hurtling towards the Supreme Court. More than two years after the Supreme Court cleared the way for same-sex marriage nationwide, plaintiffs want the justices to enable employees to use existing civil rights law to sue for discrimination based on sexual orientation.

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Egypt arrests 7 for raising Pride flag at concert.

Seven people have been arrested in Egypt after authorities accused them of being gay and promoting their homosexuality by flying a rainbow Pride flag at a gig. Over the weekend, on September 24, a group of people were watching the Lebanese indie rock band Mashrou’ Leila in Cairo.

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LGBT crackdown on the rise in Azerbaijan.

Civil rights activists are reported on a brutal anti-LGBT crackdown in Azerbaijan that has seen dozens of people beaten, humiliated and arrested by authorities. Police in Baku claim it’s part of an anti-prostitution campaign, but Civil Rights Defenders reports that over the past several days, at least 100 gay men and trans women have been indiscriminately arrested on the street, in bars, and even their homes.

BUSINESS

Finding LGBT friendly places to work for Penn graduates.

The job search is a major concern for students at Penn, but for those who are LGBTQ, looking for the right workplace can be even more complicated. Director of Career Services Patricia Rose said the department tries to ensure that students who identify as LGBTQ are connected to people and organizations that provide adequate help.

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New travel restrictions hurt persecuted LGBT people.

On Sunday, September 24th, President Trump unveiled the third version of his travel ban. This new version places country-specific restrictions on visitors from eight countries, which the Trump administration has decided “do too little to protect against terrorists and criminals coming into the United States.”

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Poll numbers are weakening for same-sex marriage support in Australia.

Support for legalizing gay marriage in Australia has weakened just as a national postal ballot asks voters where they stand on the contentious issue, according to a new opinion poll. The government said Monday it has sent ballots to all of Australia’s more than 16 million voters asking whether the nation should lift its prohibition on same-sex marriage.