AMERICANS WITHOUT EQUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL/ HUMAN RIGHTS
SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY - Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee anounces the first ever and much needed hearing on The UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT scheduled for June 03, 2009
we are compiling a comprehensive list of Bi-National Couples to help pass UAFA. We believe that many bi-national couples have called various of the LGBT groups who do not have the resources to help everyone. Indeed these groups are to be thanked for the tireless effort to ensure immigration and marriage equality. This list is unique in that is seeks to provide a one place forum for recording the details of the hardship and inequities suffered by our LGBT community. By participating you are not only helping yourself but all the other bi-nationals who have to face life altering and very traumatic choices. PLEASE fill out the FORM BELOW - Print it, fill it in and email it , US mail ( C/o Melanie Nathan PO BOX 1108 Woodacre, CA 94973 USA) - or fax to 415-4881611. Please advise by email before faxing.
Melanie Natha of Private Courts at UCSF Panel on Immigration Barriers
UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT (UAFA)
Internationally the USA lags in the arena of LGBT rights and equality. In the USA LGBT couples, whether able to marry under USA State Law or not, even if legally married abroad, are unable to petition for their partner to remain in the USA.
A straight spouse can apply for a greencard for his/her spouse. In the USA and around the world, activists are demanding passage of UAFA. We support UAFA and our work has included extensive pro bono advocacy work on this issue. Anything less than 100% EQUALITY is plainly un-American.
The Shirley Tan deportation case came my way in March, and with mere days to her deportation and the family being torn apart, Melanie Nathan of Private Courts played a pivotal role in the planning, strategies, coordination and implmentation that resulted in the very unusual and rare introduction of a private bill into Congress (#867) by Senator Dianne Feinstein which in effect stays the deportation of Shirley Tan.
In Kazakhstan, No recognition with respect to gay marriage or civil unions is currently legal. someone who has sex with a member of the same sex does not necessarily identify as a gay or lesbian person. There is little gay culture as such, but since independence there has been increasing tolerance towards gays and lesbians in Kazakhstan particularly in Almaty and a few of the other larger cities. The centre of gay life in Kazakhstan is the former capital of Almaty where there are currently three gay clubs and a sauna. As yet there are no gay newspapers or magazines in Kazakhstan with gay people still being quite closeted due to the continuing stigma and homophobia. For this reason visitors are warned not to show open displays of affection.
INTERNATION ANECDOTES REGARDING LESBIAN AND GAY RIGHTS
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