URGENT: Indiana lawmakers alter 'religious freedom' law under public pressure, vote expected late Thursday

State Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) unveiled the proposed change on Thursday morning and said it will "unequivocally state that Indiana's (religious freedom) law does not and will not be able to discriminate against anyone, anywhere at any time,” according to USA Today.

According to a copy of the proposal, the language amends the recently authorized Religious Freedom Restoration Act, also known as RFRA, by clarifying that the legislation does not allow state businesses to refuse service or goods “on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or United States military service.”

Arkansas wants to be a place of tolerance’: Governor refuses to sign religious freedom bill

In a sudden U-turn, Arkansas Governor didn't sign Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) bill saying it does not mirror the federal bill closely enough. He previously supported the controversial legislation which caused public backlash.

“This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial, but these are not ordinary times,” the governor said, announcing he would veto the Arkansas legislation if no changes are made to the bill as it is written, despite previous statements to the contrary.

‘Enshrining discrimination’: Apple CEO hits out at US wave of religious legislation

The tech giant’s chief has struck out at laws in some states as being downright “dangerous” in their erosion of a healthy society.

“A wave of legislation, introduced in more than two dozen states, would allow people to discriminate against their neighbors. Some, such as the bill enacted in Indiana last week that drew a national outcry and one passed in Arkansas, say individuals can cite their personal religious beliefs to refuse service to a customer or resist a state nondiscrimination law.”

Inside Gay Conversion Camp: A Journey Back Into The Closet

Several states are banning gay conversion therapy for minors. Redacted Tonight visits a gay conversion camp to see how the sausage is made.

Facebook now allows users to describe their own 'custom' gender

After being told by users that its 58 existing gender options are not inclusive enough, the social network has relented and given its US-based members a chance to fill in their own gender as they wish.

“Now, if you do not identify with the pre-populated list of gender identities, you are able to add your own. As before, you can add up to 10 gender terms and also have the ability to control the audience with whom you would like to share your custom gender. We recognize that some people face challenges sharing their true gender identity with others, and this setting gives people the ability to express themselves in an authentic way,” Facebook’s Diversity team said in a statement.

Jailed whistleblower Chelsea Manning to receive taxpayer-funded hormone therapy

Chelsea Manning, the US Army intelligence analyst who was given a 35-year jail sentence for leaking national security secrets to Wikileaks, has been approved for US taxpayer-paid hormone therapy in the physical transition to become a woman.

The decision to grant Chelsea Manning, 27, who was born Bradley Manning, hormone therapy was revealed in a memo from officials at Fort Leavenworth prison, where Manning is serving his sentence.

A day after sentencing in August 2013, Manning declared she had felt female since childhood.

​Supreme Court to rule on gay marriage bans

The US Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether states can ban gay marriage under the Constitution. The landmark civil rights and cultural decision is scheduled to arrive by the end of June.

In a court order on Friday, justices announced they would hear cases from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, all four of which have banned gay marriage within their states. In total, 14 states still have gay marriage bans on the books.

Mourners protest Colorado pastor who refused to perform funeral for gay woman

The pastor at a Colorado church stopped a funeral mid-service and would not resume unless photos of the deceased woman with her family were removed. The church leader refused to perform the ceremony as long as a display showed the woman was gay.

Pastor Ray Chavez abruptly halted Sunday’s funeral for 33-year-old Vanessa Collier after hundreds of her friends and family had gathered in the sanctuary at New Hope Ministries in Lakewood, Colorado. He informed the mourning family that the service for Collier would not be able to go on due to the“inappropriate” photo montage that Collier’s family had placed at her casket, relatives told ABC News.

Transgender teen asks for her suicide to ‘mean something’ and ‘fix society’

A transgender 17-year-old who also identified as gay killed herself Sunday, leaving behind a suicide note that begged for her death to mean something, and serving as a call-to-action for support and acceptance of trans kids.

Leelah Alcorn ‒ born Joshua ‒ was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 71 just before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday in a Cincinnati, Ohio suburb, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. She had walked four miles from her home in King Mills. Ohio Highway Patrol officials said they believed the teenager may have committed suicide.