GOProud Has No Position On Gay Marriage?

Jimmy LaSalvia, the executive director of gay GOP group GOProud, says his group has no position on gay marriage aside from opposing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that bans federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples and allows states to ignore such marriages, and a federal amendment that would define marriage as a heterosexual union.

Social conservatives mounted a boycott of this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) because of the gay Republican's co-sponsorship of the event.

Several Republican lawmakers, including South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint and Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, and a smattering of socially conservative groups – the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), FRC Action and Concerned Women for America (CWA) – joined the boycott.

Al Cardenas, the newly-elected chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), which annually organizes the event, has said groups that advocate for gay rights, particularly gay marriage, would not be welcome at next year's event.

In an interview with CNN, LaSalvia insisted his group has no position on gay marriage.

“I know that it may seem funny that a gay group doesn’t have a position on this issue, but that’s the case,” LaSalvia said. “GOProud only works on federal issues. We believe that marriage and family laws should be the province of the states – as has been the case since the founding of our nation. We believe that states should be free to make decisions regarding marriage and family laws without the intervention of the federal government. The decisions of each individual state should be respected by the federal government. This is the essence of federalism. Accordingly, we support the repeal of DOMA, and oppose any effort to pass a Federal Marriage Amendment to the US Constitution.”

When Gay Marriage Came to Massachusetts

Nearly 10 years ago when gay rights activists in Massachusetts initiated a legal challenge to the Commonwealth's unequal marriage laws, I feared they were moving too fast, too soon, risking a backlash for too small a prize. Even if gay couples won the right to marry under our state law, I argued, they would only win a right to second-class marriages since DOMA would deny them all the rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples under federal law. But equality won in Massachusetts, first in court and then in the legislature, which defeated a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage. Now that the end of DOMA seems near, or, at least, in view, I want to thank Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and lead attorney Mary Bonauto for proving me wrong and giving me the chance to witness the birth of a fundamental civil right.

In May 2004, the first day gay couples in Massachusetts were allowed to marry, I stood outside Boston City Hall watching a joyful crowd greet joyful couples as they emerged with their marriage licenses (or applications) held high. I'm not sure I've ever seen quite so many people smiling quite so broadly, exercising a basic right long denied, for the very first time. No other marriage, including my own (which I took for granted), had ever seemed so momentous, although as my friend Harvey Silverglate suggested, the extension of marriage rights to gay people was momentous partly because marriage itself is mundane. Here's Harvey's account of the first marriages performed in Cambridge City Hall; I wish opponents of gay marriage could take it to heart:

I had expected to find cheering and jubilation, as well as a few opponents. (There were far fewer than I'd expected). But what I found most moving, oddly, was not the crowds cheering, but, rather, the regularity of it, the rule-of-law, and its equal application to all citizens, in action.

The mayor of Cambridge, a devout Roman Catholic, presided over the 
ceremonies in City Hall, giving unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and 
risking the wrath of his own Bishop; Mayor Michael Sullivan did his civic
 duty, and he did it with good grace and a smile. The City Clerk was there, Margaret Drury, doing her duty as well, well past midnight. And there was a huge presence of police (including a well-armed Tactical Patrol Force or some such outfit), who obviously expected more protesters than showed up.


The police were a bit grim-faced at first, but they lightened up as it
 became obvious that this was just a huge civic celebration; people were 
getting married, after all, they were not tossing bombs or robbing banks. The ceremony obviously went against the cultural grain of many police officers, but they were there to protect and to enforce the rule of law. I saw many police smiles by 12:30 a.m.

It was a very moving bit of political theater. At one level I felt I was a witness to history; but on another level it was just the equal application 
of the law, the rule of law, and the sight of civil servants doing their 
duty and serving ALL of our citizens in a very ordinary way for an
 admittedly extraordinary event. However one views the scene, it was very 
moving.
 The dual nature of the event was captured by two comments I overheard uttered among the crowd: Comment One: "It's like seeing the Berlin Wall come down." Comment Two: "Well, I guess the flower merchants, the caterers, and the divorce lawyers will be very happy." Both, of course, are true.

Opposition to gay marriage declined in Massachusetts after it was legalized, without inflicting any of the damage predicted by its opponents: Heterosexual couples didn't stop getting married or start getting divorced. Bestiality and polygamy weren't legalized. Family values thrived, as the value of families was confirmed. It's true that civilization has declined since 2004, but I tend to blame that on Wall Street and reality TV.

From The Atlantic

House Dems To Push Legislative End To DOMA

In light of the Obama administration's decision to drop its legal support for the Defense of Marriage Act on the grounds that the president considers it unconstitutional, Democrats will be launching a renewed effort to formally overturn the federal gay-marriage ban through congressional action.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told The Huffington Post that he will be introducing the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal DOMA, "very soon" and with "quite a few cosponsors."

The idea is to take advantage of the headwind created by the Department of Justice's Wednesday announcement and push for a permanent solution over the legality of laws that prohibit gay marriage. Until Congress acts, or the Supreme Court issues a ruling, DOMA -- which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriages performed in states -- continues to be enforced.

"The president's move is another step in the increasing realization that there is no conceivable justification for DOMA, that it is motivated, was motivated, purely by irrational considerations and fear and that there is no rational basis that will stand up to a constitutional challenge," said Nadler. "Hopefully, that will make it somewhat easier to pass legislation in Congress."

But the climb remains steep. House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) criticized the administration's decision not to defend DOMA in a statement shortly after the announcement was made, calling it "irresponsible." And as chair of the committee, Smith has wide latitude over what bills get a hearing.

And yet the reaction to the DOMA news within the Republican Party has been fairly muted. House Speaker John Boehner's office put out a statement that skirted the substance of the issue, instead hammering the president for trying "to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation." And while Smith himself offered strong support for the philosophical foundation of the law, his office said it did not have ultimate say as to whether they'd step in to defend the law in court -- that would fall on Boehner.

UPDATE: Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) office emailed The Huffington Post to note that she plans to offer similar legislation in the Senate to effectively end DOMA.


"As a Member of the Judiciary Committee, it is my intention to introduce legislation that will once and for all repeal the Defense of Marriage Act," Feinstein said in a prepared statement. "My own belief is that when two people love each other and enter the contract of marriage, the Federal government should honor that. I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It was the wrong law then; it is the wrong law now; and it should be repealed."

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie Signs Same-Sex Civil Unions Into Law

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed same-sex civil unions into law Wednesday, calling it "a triumph for everyone" that gay and lesbian couples will have the same state rights as married partners.

Civil unions in the Rainbow State would start Jan. 1, 2012, making Hawaii the seventh state to permit civil unions or similar legal recognitions for gay couples. Five other states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage.

"This bill represents equal rights for everyone in Hawaii, everyone who comes here. This is to me the essence of the aloha spirit," Abercrombie said at a signing ceremony. "With its signing, I want to say 'welcome' to the world, come to paradise."

A crowd of exuberant supporters yelled, cheered and applauded as the Democrat inscribed his signature on the legislation, making it the first law he's enacted since he was elected in November. The bill passed the state Legislature last week.

"We're contributing to society, and we deserve the same rights as everyone else. It's been a long, long time coming," said Van Law of Honolulu, who wore a rainbow lei and watched the bill's signing.

The new law follows nearly 20 years of court fights, protest rallies and passionate public debate in a state that has long been a gay rights battleground.

Just seven months ago, former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a similar bill because she said it was same-sex marriage by another name.

But civil unions have been heading toward passage since Abercrombie defeated two gubernatorial candidates who opposed them, and only one state legislator who supported them lost re-election.

Hawaii, already known as one of the nation's premier locations for destination weddings and honeymoons, could see an influx of gay and lesbian visitors hoping to have their partnerships solemnized on sandy, windswept beaches, according to tourism businesses.

Gay marriage policy change: Questions and answers

The Obama administration announced it no longer will defend the constitutionality of a federal law that bans recognition of gay marriage. Here, in question-and-answer form, is a look at the Defense of Marriage Act and the impact of the administration's policy reversal on this 15-year-old law.

Q. What is the Defense of Marriage Act?

A. Passed by a Republican-led Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, in 1996, DOMA defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, prevents the federal government from recognizing gay marriages and allows states to deny recognition of same-sex unions performed elsewhere.

Q. What changed in the Obama administration's interpretation of the law?

A. Barack Obama promised to work for repeal of DOMA in his campaign for president, but his administration continued to defend and enforce it for the past two years. Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that while the Justice Department would continue to enforce the law, it no longer would defend its constitutionality. Specifically, Holder said, the section of the law defining marriage as between a man and a woman is unconstitutional, in the administration's view. Importantly for judicial review, Holder says courts also should apply a heightened level of scrutiny that makes it more difficult for laws to be upheld.

Q. What are the practical effects of the act's definition of marriage?

A. DOMA has been used by federal officials to justify excluding gay couples from a wide range of benefits that are available to heterosexual couples. These include federal health, Social Security, pension and tax benefits, even to gay couples who were legally married in the handful of states that recognize same-sex unions. The Government Accountability Office has estimated that there are more than 1,000 provisions of federal law "in which benefits, rights, and privileges are contingent on marital status or in which marital status is a factor." Widows have been forced to pay estate taxes, where a survivor in a heterosexual marriage would have no tax bill from an inheritance. Federal employees may not enroll their same-sex spouse in federal health plans or take family and medical leave to care for their partner. Same-sex couples cannot file joint income tax returns or benefit from state retiree health insurance plans that are controlled by federal tax law. DOMA even has been used to prevent a gay couple from filing a joint petition for bankruptcy.

Q. But isn't gay marriage legal in some parts of the United States?

A. Yes, same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia. Thirty states have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. Still other states recognize civil unions, but not gay marriage, between partners of the same sex. In addition, California's constitutional amendment banning same sex-marriage, Proposition 8, has been ruled unconstitutional by a federal court. The case is on appeal.

Q. So what changed with the administration's new view of the matter?

A. DOMA remains in effect. But in federal courts, the significant legal firepower of the federal government has changed sides, which could influence judges' consideration of anti-DOMA lawsuits.

Q. How have the legal challenges to DOMA fared?

A. The legal case against DOMA was difficult to make before states began recognizing gay marriage. But last year, U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro in Massachusetts ruled DOMA unconstitutional in the face of challenges by same-sex couples as well as the state of Massachusetts. Two new federal lawsuits in Connecticut and New York raise many of the same issues.

Q. What has the Supreme Court said about DOMA?

A. Nothing, so far. The court has turned down appeals asking it to weigh in on the law. But those appeals were filed after lower courts upheld DOMA. The court often hears appeals when a federal law has been struck down. There is no timetable for when the next DOMA case might reach the Supreme Court.

Q. Are the DOMA and Prop 8 cases in California alike?

A. Yes and no. They both deal with the same basic issue: Does the government have a legitimate interest in preventing gay couples from getting married and enjoying the same benefits as other married couples? But the details differ and eventual Supreme Court review of one or the other would not necessarily produce identical results. The Prop 8 case probably would ask the court to decide whether gay marriage should be a right nationwide. In DOMA, the court could strike down a portion of the law without forcing states to recognize same-sex marriages. Of course, until appeals come forward and the court agrees to hear them, this is all speculation.

Fox News Switches Gallup Collective Bargaining Rights Poll Numbers

Fox News has decided that the Gallup Poll we reported on yesterday, which shows that 61% of Americans oppose reducing collective bargaining rights of government workers, didn’t suit their needs, so they switched the numbers. Fox News, as you can see from the image above, reported that 61% of Americans favor reducing collective bargaining rights of government workers, which is obviously false.

Feinstein To Introduce DOMA Repeal Bill In Senate

Senator Dianne Feinstein said, “My own belief is that when two people love each other and enter the contract of marriage, the Federal government should honor that,” and then announced her intention to introduce a bill to repeal DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act that bans federal recognition of same-sex marriages, into the Senate. This comes just hours after Attorney General Eric Holder announced President Obama believes DOMA to be unconstitutional and they have agreed to not defend the fifteen-year old law in court.

In a statement, Senator Feinstein announced, “As a Member of the Judiciary Committee, it is my intention to introduce legislation that will once and for all repeal the Defense of Marriage Act,” adding, “I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It was the wrong law then; it is the wrong law now; and it should be repealed.”

Justice Department still defending now-repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

On the same day that the Obama administration announced that the Justice Department would stop defending portions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, we learn that the DOJ is still defending “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in court, even though it’s been repealed.

When Congress repealed the military ban on openly gay service members back in December, we all new that it was going to be a short wait before the repeal actually went into effect — in this case, repeal is expected to be implemented by the end of Summer 2011.

However, while the military goes through its training period over the next few months, the Department of Justice is planning on continuing its defense of the now-repealed law in the court case brought by the Log Cabin Republicans.

The New York Times reports:

Tracy Schmaler, a spokeswoman for the Department of Justice, noted the traditional role of the executive branch in defending statutes passed by Congress, and added, “In light of the Congressional vote to repeal the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ policy, we are working with the Department of Defense to take the appropriate steps in pending cases to conform with the recently passed law and the process established for repealing this policy.”

Dan Woods, the lawyer for the Log Cabin Republicans, said, “The sad thing is that they are fighting for a policy that the president admits is bad for the military.” Now that Congress has acted, the administration’s straddle is more uncomfortable still.

Meanwhile, the discharge panels, responsible for discharging soldiers who are discovered to be gay or lesbian, have yet to be stopped.

Maryland Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill

The Maryland state senate Thursday voted 25-21 to approve the Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill that permits gay and lesbian couples to get married.

The bill now moves on to the House of Delegates. The House is expected to begin debates on legislation on Friday.

After being passed in the House, Maryland’s governor, Gov. Martin O’Malley, will have to sign the bill into law. O’Malley has promised that he will sign the legislation, reports The Advocate.

If codified, the bill would make Maryland the sixth state, along with the District of Columbia, to allow committed and loving same-sex couples to get married.

GLAAD was on the ground to help couples share their stories with the media and will continue to monitor developments in the state’s legislature. GLAAD calls on the media to continue to tell the stories of committed gay and lesbian couples, and the importance of marriage equality.

Maryland Senate Poised to Pass Marriage

The Maryland state senate appeared on the verge of granting final approval to the marriage equality bill upon a third reading on Thursday.

Senators convened in the morning and debated the bill for over one hour before recessing shortly after 11 a.m. Senate president Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said senators would return after 5:30 p.m. to resume discussion.

During the morning session, senators for and against the marriage equality bill presented their arguments. Speakers in support included Rich Madaleno, the first openly gay Maryland state senator, who spoke poignantly of what the proposal means for the two children he shares with his partner, Mark.

Madaleno told a story about parenthood in which his young daughter asked, “Daddy, will you hold my wishes for me?”

Sen. Bryan Simonaire, an opponent of the bill who tried but failed to advance an amendment Wednesday to exempt public school teachers from teaching marriage equality, continued with his dire warnings of “unintended consequences” if the measure is passed.

Simonaire decried that February 24, 2011, would be remembered as “the day traditional marriage died in Maryland.”

Also speaking in the morning session was Allan Kittleman, the lone Republican senator to break with his conference and support the bill. Kittleman invoked novelist Victor Hugo in calling the marriage equality bill “an idea whose time has come.”

Sen. Robert Zirkin took care to correct an assertion from Sen. E.J. Pipkin that every state with marriage equality had previously approved the “in-between” step of civil unions. Pipkin called the bill “extreme” because it would deny Marylanders the chance to “test-drive” civil unions, although he failed to mention that civil unions have proven inadequate for same-sex couples in states such as New Jersey.

Zirkin said that supporting marriage equality would be his “easiest vote in 13 years.”

Senators concluded the morning with a discussion of the fiscal impact of approving marriage equality, which they planned to continue after the recess ends at 5:30 p.m.

Fighting Prop 8: Lawyers Ask Court To Lift Stay On Gay Marriage Ban

In the wake of the Obama administration's decision Wednesday to cease its legal defense of a federal ban on gay marriage, gay-rights advocates are looking to lift the notorious state-level ban in California that remains in place during a protracted appeals process even after being declared unconstitutional.

The American Foundation for Equal Rights, a group founded to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot initiative that prohibited gay marriage, filed a motion Wednesday asking the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to end its stay of the ban. A Ninth Circuit judge struck down Proposition 8 in August, but left it in effect pending appeal efforts. The Supreme Court of California agreed last week to consider the issue, but will not hear oral arguments until next fall.

The foundation argued the stay should be lifted given the long timetable for a final decision on the law, claiming the ban will deal damage to gay families in the meantime.

"You can't just say 'Wait six months and then you'll get your constitutional rights,'" Theodore Olson, co-lead counsel for the rights organization, said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "Continuing to separate them out as a different class is harmful every day."

Word of the filing came just hours after President Barack Obama announced that he considers the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, to be unconstitutional. The Justice Department will no longer defend the law in court.

The fight over Prop. 8 features some interesting parallels with Obama's move on DOMA. In August, key California officials, including former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and current Gov. Jerry Brown, then the attorney general, decided not to defend the ban against further legal battles.

In their place, proponents of Prop. 8 have tried to appeal the ruling, but it remains unclear whether they have the legal authority to do so. The federal appeals court asked the state supreme court to first rule on whether the groups can appeal, possibly long delaying a final ruling.

DOMA Unconstitutional, DOJ Should Stop Defending In Court

In a major policy reversal, the Obama administration said Wednesday it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage.

Attorney General Eric Holder said President Barack Obama has concluded that the administration cannot defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. He noted that the congressional debate during passage of the Defense of Marriage Act "contains numerous expressions reflecting moral disapproval of gays and lesbians and their intimate and family relationships - precisely the kind of stereotype-based thinking and animus the (Constitution's)Equal Protection Clause is designed to guard against."

The Justice Department had defended the act in court until now.

"Much of the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years since Congress passed" the Defense of Marriage Act, Holder said in a statement. He noted that the Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional and that Congress has repealed the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney said Obama himself is still "grappling" with his personal view of gay marriage but has always personally opposed the Defense of Marriage Act as "unnecessary and unfair."

Holder wrote to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, that Obama has concluded the Defense of Marriage Act fails to meet a rigorous standard under which courts view with suspicion any laws targeting minority groups who have suffered a history of discrimination.

The attorney general said the Justice Department had defended the law in court until now because the government was able to advance reasonable arguments for the law based on a less strict standard.

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At a December news conference, in response to a reporters' question, Obama revealed that his position on gay marriage is "constantly evolving." He has opposed such marriages and supported instead civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. The president said such civil unions are his baseline - at this point, as he put it.

"This is something that we're going to continue to debate, and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward," he said.

On Wednesday, Holder said the president has concluded that, given a documented history of discrimination against gays, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny than the department had been applying in legal challenges to the act up to now.

The attorney general said the department will immediately bring the policy change to the attention of two federal courts now hearing separate lawsuits targeting the Defense of Marriage Act.

One case, in Connecticut, challenges the federal government's denial of marriage-related protections for federal Family Medical Leave Act benefits, federal laws for private pension plans and federal laws concerning state pension plans. In the other case in New york City, the federal government refused to recognize the marriage of two women and taxed the inheritance that one of the women left to the other as though the two were strangers. Under federal tax law, a spouse who dies can leave her assets, including the family home, to the other spouse without incurring estate taxes.

Gay Teens Interview Gay Elders Who Came Out in The 1950s

“In the video, three teen journalists interview gay elders about their experiences in coming out during the McCarthy era, when there was no visible gay community. Stories include Hadley Hall, an ROTC member who was outed and summarily discharged; Ron Rebholz, an academic who gave up a promising relationship to pursue an education because of the fear he experienced if the relationship continued; and Phyllis Lyon, on her experiences founding of the first lesbian organization in America, the Daughters of Bilitus.”

“The Pye/Harris Project was founded by 94-year old Edgar Pye, whose sixty-year life partner Robert Harris died in 2006. In Mr. Harris’ honor, Pye created the project to show young gay people that a simple life of commitment and dignity can be used as a powerful political statement in and of itself.”

Bill To Ban All Local LGBT Rights Passes Committee Vote

The Tea Party-backed bill to ban local LGBT rights ordinances in Montana Tuesday passed a committee vote and will move forward to the full state House.

Wisconsin Protesters Chant "Tell The Truth" During Segment Aired Live On Fox

A Fox News reporter was heckled by a crowd of Wisconsin protesters who chanted, "tell the truth!" during his entire report on Monday.

My life is no place for hate

I Mean Every Bigoted Word I Say

Mass. Gov. Orders Protection for Trans Workers

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick signed an executive order Thursday banning work-based discrimination against transgender state government employees and contractors.

The order adds gender expression and identity to an existing law that bans discrimination for employees based on race, gender, and religion, according to The Boston Globe. The measure is similar to one that would extend those protections to all Massachusetts residents in the realms of housing, public accommodations, and private-sector jobs.

Zach Wahls Talks About His Inspiring Speech on Ellen

Philadelphia Archbishop Justin Rigali Will Investigate Child Abuse Cover Ups For Which He's Accused

Philadelphia Archbishop Cardinal Justin Rigali has suspended three priests, with a total of 37 members of the clergy being investigated after a civil lawsuit alleges the archdiocese endangered the lives of children by protecting child molesters. The irony? Cardinal Rigali, along with his predecessor Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, are named as defendants.

Among the seven people and three institutions named in the lawsuit filed in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia were the current Archbishop Cardinal Justin Rigali, his predecessor Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, Monsignor William Lynn, the Rev. Richard Cochrane and Martin Satchell, who has left the priesthood. "John Doe 10," an anonymous 28-year-old man who allegedly suffered two periods of abuse by clergymen, filed the lawsuit and is seeking more than $50,000, which would trigger a jury trial. The victim alleges that as a young Catholic school student he was abused during second or third grade and again during his high school freshman year, when he sought counseling about the earlier abuse. The lawsuit names Satchell and Cochrane as his abusers.

The lawsuit accuses the Archdiocese, the sixth largest in the United States with 1.5 million Catholics, of implementing "programs and procedures that were misrepresented to the public as providing help to victims of childhood sexual abuse by clergy, but were instead maliciously used to develop information to protect the Archdiocese."

Wyoming Senate Passes Anti-Gay Marriage Bill 16-14

Wyoming's Senate voted 16-14 to approve a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere:

House Bill 74 passed 16-14 after tagging on a last-second amendment guaranteeing out-of-state couples in civil unions access to Wyoming courts.

Because of the amendment, the bill will now head back to the House to approve the changes. The House passed the legislation late last month 32-27.

Supporters of the bill, House Bill 74, said the legislation is needed to resolve a conflict in Wyoming law, which defines marriage as a contract "between a male and a female person" but also recognizes any valid marriage performed outside the state.

Maggie Gallagher Explains To New Hampshire Why Marriage Discrimination Is 'Not Discrimination'

Amos: Repeal Won't Cause Loss of Marines

Marine commandant Gen. James Amos, who vocally opposed repealing "don't ask, don't tell," now says he does not anticipate losing any troops due to the new policy allowing gay and lesbian personnel to serve openly.

When asked Friday about the mass exodus that Sen. John McCain warned his colleagues would happen if "don't ask, don't tell" was repealed, Amos told reporters, "I haven't had any indication yet at all, not at all." He added that when he addressed some 12,000 Marines about the repeal, they were compliant and willing to adapt to the new law, according to AOL News.

"It would be naive to think that somewhere down the road there's not going to be issues," he said. "I think there probably will be in probably all the services, but I don't think it's going to be of any magnitude that's going to cause much more than a blip. So I'm very optimistic."

Facebook Adds Civil Unions & Partners

Setting aside "it’s complicated," the choices of "married," "engaged," "divorced," "separated," "widowed," and "single" don’t cover all the bases, especially for LGBTs. In response to the hodgepodge of relationship legal statuses that exists in America and around the world, Facebook has added two options to describe users’ relationships. Now uses can also choose from “in a civil union" and "in a domestic partnership” to add to their profiles in the U.S., Canada, France, the U.K., and Australia, starting today.

Mormon Mom Reposts Video Speaking Out for Same-Sex Marriage Despite Threats from Church Officials

Melanie, a married Mormon mother of five, a loyal member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and a self-described "disciple of Christ", made the following video in 2008 in reaction to the Mormon church's campaign to pass Proposition 8 and remove marriage rights from gay people.

After threats from church officials, she took it down, but this week reposted it.

Melanie writes:

I did not discuss the video with my local leaders before making it public, but they were directed to it by church headquarters. At the end of some very heart felt discussions, my speaking out with this video threatened my temple recommend and my calling, and I ultimately chose to take it down to protect my standing in the church.

I have lived to regret the decision. And so today, in honor of the Valentine legend and in support of the love that drives so many of us to share our lives with each other, I stand up once more in favor of marriage, all marriage, with my Prop 8 video.

Take it from Sophia: The case for marriage equality

Indiana’s House passes gay marriage ban

On Tuesday, the Indiana House passed a constitutional ban on gay marriage for the second time.

The measure, House Joint Resolution 6, amends the original bill from 2005 and passed 70-26 with votes from all but one Republican and 11 Democrats, according to indystar.com. Though gay marriage is already illegal in Indiana, this would write a ban on gay marriage and any relationship “substantially similar” into the state constitution

The bill now advances to the state Senate. If approved, it will take another three years before the constitution is changed, as the constitution needs approval from two consecutive and separately elected legislatures. If the General Assembly adopts the resolution this year, it would have to do so again in 2013 or 2014 in order for the resolution to be placed on the 2014 ballot, according to WSBT .

Legislation to legalize gay marriage introduced in Washington

On Monday, state legislators introduced a bill to legalize gay marriage in Washington State.

Currently, domestic partnerships are legal in Washington. Referendum 71 expanded the domestic partnership law to grant registered domestic partners rights that had only been offered to married couples when it was approved in 2009.

Before “Born This Way”

The Advocate counts down 13 other great LGBT empowerment anthems that preceded Lady Gaga’s latest.

The unprecedented pre-release anticipation for Lady Gaga’s latest single “Born This Way” owed as much to its being touted as "the next great gay anthem" as it did to Gaga-mania. When the song, which the superstar claims to have composed in 10 minutes, finally arrived last Friday, some fans rejoiced while others were underwhelmed. But whether you love it or don't quite hate it, let’s give the lady her due. “Born This Way” is one of the few mainstream anthems that unapologetically embraces queerness. Just try to name another chart topper with “transgender” in its lyrics.

For decades we’ve appropriated countless songs as our own, reading gay subtext into vague lyrics, empathizing with the longing in Judy’s “Over the Rainbow,” the exuberant joy of The Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men" or relating to the painful isolation in Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” but few actually wave a flag to flaunt our individualism. Here are a few favorites that do.


13. “Don’t Tell Me” by Madonna, 2000

Some might opt for the icon’s “Express Yourself” or “Vogue,” but with lyrics that insist "don't ever tell me I'll learn, no" we have no choice. This is Madonna at her defiant best.



12. “We R Who We R” by Ke$ha, 2010

The party girl pulled off the unimagined feat of creating a pulsating dance hit that’s also a reaction to the bullying epidemic last year that led to numerous gay suicides.



11. “Don’t Make Me Over” by Dionne Warwick, 1962

“Accept me for what I am,” Warwick demanded on her first hit, which empowered gays seven years before the Stonewall riots.



10. “Go West” by Pet Shop Boys, 1993

This paean to San Francisco as a gay utopia was first recorded by the Village People in 1979 but was given a haunting makeover by the Pet Shop Boys. The all-male choir singing back-up adds an almost elegiac touch.



9.“True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper

The spirited singer’s signature ballad was so powerful it served to launch an acclaimed tour that benefits numerous LGBT organizations



8. “Raise Your Glass” by Pink, 2010

"So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways," Pink sings in her ode to underdogs, who she toasts to never being "anything but loud."



7. “This is My Life” by Shirley Bassey, 1961

When the great Bassey belts “That's the way that I was born to be / This is me, this is me,” we believe her and we relate.



6. “Defying Gravity” by Elphaba in Wicked

From the retelling of The Wizard of Oz comes a testament to finding and unleashing the real you.



5. “Firework” by Katy Perry, 2010

Perhaps making amends for the brouhaha surrounding her “I Kissed a Girl” single, Perry dedicated this confidence-booster to the “It Gets Better” campaign.



4. “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross, 1980

The title says it all, really. This Pride float staple was written by Nile Rodgers after seeing three men imitating Ross at a drag club.



3. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, 1978

The winner of a Grammy in the short-lived Best Disco Recording category has had a long life as the quintessential finding-personal-strength anthem.



2. “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera, 2002

Stop hating on Aguilera. Her stunning ballad (composed by out songwriter Linda Perry) about maintaining self-esteem won her a Grammy award. And the gorgeous LGBT-inclusive video was honored by GLAAD.



1. “I Am What I Am” by Albin in La Cage Aux Folles, 1983

This first act finale, written by out composer Jerry Herman for his landmark drag queen musical, became a joyful dance hit for Gloria Gaynor, and remains the ultimate battle cry for acceptance.

Another Prop. 8 Delay

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday announced it would hear arguments as to whether anti-gay marriage proponents have standing to defend Proposition 8 in court when state officials refused to do so.

The court's move will further delay ultimate resolution for the case, now on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the ninth circuit.

The state supreme court granted an expedited schedule in the matter, however — one established to accommodate oral arguments before the justices as early as September; briefings from the litigants are due in March and April per the court's order. Following oral arguments, justices have 90 days to issue an opinion.

Last month a three-judge panel for the ninth circuit asked the California Supreme Court whether Prop. 8 supporters who have defended the ballot initiative in the federal case Perry v. Schwarzenegger "possess either a particularized interest in the initiative's validity or the authority to assert the State's interest in the initiative's validity ... when the public officials charged with that duty refuse to do so."

Gay legal groups immediately called upon the state supreme court to deny legal standing in the appeal to ProtectMarriage.com.

"[Anti-gay marriage groups] are not law enforcers and have the same limited rights as everyone else to litigate only when their own rights are at stake, not merely to assert their opinions about others' rights," said Lambda Legal marriage project director Jennifer C. Pizer in a statement.

National Center for Lesbian Rights executive director Kate Kendell said that the court "should act quickly to confirm that California’s elected officials, not private groups or interested individuals, represent the state’s interests in court"”

The court's order, in full:

Request for certification granted:

The request, pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 8.548, that this court decide a question of California law presented in a matter pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, is granted. For the purposes of briefing and oral argument, defendant-intervenors Dennis Hollingsworth, Gail J. Knight, Martin F. Gutierrez, Mark A. Jansson, and ProtectMarriage.com (collectively "Proponents") are deemed the petitioners in this court. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.520(a)(6).) In order to facilitate expedited consideration and resolution of the issues presented, and to accommodate oral argument in this matter as early as September, 2011, the normal briefing schedule is shortened, pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 8.68, as follows: The opening brief on the merits is to be served and filed on or before Monday, March 14, 2011. The answer brief on the merits is to be served and filed on or before Monday, April 4. A reply brief may be served and filed on or before Monday, April 18. Any person or entity wishing to file an amicus curiae brief must file an application for permission to file such brief, accompanied by the proposed brief, on or before Monday, May 2, 2011. Any party may serve and file an omnibus reply to any or all amicus curiae briefs on or before Monday, May 9, 2011. The court does not contemplate any extension of the above deadlines. Votes: Cantil-Sakauye, C.J., Kennard, Baxter, Werdegar, Chin, Moreno, and Corrigan, JJ.

Prop 8 Ruling Today From California Supreme Court

A ruling on Prop 8 from the California Supreme Court is expected today, according to the esteemed Adam Bink and the L.A. Times. You’ll remember, after federal court judge Vaughn Walker ruled last year Prop 8 was unconstitutional, the case was sent to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That court then asked the California Supreme Court for a ruling on standing.

Same-Sex Couples Demand Marriage Licenses in L.A.

 


Several same-sex couples in L.A. requested marriage licenses and were denied yesterday, Karen Ocamb reports: "Married lesbian couple Robin Tyler and Diane Olson and their attorney Gloria Allred, who initiated the first lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s heterosexual-only marriage law in 2004, were also on hand."

Russia Moves to Drill in Arctic

The prospect of drilling for oil in Arctic waters has long made Americans and Canadians queasy (if not their oil companies), and for good reason: the frigid cold, dangerous waters, and difficult-to-navigate coastal terrain. An offshore spill in the Arctic would be devastating, and exceedingly tough to contain. But faced with dwindling onshore supplies, Russia has made a concerted push to begin drilling in the Arctic, and in a highly publicized move, tapped none other than BP to help lead the charge. Now, Russia is accelerating its march towards the Arctic -- and a number of Western companies are following suit.

Alabama's First Mainstream Same-Sex Wedding Announcement?

Chicago Cardinal Condemns 'Open Display of Prejudice' as Activists Protest Catholic Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

Approximately 50 activist led by Chicago's Gay Liberation Network picketed the city's Holy Name Cathedral and Cardinal Francis George yesterday, protesting the Catholic Church's attempts to block marriage equality and civil unions in the state, Now in Gay Chicago reports.

Said GLN leader and activist Andy Thayer: “Cardinal George went into overdrive to try to defeat the civil unions bill in Springfield. Every single piece of pro-rights legislation that's ever been proposed for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community, this cardinal and his predecessors have opposed.”

George responded to the protests: "Some members of the Gay Liberation Network demonstrated in front of Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday, February 13, protesting against Catholic Church teaching on the immorality of homosexual genital relations and opposition to so called 'gay marriage.' These are deeply felt issues, because they speak to the personal identity of some and to the religious beliefs of others. No matter the issue, Catholics should be able to worship in peace, without fear of harassment. An open display of prejudice against the Catholic Church because of resentment of Church teachings prejudices civil discourse in our society.”

UK plans to lift ban on gay church ceremonies

UK plans to lift ban on gay church ceremonies
By The Associated Press
02.14.2011 3:41pm EST
Lawmakers in the United Kingdom plan to lift the ban on same-sex civil partnership ceremonies in churches.

Send / ShareAdd CommentThe Sunday Times reports Liberal Democrat Equality Minister Lynne Featherstone will present a timetable to allow the unions in religious buildings and a proposal to end the ban on same-sex marriages.

Religious groups will not be forced to perform the ceremonies. The Church of England is one organization that opposes the law.

A spokesperson for the Church of England told the BBC: “Given the Church’s view on the nature of marriage, the House of Bishops has consistently been clear that the Church of England should not provide services of blessing for those who register civil partnerships.”

Synagogues and mosques are also covered under the new legislation, though homosexuality is forbidden under Orthodox Judaism and Islam.

The UK has granted 26,000 civil partnerships to same-sex couples since they were legalized in 2005.

Hawaii Passes Civil Unions

The Hawaii house of representatives passed a bill Friday to legalize civil unions in the state after more than a decade of contentious debate with a vote of 31-19, the Associated Press reports.

The state senate passed the same bill last month. Gov. Neil Abercrombie is expected to sign the bill into law.

Evan Wolfson, the founder and president of Freedom to Marry was co-counsel in the landmark Hawaii marriage case, Baehr v. Miike, which in the 1990s launched the current nationwide conversation around the freedom to marry.

"This is a victory for all families, because it strengthens the lives of many couples and their loved ones while taking nothing away from anyone else, thereby strengthening the entire ohana, the entire community," he said in a statement Friday. "Freedom to Marry applauds Equality Hawaii for its leadership in securing needed protections for Hawaii’s families."

Rep. Introduces Bill Against Gay Families

Rep. Randy Forbes, a Republican from Virginia, Thursday introduced the Parental Title Protection Act, which would require federal agencies and contractors to describe parents as “mother” and “father” on official documents.

Maryland OK's Two Moms on Birth Certificates

The state of Maryland will now allow a woman to be named as a parent on the birth certificate of a child born to her same-sex spouse without the court order previously required, Lambda Legal reports.

The Maryland Division of Health and Mental Hygiene sent a letter to state birth registrars last Thursday ordering them to make the change. The letter said the impetus for the change was an opinion issued by Atty. Gen. Douglas Gansler last year that the state would likely soon recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. The state legislature is also debating a bill that would allow gay couples to marry in Maryland.

British government reportedly set to introduce full gay marriage equality

The government is expected to announce full marriage equality for gays and lesbians under reforms to marriage laws to be announced later this week. The reported move will end the final major legal discrimination against gays and lesbians in Britain.

According to the Sunday Times, a proposal to end the ban on same sex marriage will be announced by the Liberal Democrat equality minister Lynne Featherstone at the same time as the government announces the time table for civil partnerships to be held in religious buildings.

Civil partnerships were introduced in 2005 and offer gays and lesbian couples similar legal rights to straight married couples. Differences include the grounds for dissolution, some insurance and pension rights and they are not recognised as having the same status as marriage abroad. A consequence of the ban on gay marriage means that a married transgendered person must divorce their partner before being recognised in their new gender. In addition, couples are barred from having any religious elements in the civil partnership ceremony. An amendment the Equality Act by Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli was passed just prior to the election, but the new government delayed the implementation of the changes. Religious insitituions are not forced to host ceremonies if they do not wish to.

Prior to the general election, deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg wrote on PinkNews.co.uk: “I support gay marriage. Love is the same, straight or gay, so the civil institution should be the same, too. All couples should be able to make that commitment to one another.” In October, the party adopted full marriage equality including allowing straight couples to have civil partnerships as official party policy. The move was controversially not supported by the gay lobbying organisation Stonewall.

Marriage-equality fights erupt on multiple fronts

"There is so much happening that it is a challenge even for the most ardent marriage-equality supporters to keep track of," said Molly McKay, media director of national organization Marriage Equality. State legislators in Indiana, Wyoming, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Hampshire and Iowa are dealing with the issue, with some considering extending marriage to same-sex couples and others ready to either reverse marriage equality or prevent it through constitutional amendment.

New York's top politicos ready marriage push: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., said this week he wants the Legislature to bring up and pass a marriage equality bill before the end of its session in June. Separately, New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican, said he would let that chamber's only openly gay member, Sen. Tom Duane, manage such a bill, an unusual step since Duane is now a member of the minority party. Duane's office welcomed Skelos' comments and reiterated it would take strong support from Cuomo to get the bill passed.

ode Island House, Maryland Senate hold marriage bill hearings: Supporters and opponents of marriage equality turned out in droves for two key committee hearings on pending marriage equality bills in both the Rhode Island and Maryland legislatures this week. One Maryland senator who had been expected to vote against a marriage bill changed his mind and announced he would support the measure after listening to what he called "appalling and disgusting" testimony from anti-gay marriage activists.

New Hampshire poll finds solid support for keeping marriage equality: A new poll of New Hampshire adults finds nearly two-thirds oppose ending marriage equality in the state, with 66 percent of independents saying lawmakers should leave the law alone.

Now Boarding: Transgender Flight Attendants

Four transgender women are part of a 30 member fleet of cabin crew for P.C. Airlines.

Peter Chan, president of the new Asian airline, said when they were hiring, they sought men, women, and transgender people, or those of the "third sex" to fill flight attendant positions. While "katoeys," or "ladyboys" as they are called in Thailand, are an accepted group in entertainment, they are often singled out from jobs in everyday life.

Company president Peter Chan said there was no reason transgender people should be turned away from being flight attendants, according to the Associated Press. Cabin crew members are trained separately by gender, allowing the transgender attendants to be trained with the natural-born women.

"I think it's time for the Thai society to be more open and support freedom of all sexes," he said.

Pentagon Releases DADT Repeal Plans

The Pentagon has finalized its plans to repeal the policy barring gay and lesbian troops from serving openly in the military, releasing the months-long plan on Friday.

Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said in a statement Friday that the plan is a "comprehensive and deliberate path" to repeal the ban. He added, "In typical military fashion the plan is quite thorough and some steps may seem unnecessary or redundant, but overall we believe this plan continues to show a good faith effort on the part of the Department of Defense to swiftly move forward with training, certification, and repeal."

As reported earlier, the training process will occur in three tiers: first military chaplains, lawyers, and civilian public affairs officers, then commanding officers, and finally rank and file troops. The outline released Friday shows more information about a comprehensive effort, with constant updates being sent to President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, among others. The progress reports from a Repeal Implementation Team will begin on March 1.

The plan also shows that the team will monitor and enforce the repeal after it is certified.

1950′s Film Used In Today’s Prop 8 Trial “Boys Beware”

The Olson/Boies team has been sharing a history of how the government in America has actively worked to repress homosexuals. Today, according to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, who has been live-tweeting the trial, they have been showing and/or using a 1950′s California film, “Boys Beware,” as evidence.

If it weren’t so disgusting and offensive, it might almost be comical. Here’s the film:

Annette Bening Speaks Out for Gay Families

At Tuesday's Oscars luncheon, Annette Bening, Best Actress nominee for The Kids Are All Right, spoke out for the dignity of gay families.

Said Bening: "I think when something is a good movie, first of all, well made, entertaining to a degree, funny, maybe has some heart, that comes first. If you can open people's hearts first, then maybe people's minds get opened after that...I'm proud that the movie does stand up for the dignity of all families, especially for the kids in these families. Those children deserve the same self-respect and dignity about their own families as kids from straight parents...I hope that does open a few hearts and minds..."

Freedom to Marry Launches 'Why Marriage Matters' Campaign

MARIBETH AND JEAN: A couple gets married and accepted by their family.


JILL JOHNSON-YOUNG: A California woman talks about the joy of marrying her wife, and their family's pain of losing her when she died.


FOUR COUPLES: The true meaning of marriage-- love, commitment and family.


NEIGHBORS: Darrick and Kate tell how they've learned that letting gay people get married fits in with the values that they want to teach their own children.



Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/#ixzz1DVCe6tJ2

White Supremacists Exhibit at CPAC

Gay conservative group GOProud's participation in the CPAC conference has caused controversy among conservatives. Will the participation of the Youth for Western Civilization (a White Supremacy group) cause the same stir?

The nationwide student group is among the exhibitors at this year's CPAC conference. The following is their mission statement, according to their website.

"We have the self-evident right and duty to work for the survival of our own culture and civilization. There is no reason to believe that the advances of modernity and the political freedoms we enjoy will endure with the extinction of the civilization that allowed them to exist. Western Civilization is our civilization and in spite of the continual assault and hatred it endures from the radical left, we wish to revive the West, rather than see our civilization be sent to the graveyard of history."

Watch a video interview with the founder here.

Antigay Rep. Chris Lee Resigns

New York GOP representative Christopher Lee has resigned in a statement read on the House floor after a shirtless photo of him soliciting a woman he met on Craigslist surfaced Wednesday.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Western New York," he said. "I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness. The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately.”

The married, socially conservative (and antigay) Republican congressman reportedly sent flirtatious messages and a sexy picture of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist.

The woman, a 34-year-old government employee from Maryland, had placed a personal ad on Craigslist in January, seeking “financially & emotionally” secure men, website Gawker reports. She received a reply from a man using Gmail address belonging to Rep. Christopher Lee of western New York State. The correspondent identified himself as Christopher Lee and described himself as a “very fit fun classy guy,” age 39 (seven years younger than Lee’s actual age), a lobbyist, and divorced. He went on to provide a photo of Lee, shirtless.

The woman ended contact with Lee after she searched online for him and concluded he’d lied about his age and occupation, then forwarded the e-mail exchanges to Gawker.

A spokesman for Lee confirmed to Gawker this week that the e-mail account belonged to the congressman but said Lee had not sent the messages and believed his account had been hacked. “That could, theoretically, be true,” Gawker’s Maureen O’Connor observed. “But the evidence suggests otherwise.”

She also noted that Lee’s “support for ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and vote to reject federal abortion funding suggests a certain comfort with publicly scrutinizing others’ sex lives.”

In an effort to teach a 7-year-old boy named Malcolm the importance of improving the world around him, he was given $140 to donate to the charity of his choice.

After hearing a story on the radio about the mistreatment of gays and lesbians, he selected two charities — the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

In a letter to the center, Malcolm wrote, “I am sending you this money because I don’t think it’s fair that Gay people are not treated equally.”

Maggie Gallagher’s Testimony Convinces A Senator To Vote FOR Marriage Equality

 The Senate Judicial Proceedings committee heard 7 hours of testimony last night on whether or not to legalize gay marriage, including from NOM’s Maggie Gallagher. Now one Senator, who was previously a foe, has said her testimony convinced him to support marriage equality.

Senator James Brochin (D) was one of the few Democrat Senators who was opposed to gay marriage. But after listening to testimony from Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization For Marriage (NOM), he’s said that her “demonization” of gay families has convinced him that he should side with marriage equality.

Freedom To Marry Buys National Ads

Freedom to Marry has announced the launch of Why Marriage Matters, a $10 million national public education campaign that will use TV ads to increase majority support for marriage equality over the next three years.

The largest effort of its kind to date, the campaign will launch this Monday on Valentine’s Day during Freedom to Marry week with an initial national cable buy on CNN. Watch a preview of the ad, which features a diverse array of couples discussing their marriages.



According to a news release, “Freedom to Marry analyzed over 85 data-sets representing 6 years of research to develop messages that are proven to be effective in swaying public opinion around marriage. In particular, the data showed that people who have had conversations with their gay and lesbian friends about why marriage matters to them are more likely to support the freedom to marry. By shifting the conversation from a focus on rights to a conversation about shared values of love and commitment, support for the freedom to marry grows. In partnership with local and state groups, the Why Marriage Matters campaign will include a variety of mixed media advertising, including TV, radio, and online ads.”

The public education campaign is part of a significant expansion announced by Freedom to Marry at a high-profile fundraiser in New York City last month. Plans include launching a presence in Washington, D.C. as the group works toward its goal of increasing Americans’ majority support for marriage equality from 52% to as high as 58% over the new three years while federal litigation heads toward the Supreme Court.

“We believe we have cracked the code on the language, the messages, the messengers, and the time it will take to engage people and move them along and we want to put that campaign forward,” said Freedom to Marry executive director Evan Wolfson in January.

Georgia GOP Rep. Bobby Franklin Compares Gays to Thieves, Adulterers, and Unrepentant Drug Dealers

Georgia State Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-East Cobb) has some Biblically-based reasons for opposing gays in the military:

"The Bible says (homosexuality is) a capital offense. You want someone [in the military] with unrepentant criminal behavior? And it's not just that, neither should adulterers, neither should thieves, neither should a lot of things. The church is full of sinners, but we're told in 1st Corinthians it rattled off the homosexual, the adulterer, the thief, the liar, and such were some of you, but you've been washed, you've been justified and so forth. It's not what you were. You're not punishing a thought. But do you want an unrepentant drug dealer in the military? Same thing."

The Georgia Voice writes that "according to his official biography, Franklin 'has been called ‘the conscience of the Republican Caucus’ because he believes that civil government should return to its biblically and constitutionally defined role.'"

Joan Rivers for N.Y. Marriage Equality

N.H. Wants to Keep Marriage Equality

While efforts ramp up to repeal marriage equality in Iowa, a supermajority of residents in New Hampshire are happy to keep gay marriage on the books, according to a new poll.

A telephone poll conducted in January and February queried 520 people in New Hampshire on marriage equality — only 29% want same-sex marriage repealed, while 64% said they wanted to keep marriage rights for gay couples.

Republicans took over New Hampshire's legislature in November, but state leaders have decided to delay action on marriage until 2012.

Hawaii House to Decide Civil Unions

Hawaii's house of representatives will soon vote on a bill to legalize civil unions after the house judiciary committee approved the legislation with an 11-2 vote Tuesday. Read More >

The Straight Married DADT-Loving Congressman Whoring Himself Out On Craigslist

It's Rep. Christopher Lee, the Republican from New York, who voted against repealing DADT, and who has been (allegedly!!) sending out shirtless pictures to at least one woman on Craiglist and pretending to be a divorced lobbyist when in fact he's way worse: a married lawmaker.

Gay Ally Rep. Jane Harman to Resign

California representative Jane Harman, an early supporter of gays and lesbians serving openly in the military and one of the few Congress members to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act, will step down from her post, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Iowa senator stands his ground on marriage vote

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, in an interview with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register, said he would not give in and allow a vote in the Senate on the civil rights of gays and lesbians. Gronstal has blocked a vote on a constitutional amendment that would end marriage equality in the state. "I don't think it's appropriate to put your rights to a vote of the popular will of the people. I believe that's what the constitution is there for, to protect everybody's rights and to avoid the tyranny of the majority," Gronstal said.

Maryland's 7 out lawmakers influence marriage debate

With its first hearing set for Tuesday in the state Senate, supporters of Maryland's marriage equality bill are on the hunt for a few more votes, and the Legislature's seven openly gay and lesbian members could provide a reason for fence-sitting colleagues to vote yes. "They realize, wow, you guys really are the same. Our marriage is just as wonderful and mundane as everybody else's," said Maryland State Sen. Richard Madaleno, who has introduced his colleagues to his husband and children.

Failure to Act

Transgender Americans face multiple challenges

Many transgender Americans face intolerance in almost every aspect of their lives, contributing to high levels of homelessness, unemployment and despair, according to a comprehensive survey being released Friday.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality say their survey of 6,450 transgender people is the largest of its kind. It details discrimination encountered “at every turn” – in childhood homes, in schools and workplaces, at stores and hotels, at the hands of doctors, judges, landlords and police.

“Their lives are just a crapshoot,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the task force. “They don’t know from one interaction to the next whether they will be treated with respect and dignity. It’s not the way people should be living their day-to-day life.”

The report comes at a sobering time for transgender community.

While their gay-rights allies celebrated the recent Senate vote that will enable gays to serve openly in the military, transgender people were left out of the debate and remain barred from service.

Efforts to pass a federal law barring workplace discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation failed in the previous Democratic-controlled Congress – gender identity was a key stumbling block – and the new Republican-led House is considered more hostile.

Uncertain of prospects for progress at the federal level, activists hope to make headway through lawsuits, corporate diversity programs, local anti-bias ordinances, and public education efforts. They hope the survey will buttress those efforts; some of the data had been released in preliminary reports, but the final version contains new details and is prefaced by an emotional plea for Americans to rethink their attitudes.

“It is part of social and legal convention in the United States to discriminate against, ridicule, and abuse transgender and gender non-conforming people,” the survey says. “Nearly every system and institution in the United States, both large and small, from local to national, is implicated.”

According to the survey, 41 percent of respondents reported attempting suicide, 26 percent said they had lost a job due to being transgender, and 19 percent reported being denied a home or apartment. Almost one-fifth said they’d been homelessness at some point.

The survey found that complaints of discrimination were particularly pronounced among blacks.

In an e-mail, Ja’briel Walthour of Hinesville, Ga., detailed the difficulties of growing up in the 1980s and `90s as an African-American boy in the South who began to identify as a female. Neither her church nor rural community offered acceptance, she said.

“I felt there was not an ounce of compassion or empathy for individuals who may be displaying atypical gender roles,” and by 17 she was contemplating suicide, she wrote.

“I got into a place where I wanted to just not be here anymore,” she said.

Walthour, now 34, eventually became a school bus driver while deciding to transition to female and pursue a degree in social work.

Transgender activists say future progress for their cause may depend on more people like Walthour choosing to speak out.

“We need more trans people telling their stories,” said Diego Sanchez, a transgender aide to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., at a forum last weekend. “We need to represent ourselves, and not let others represent us.”

The forum was convened to address the frustrations of some transgender people who feel marginalized within the broader gay-rights movement. The movement has for years adopted the initials LGBT – lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender – but transgender activists at the forum wondered if the “T” instead meant “token.”

“We’ve become second fiddle, maybe third fiddle to LGB rights,” said Meghan Stabler, a transsexual businesswoman. “We’re a minority inside of a minority … Right now, we’re a small `t’.”

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said the LGBT movement – by sheer force of numbers and financial support – was inevitably going to focus on the agenda of gays and lesbians rather than transgender people.

“But the relationship has helped out,” she said. “We have a shared history, shared friends and enemies.”

Looking long term, Keisling expressed optimism.

“The people who just plain hate us – they’re dying out,” she said. “There is not a reasonable person left in United States who doesn’t understand that transgender people exist, that it’s a legitimate aspect of the diversity of nature.”

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad Wants 'To Treat Everybody With Fairness,' But That Doesn't Include Gays Marrying

"Well, I think the court made a mistake… Well, I want to treat everybody with fairness and equity, but I don't think that includes meaning that people of the same sex should be able to be married. I don't want to discriminate or treat people in an unfair manner, but this is something that is a new right, that never existed before and one certainly that a vast majority of Iowans don't think was appropriate to be done the way it was done. I think the people of Iowa should have an opportunity to vote on that issue. … This is an issue that should be decided by the people. And my problem is with the Legislature not letting the people vote on it, and I think a lot of people felt very frustrated because they did not get an opportunity to vote on it. "

—Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who went from refusing to comment on the Iowa Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling to railing against it, makes it clear he does not include gay Iowans in his version of equality

Bush Cancels Visit To Switzerland Due To Threat Of Torture Prosecution

Former U.S. President George W. Bush has cancelled a visit to Switzerland, where he was to address a Jewish charity gala, due to the risk of legal action against him for alleged torture, rights groups said on Saturday.

Bush was to be the keynote speaker at Keren Hayesod's annual dinner on Feb. 12 in Geneva. But pressure has been building on the Swiss government to arrest him and open a criminal investigation if he enters the Alpine country.

Criminal complaints against Bush alleging torture have been lodged in Geneva, court officials say.

Indiana GOP to Ban Marriage?

An Indiana house committee Monday approved a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality by a vote of 8-4, advancing it to a vote by the full house.

Joint Chiefs Chair Admiral Mike Mullen Tells Jon Stewart Why He Testified Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

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Mark Foley Reaches Out to Young Republicans

Former Congressman Mark Foley launched a comeback this week, reaching out to a group of young Republicans, which, ironically, is what sent him packing in the first place.

Hawaii House to Consider Civil Unions

Hawaii's House Judiciary Committee will consider a civil unions bill during a Tuesday public hearing, the Associated Press reports.

The legislation is near-identical to a bill passed last year by the Hawaii legislature, only to be vetoed by outgoing Republican Gov. Linda Lingle. Gov. Neil Abercrombie has said he supports civil unions.

The state senate passed a bill last month that would allow couples to enter into civil unions. In 1998, Hawaii voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Sarah Palin Files Name Trademark

Sarah Palin has filed applications to trademark her name and the name of the her daughter, Bristol.

It's hard for an individual to trademark their name, but it's not without precedent. Pop singer-songwriter Billy Joel has done it, for example. If Palin's applications are granted, many politicians seeking to keep tighter commercial control of their images may well follow suit.

Marriage Equality Sign Vandalized At Hollywood UMC

Reverend Kathy Cooper-Ledesma was greeted with an ugly sight when she arrived at the Hollywood United Methodist Church on Monday morning. One of the church's banners in support of gay marriage was defaced--pranksters had carefully cut the word "equality" out of the poster. It now read, "All Are Precious In God's Sight. This Church Supports Marriage."

That morning, she took to the church's facebook page and posted a message to parishioners about the act. She said:

"As a church we do believe in marriage. But until everyone -- and that means everyone -- has the right to marry the one you love, regardless of gender, we will proclaim with our hearts and souls and yes, our banners that we believe in marriage equality. That's what it means to be peacemakers; to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God."

Utah state representative introduces anti-gay ‘Family Policy’ bill

Extremist and anti-gay Utah state Representative LaVar Christensen (R) has introduced House Bill 270, called the “Family Policy” bill.

The language includes the State affirming marriage as “ordained by god” between a man and a woman:

“As the public policy of Utah, that a family, consisting of a legally and lawfully married man and woman and their children, is the fundamental unit of society; and requires that publicly funded social programs, government services, laws, and regulations designed to support families be carefully scrutinized to ensure that the promote the family.”

And as if we needed any more proof that Christensen and his Sutherland Institute cronies have never actually read the constitution, it also says;

“Marriage and family predate all governments and are supported by and consistent with the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God, the Creator and Supreme Judge of the World.”

Maryland Senate Republican and 'Strong Follower of Jesus Christ' Allan Kittleman to Support Marriage Equality

Maryland GOP State Senator Allan Kittleman says he believes in equal rights and will support marriage equality legislation, the Washington Post reports:

Kittleman said he plans to testify next week at a scheduled hearing on the bill.

In addressing reporters and in a statement, Kittleman referenced his late father, former state Sen. Robert H. Kittleman (R-Howard).

"I was raised by a gentleman who joined with others in fighting racial discrimination in the 1950s and 1960s," Kittleman said. "Watching him fight for civil rights instilled in me the belief that everyone, regardless of race, sex, national origin or sexual orientation, is entitled to equal rights."

Kittleman said that he is a "strong follower of Jesus Christ" and belongs to a conservative church, but added: "I really believe as a legislator, I don't vote based on my faith."



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