via Nicole Neroulias, Reuters Gay marriage proponents in the Pacific Northwest cheered a U.S. court ruling on Tuesday that overturned a California ban on same-sex nuptials, in what they saw as boost to their cause a day before a key vote to legalize such unions in Washington state. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals … Continue reading
via Katie Miller, The Huffington Post OutServe, the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel, issued a press release Thursday announcing the Our Families Matter campaign and a Capital Summit in May to address support for military partners and families. As of Sept. 20, 2011, the military may not be able to discharge gay servicemembers, … Continue reading
via Diane Anderson-Minshall, The Advocate Gay travelers just got another reason to head to the Caribbean. According to Fox News Latino, Cancun, Cozumel, and other resort areas in the Mexican Caribbean will soon allow same-sex couples to legally marry, thanks largely to a recently discovered quirk in the local civil code. The area is already … Continue reading
via Christina Boyle, NY Daily News Same-sex pairs in Hawaii and Delaware began the new year as officially recognized couples as historic laws allowing civil unions in the two states took effect. The long-awaited moment brings the number of states that grant civil unions or marriages to gay and lesbian couples to 11, in addition … Continue reading
via Kate Sosin, Windy City Times In a move shocking LGBT rights groups in Illinois, Springfield’s city government has voted not to extend health benefits to civil union spouses. The Joint Labor/Management Health Care Committee, a Springfield committee comprised of staffers from various city positions as well as retirees, voted to keep its current eligibility … Continue reading
via Luke Johnson, The Huffington Post Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum explained how he would win support from gay voters despite his long opposition to same-sex marriage Tuesday night on Fox News’ “On The Record” with Greta Van Susteren. Van Susteren asked how he could get votes from “the gay citizens of Iowa” despite being … Continue reading
via Sam Stein, The Huffington Post In a major victory for gay rights activists, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday that a voter initiative banning same-sex marriage in California violated the Constitution’s equal protection and due process rights clauses. After a five-month wait, 9th Circuit District Court Judge Vaughn Walker offered a 136-page decision in … Continue reading
via Sam Stein, The Huffington Post Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s newest television ad criticizing the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was created over the objections of at least one top staff member, sources in the Perry campaign tell The Huffington Post. The spot, which began airing in Iowa on Wednesday, features the governor questioning … Continue reading
via Margaret Talev and Nicole Gaouette, Bloomberg The Obama administration will weigh how countries treat gays and lesbians in making decisions about foreign aid, according to a presidential memorandum released by the White House. Laws prohibit same-sex sexual activity in many nations in the Middle East and Africa, and in two of the largest recipients … Continue reading
Dan Choi, the outspoken gay activist who was discharged from the army for revealing his sexuality, told Politico on Tuesday that he plans to re-enlist in the armed forces now that ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ is no longer law. Choi, a former army lieutenant who served in Iraq from 2006-2007, became a public face of … Continue reading