Breaking Marriage Equality News Headlines from April 2011

	With GOP in control of Legislature, gay marriage ban approved by Minn. Senate committee A state Senate committee passed a bill Friday setting a statewide vote next year on banning gay marriage in the Minnesota Constitution, a goal that eluded conservative activists for years but got sudden new life this week with Republicans now in control of the Legislature. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill 8-4, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. Passage by the... Minneapolis Star-Tribune • Apr 30, 2011

	RI Civil Union bill to be introduced Tuesday A House spokesman said Thursday that lawmakers are reviewing civil union laws in other states to help them craft the proposal, which could be introduced Tuesday. The new bill comes after House Speaker Gordon Fox declared that gay marriage legislation wouldn't pass the General Assembly this year. Fox, who is gay, now supports civil unions as a more politically feasible alternative.... AP • Apr 30, 2011

	Alert - NOM Participating in May 15 Anti-Equality Rally in NY New York press has been reporting on anti-equality lawmaker Ruben Diaz's rally against marriage equality in the Bronx for May 15 - the same day as the AIDS Walk in Central Park. NOM is now ramping up its efforts in New York and joining in the anti-gay march.... NOM Exposed • Apr 30, 2011

	Update: Catholic diocese asks Assembly to kill civil unions After playing a major role in the defeat of same-sex marriage, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is now trying to scuttle the compromise that House Speaker Gordon D. Fox is backing: civil unions.... Providence Journal • Apr 30, 2011

	DOMA and Duty By 2003, not a single major national law firm supported the Texas sodomy law before the Supreme Court, yet there were constitutionally defensible arguments to be made even in the case of that very nasty law. This was not an abandonment by those firms or prominent lawyers of a legal duty to defend an unpopular cause or client. One difference between the K&S case and Lawrence is that K&S actually u... Volokh • Apr 30, 2011

	New York Takes Two Steps Forward Towards Gay Marriage, CA Takes Two Steps Back A mere seven months after I moved from New York to California, New York is closer to getting same-sex marriage than it's ever been and California is actually entertaining the latest set of ridiculous claims set forth by the Prop 8 people. Today, 24 high-profile New York business leaders released an open an open letter declaring their endorsement of same-sex marriage as a wise move for the economy... Autostraddle • Apr 30, 2011

	Virginia AG Drops King & Spalding for Its Bailout on DOMA The decision of King & Spalding to bail out of the controversy surrounding the Defense of Marriage Act continues to have a ripple effect, with Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli notifying the firm that his office was ending its relationship with it because of the firm's "obsequious act of weakness."... Main Justice • Apr 30, 2011

	Poland to Allow Citizens Abroad to Enter Same-Sex Marriages & Partnerships In what will be welcomed as a baby step toward equality, Poland's officials announced this week that the nation's registry offices will begin issuing new certificates that will allow Poles abroad to marry or engage in a civil union/partnership with same-sex partners. Previous to this there had been a section calling for the disclosure of the identity of the future spouse meaning that the registra... Care2 • Apr 29, 2011

	New Mexicans demand Sens. Bingaman and Udall support DOMA repeal Yesterday, Courage Campaign, Progress New Mexico and Democracy for New Mexico members asked Sens. Bingaman and Udall to co-sponsor DOMA repeal. They support would make them the 23rd and 24th Senators to support Sen. Feinstein's bill. Last week, over 1,000 Courage members in Wisconsin wrote to Sen. Kohl, asking him to become the 10th vote we need to pass DOMA repeal through the Senate Judiciary Co... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 29, 2011

	Texas may strip away transgender marriage rights Two years after Texas became one of the last states to allow transgendered people to use proof of their sex change to get a marriage license, Republican lawmakers are trying to roll back the clock. Advocates for the transgendered say a proposal to bar transgendered people from getting married smacks of discrimination and would put their legally granted marriages in danger of being nullified if ch... El Paso Times • Apr 29, 2011

	In R.I. House, leadership was split on prospects for gay-marriage bill Was there support in the state House of Representatives this session to pass legislation that would have granted gay couples the right to marry in Rhode Island? Even among members of House Speaker Gordon D. Fox's leadership team -- the majority leaders and whips tasked with rounding up support for such legislation -- disagreement remains. After months of saying that he had strong support for suc... Providence Journal • Apr 29, 2011

	Widower Loses Home Because of DOMA Ron and Tom were together for fifty-five years. They lived as husband and husband, and eventually got married. Unfortunately, Tom died of cancer in 2010, and that means that Ron must not only face the rest of his life alone, but he must give up the house that they owned together for all those years because, without Tom's pension and social security, he cannot continue the expenses.... Lez Get Real • Apr 29, 2011

	Log Cabin Republican convention draws prominent Republicans Several prominent GOP members will be spending some time in Dallas this weekend to participate in the Log Cabin Republicans' annual convention, which will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. The event, which began Thursday, April 28, and runs through Sunday, May 1, will include discussions and speeches from politicians, lawyers and members of the media. Dan Woods, lead attorney in LCR's laws... Dallas Voice • Apr 29, 2011

	Rhode Island Surrenders. Marriage Equality Bites the Dust. Again. Rhode Island voters, just as in Maryland, will not know which of their legislators support marriage and equality and which do not. Furthermore, Speaker Fox is being less than truthful when he argues that DOMA means that a civil unions bill will be equivalent to a marriage equality bill. Let's not even consider the reasoning put forth in Judge Vaughn Walker's decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (... Pam's House Blend • Apr 29, 2011

	Equality Maryland Names Interim ED Lynne Bowman, a founder and former executive director of Equality Ohio, was named interim executive director of Equality Maryland on Thursday. A joint statement from Equality Maryland board chair Chuck Butler and Equality Maryland Foundation chair Patrick Wojahn announced the appointment. Bowman brings more than two decades of experience in non-profit, for-profit and government sectors, having se... Advocate • Apr 29, 2011

	The man who will judge Judge Walker Ware does appear to have genuinely been involved in the civil rights movement and quite often those who experienced the battle - as opposed to some who have inherited the mantle - see rights and discrimination in terms of oppressor and oppressed. And considering that Judge Ware's marriage was not recognized in his home state of Alabama prior to 1967, he may intimately know what it is like to be to... Box Turtle Bulletin • Apr 29, 2011

	Republican lawmakers push Minnesota constitutional ban on gay marriage Ensuring a spirited debate for several weeks -- if not more than a year -- Minnesota Republican lawmakers Tuesday announced a plan for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The plan, contained in a bill to be introduced in the Senate today, is for the amendment to be placed on the 2012 general election ballot. Same-sex marriage already is banned under decades-old Minnesota law u... Pioneer Press • Apr 28, 2011

	RI House speaker: Gay marriage bill won't pass Efforts to extend marriage rights to gay couples in Rhode Island suffered a decisive setback Wednesday when a key legislative champion said he was abandoning a push to pass gay marriage legislation this year. House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is gay, said the legislation has "no realistic chance" of passing the state's General Assembly this year. Fox, a Providence Democrat, said instead he will suppo... AP • Apr 28, 2011

	New York: Marriage Equality Scorecard According to statements on the record (to Gay City News and/ or other media), two Democrats who previously voted no -- Joe Addabbo and Shirley Huntley of Queens -- and three Republicans in the same category -- James Alesi of Fairport, Greg Ball of Brewster, and Joseph Griffo of Utica -- are currently taking no public position on the marriage bill.... Gay City News • Apr 28, 2011

	Prop. 8: Plea to throw out ruling In the new maneuver, the opponents of same-sex marriage relied upon comments that Walker had made in April, after his retirement, to a group of reporters, acknowledging publicly for the first time that he had been engaged in a ten-year same-sex relationship with a doctor. The motion asserted that the opponents were "not suggesting that a gay or lesbian judge could not sit on his case." Rather, t... SCOTUSblog • Apr 28, 2011

	DOMA Pullout: Did King & Spalding Fear A Chilled Coke? Coca-Cola's general counsel and senior vice president Geoffrey J. Kelly shares a quote that indicates they are rather actively involved in pressing for change among their vendors, "We believe we will change fundamentally the behavior of law firms, and that's very important to us."... Pam's House Blend • Apr 28, 2011

	Religious right leader gives misleading testimony during DOMA hearing Opponents of same-sex marriage draw on a third body of literature in which researchers have achieved an unusual degree of consensus. Most family researchers agree that, all other things being equal (which, of course, is almost never the case), two parents are better than one. Research indicates that children raised in single-parent families are at greater risk of various negative outcomes (e.g., d... AlterNet • Apr 28, 2011

	'Marriage Equality' And The Civil Rights Movement When Proposition 8 appeared on the California ballot in November 2008, exit polls reported that seven in 10 African-American voters supported the ban on same-sex marriage. Many gay rights activists cast what they call marriage equality as a civil rights issue. Many black Americans disagree. In a new documentary short, director Thomas Allen Harris tells the story of a Massachusetts politician striv... NPR • Apr 28, 2011

	Prop. 8: Who's fit to judge? Had Walker been one of the activists fighting Proposition 8, or if he had repeatedly sought a marriage license and been rejected, ProtectMarriage would have valid claims of conflict of interest. The group's assertion that a gay judge in a relationship is less able than a heterosexual married judge to render a fair decision on a sexual-orientation case says more about the pervasiveness of discrimin... LA Times • Apr 28, 2011

	Holder defends attorney defending gay marriage ban The former Bush administration lawyer under fire for defending the federal ban on gay marriage is getting support from an unexpected source - Attorney General Eric Holder. Holder told reporters Tuesday that Clement is "doing that which lawyers do" to take on the responsibility of representing the lawmakers who wrote the ban.... AP • Apr 28, 2011

	Japan's first openly gay politician victorious in election Taiga Ishikawa, 36, won a seat in a Tokyo ward assembly in the Japanese capital's local elections on Sunday. He is the first openly gay person to hold office in Japan.... Pink News • Apr 28, 2011

	Votes lined up in Senate committee for DOMA repeal ... Washington Blade • Apr 28, 2011

	Oppose SB 5: Say No to 'Yes on 8' Far right-wing California Senator Tom Harman, a cohort of the Yes on 8 campaign, has introduced a bill that would automatically give the groups behind Yes on 8 the power to defend Prop. 8 in court. They are afraid that the courts will rule that they do not have standing, so they are trying to do an end-run around the courts. SB 5 will be heard by committee just a few days from now. Help us stop th... Equality California • Apr 28, 2011

	Prop 8 Supporters Say Ruling Striking It Down Should Be Dumped Because Judge Is Gay The sponsors of California's Proposition 8 filed papers in federal court in San Francisco today seeking nullification of a ruling that struck down the ban on same-sex marriage. The sponsors argued that the trial judge in the case, now-retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, should have disqualified himself from the case because he has a long-term gay partner. They alleged Walker had a persona... San Francisco Appeal • Apr 26, 2011

	Carney: No list of LGBT promises for 2012 election White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Monday he doesn't expect President Obama to issue a list of promises to the LGBT community as part of his re-election campaign as he did during the 2008 election season. During a news conference, Carney made the remarks in response to a question from the Washington Blade on whether Obama would publish a list of objectives he wanted to achieve for the LG... Washington Blade • Apr 26, 2011

	Judge's partner cited in Prop 8 case The sponsors of California's same-sex marriage ban said Monday that the recent disclosure by the federal judge who struck down Proposition 8 that he is in a long-term relationship with another man has given them new grounds to have his historic ruling overturned. Lawyers for the ban's backers filed a motion in San Francisco's U.S. District Court, arguing that Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walk... AP • Apr 26, 2011

	King and Spalding Files Motion to Withdraw From DOMA Defense, Prompting Clement's Resignation Today, the law firm of King & Spalding announced -- only 11 days after taking on the representation of the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group in its defense of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act -- that it was dropping its representation because the vetting process had been "inadequate." The move prompted the lead King & Spalding lawyer in the case, Paul Clement, to resign from his positi... Metro Weekly • Apr 25, 2011

	Couples Torn Apart by the Government There's going to be marriage than ever before, with another survey showing majority support for the freedom to marry. So why are Republicans spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend a law that could tear apart legally married couples like Henry and Josh? There's promising signs for marriage in New York and Scotland, but a legal setback in Montana is likely to postpone weddings for years... MNW • Apr 25, 2011

	NEW YORK: Log Cabin Republicans To Join Coalition For Marriage Equality With the addition of the Log Cabin Republicans, the coalition now includes all five leading LGBT rights organizations operating in New York State. The announcement by the Log Cabin Republicans of New York-representing Republicans who support fairness, freedom and equality for gay and lesbian Americans-reflects the bipartisan support in New York State for allowing all loving and committed couples t... Joe My God • Apr 24, 2011

	Did Obama's "Gay Marriage" Answer Hint At Presidential Support Of Marriage Equality? President Obama Wednesday night spoke at a DNC fundraiser in San Francisco, and, after saying his administration needed more than one term "for us to finish everything we need to do," the President was confronted by an audience member who shouted out, "gay marriage!" Obama replied, "Our work is not finished." This video puts the relevance of his response in context. It appeared calculated and int... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 24, 2011

	Equality Maryland Executive Director Leaving, Says "Not My Choice to Leave" Morgan Meneses-Sheets, executive director of Equality Maryland, announced today, April 22, that she is it no longer with the organization. Shortly after her announcement, Equality Maryland's Director of Development Matt Thorn released a statement saying that Meneses-Sheets was fired after a vote by the Equality Maryland board, and that he is leaving the organization in protest. Meneses-Sheet's st... Metro Weekly • Apr 24, 2011

	Prop. 8: Trial TV blackout permanent? It thus appears that, when the Circuit Court reacts to the new dispue, it might have to provide its own interpretation of what the Supreme Court's action in 2010 meant. It could, however, rule based only on its understanding of what local court rules allow, although that seems less likely. There is also an issue of whether the Circuit Court should deal itself with this new dispute, or refer it b... SCOTUSblog • Apr 23, 2011

	King & Spalding Faces Backlash Over Firm's Support of DOMA Jon Davidson, legal director of Lambda Legal, the nation's oldest and largest legal organization working for LGBT equality, was quoted as saying about King & Spalding's decision to take the case as "Depressing," and that "I think it's going to hurt them in their recruiting of future lawyers." Interestingly, in 2006 the firm announced national sponsorship of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education ... Huffington Post • Apr 23, 2011

	Blowback: Nothing defensible about DOMA As the editorial correctly points out, there is an honorable tradition of lawyers defending unpopular and controversial clients. Civil liberties organizations, for example, have repeatedly, and admirably, defended plaintiffs whose views they abhor (such as members of the Ku Klux Klan), in order to protect cherished principles like freedom of speech and assembly. In this case, there is no greater g... LA Times • Apr 23, 2011

	Montana judge rejects gay couple rights suit A Montana judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit that sought to extend to gay couples the same legal protections as married couples, saying in his decision that he can't grant the benefits partly because of the state's voter-approved constitutional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of the gay couples, argui... AP • Apr 22, 2011

	Gay marriage rally at Buckingham Palace PinkNews.co.uk understands that the Liberal Democrats in government and increasingly Tories in the centre - including David Cameron - are minded towards full marriage equality. An amendment in the Equality Act will give gay couples the right to have civil partnerships in religious buildings and ministers hope this provision will be enacted by the end of the year.... Pink News • Apr 22, 2011

	Prop 8 proponents file reply brief on motion to release video Arguing, oddly, that plaintiffs have no use for the recordings, and citing the City/County of San Francisco brief to make this point: Appellees ask in the alternative that they be allowed to retain theircopies of the trial recordings. Opp. 10-11. But now that the trial is over and the appeal has been briefed and argued to this Court, there is no reason to anticipate that Appellees will need a... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 22, 2011

	The DOMA Gag Rule? All of King & Spalding's employees - lawyers and non-lawyers - are barred from advocating for the Respect for Marriage Act - the bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act - in the 112th Congress, according to the terms of the contract to defend DOMA that King & Spalding partner Paul Clement signed on the firm's behalf on April 14. The contract, which was entered into with U.S. House of R... Metro Weekly • Apr 21, 2011

	Pelosi questions Boehner on DOMA lawyer in second letter Pelosi wrote to Boehner that since Democrats were not provided with information on the contract with Clement before its signing late last week, several questions remained unanswered. The questions range from issues of transparency (was there a call for bids?) and cost (how was Clement's $520-an-hour rate negotiated?) to ethics (what restrictions will be placed on the lobbying practice of Clement'... Washington Post • Apr 21, 2011

	A Presidential Duty DOMA became law in 1996, defining marriage for all federal purposes as between a man and a woman before lesbian and gay couples could marry in any jurisdiction in this country. It now stands as the sole obstacle for married bi-national couples desperately seeking to resolve their immigration status. Since DOMA's passage, almost all efforts in the fight for immigration equality have avoided the iss... Metro Weekly • Apr 21, 2011

	National Organization For Marriage's Secret One Million Dollar Donor In his regular Friday weekly, apocalyptic, fundraising email, NOM's president, Brian Brown revealed the National Organization for Marriage has a secret one million dollar donor who is willing to match contributions.... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 21, 2011

	Cuomo Helps Groups Mobilize for Gay Marriage Bill Gay rights groups, which suffered the stinging defeat of a same-sex marriage bill in New York State in 2009, will publicly mount a new campaign for the legislation starting this week, relying on the popular Democratic governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, to overcome Republican resistance and their own history of poor coordination. Under the supervision of the governor's staff, the groups intend to raise m... NY Times • Apr 21, 2011

	Ky. Church Protests Marriage Inequality A Disciples of Christ church in Louisville, Ky., will no longer sign marriage licenses, in an action that protests the lack of marriage equality for gay couples.... Advocate • Apr 21, 2011

	HRC Campaigning to Inform Clients, Recruits that King & Spalding Defends Discrimination HRC's campaign will consist of the following components: Ads in mainstream and legal publications entitled "Shame" that feature the stories of families affected by discriminatory law. Informational letters to the firm's clients and organizations to which they have made charitable contributions informing them of K&S's decision to promote discrimination. Informational letters to the nat... Human Rights Campaign • Apr 21, 2011

	King & Spalding Breaks Non-Discrimination Pledge with DOMA Case On my persoanal blog on Tuesday morning I stated that it seemed to me that HRC needs to immediately change King & Spalding's rating to a zero. It turns out that HRC is going a step better.... Bilerico Project • Apr 21, 2011

	Pelosi Questions Boehner on House Contract with Outside DOMA Counsel The release of the contract between the House of Representatives and the law firm of King and Spalding concerning litigation on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) raises many questions. While the Democratic Members of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) opposed the decision of the Republican Members to authorize involvement in the DOMA lawsuits, that opposition in no way diminished the nee... Nancy Pelosi • Apr 21, 2011

	Witness From GOP's Marriage Hearing Says Prop 8 Judge's Homosexuality Invalidates His Ruling The odious implication of such an argument is that only a member of the predominant group can determine the rights of a minority group--members of the minority group would not be "qualified" to rule. But as Equality Matters noted in response to other conservatives who have made the same argument, claims of Judge Walker's "bias" also assume that a heterosexual judge would not have a "personal inter... Think Progress • Apr 21, 2011

	Brewer Backs Anti-Gay Adoption Bill Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed a bill Monday mandating that married heterosexual couples be given priority consideration when agencies are placing children for adoption or foster care.... Advocate • Apr 21, 2011

	Four of five main Scottish parties promise action on gay marriage The election manifestos of the two largest parties, the SNP and Labour, say they will consult on allowing gay couples to marry. Meanwhile, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats go further. Both promise they will introduce marriage for gay couples and civil partnerships for straight couples. Only the Conservative Party has not mentioned gay rights, marriage equality or equality in general in its m... Pink News • Apr 21, 2011

	Vaughn Walker Replaces Prop 8 Video With Nuremberg Trial For Legal Presentation Although Judge Vaughn Walker informed the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week that he was planning to use the excerpt from the Prop. 8 trial again this week in a talk at Gonzaga University Law School, a spokeswoman now tells me the retired jurist has decided not to. Instead, Walker will show tapes from the Nuremberg trials which she says "he feels make a tremendously strong statement about tra... KQED • Apr 21, 2011

	Gay Marriage Opponents Now in Minority A poll from CNN this week is the latest to show a majority of Americans in favor of same-sex marriage, with 51 percent saying that marriages between gay and lesbian couples "should be recognized by the law as valid" and 47 percent opposed. This is the fourth credible poll in the past eight months to show an outright majority of Americans in favor of gay marriage. That represents quite a lot of pr... FiveThirtyEight • Apr 21, 2011

	Paul Clement and King & Spalding Defend DOMA -- at a Discount You guys should really dig into King & Spalding's representation of the House in defending the Defense of Marriage Act. I would think the LGBT associates there, the diversity committee, indeed anybody who values equal rights, should be throwing a real fit over this. You can read the engagement letter here. See paragraph 4(g), which bars all K&S attorneys from any advocacy to alter or amen... Above the Law • Apr 20, 2011

	Yet Another New Poll Shows Majority Support For Same-Sex Marriage Yet another new poll, this one released Tuesday morning by CNN/Opinion Research, shows majority approval in the United States for same-sex marriage. This is the fourth major nationwide poll in less than a year to find a majority of Americans support marriage for same-gender couples. Previously, an ABC News/Washington Post poll found 53% support for same-sex marriage, and an AP/Roper poll, along w... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 20, 2011

	Taking a beating on budget compromise, Boehner turns up heat on gays Boehner won't get the Justice Department money because the request is absurd on a practical level. Justice Departments always prioritize cases and there's no easy way to calculate what Justice may be saving or spending by not taking the DOMA cases.... Colorado Independent • Apr 20, 2011

	Speaker Boehner's DOMA Defense Lawyer, Paul Clement, Is Announced -- and Faces Questions Boehner, in a letter to Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) referencing the Feb. 23 decision by the Justice Department that it would no longer defend Section 3 of DOMA in court, wrote, "The burden of defending DOMA, and the resulting costs associated with any litigation that would have otherwise been born by DOJ, has fallen to the House." Pelosi, however, shot back, writing, "Unfortunate... Metro Weekly • Apr 20, 2011

	Fourth question erupts in Prop. 8 The court battle over Proposition 8 has escalated yet another step -- now over a First Amendment issue. Two days after attorneys for proponents of California's ban on same-sex marriage filed a motion seeking to have a videotape of the landmark Proposition 8 trial sequestered from public availability, attorneys for same-sex couples challenging the ban filed a motion seeking the tape's "immediate r... Bay Windows • Apr 20, 2011

	Prop 8 news: Suit calls for full release of Prop 8 Trial video "Although Proponents expended tens of millions of dollars on a public campaign to restore discrimination in California that the state Supreme Court had struck down, they now seek to prevent the public from ever observing first-hand their efforts in a public courtroom to defend that discrimination and the exposure of those efforts to the acid test of cross-examination in open court. The present mot... 365Gay • Apr 20, 2011

	Bush Lawyer to Defend DOMA While the Obama administration has come under fire by conservatives for its February decision to no longer defend DOMA in federal court, Clement during his SG tenure himself declined to defend a federal law -- one prohibiting mass transit agencies that receive federal funds from permitting ads on buses and subways supporting medical marijuana in 2004, according to the Human Rights Campaign. C... Advocate • Apr 20, 2011

	Prop 8 Foes Call for Release of Trial Tapes The American Foundation for Equal Rights, the org led by Chad Griffin, is calling for the "full and unedited release" of trial footage, and they and other groups have filed briefs urging the court to release the video tapes. A coalition of media companies is expected to follow suit. "Why should the public be denied the opportunity to see and hear what happened in a public trial in a public courtr... Variety • Apr 20, 2011

	House Files to Intervene in DOMA Case The Republican-led House Monday launched its defense of a federal law banning recognition of gay marriages, with former Bush administration Solicitor General Paul Clement leading the effort. In a filing in federal court in New York, House lawmakers asked to be allowed to intervene in a case that challenged the legality of the law since the Justice Department had withdrawn its defense.... Wall Street Journal • Apr 20, 2011

	VICTORY: Sen. Kohl agrees to co-sponsor DOMA repeal; votes in hand in Sen. Judiciary Committee When we introduced this bill with Sen. Feinstein, we started at 8 votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee and 19 Senators in support overall. Since then we targeted and picked up Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN), the story of which I detailed here. We then moved onto Sen. Kohl and asked our members to tell him to support DOMA repeal, and why it was so important to them -- especially if they voted for, volun... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 20, 2011

	Video: Henry, Josh, DOMA, and what Janet Napolitano can do about it Josh and Henry are a legally married gay couple about to be torn apart unless Secretary Napolitano does something. Henry, an immigration from Venezuela whose visa has expired, is married to Josh and residing in Connecticut, and because of DOMA, Josh does not have an expedited visa process. Courage Campaign and AllOut's members are asking Secretary Napolitano to put a moratorium on deportations unt... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 19, 2011

	House sets $500,000 cap for Defense of Marriage Act lawyer The House has set a salary cap of $500,000 for the outside counsel it has hired to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court, according to a contract signed late last week. Paul D. Clement, a former Bush administration solicitor general who has been tapped by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to lead the House's legal defense of DOMA, will work at a rate of $520 an hour, to be paid by the Hou... Washington Post • Apr 19, 2011

	Documentary clips show sad face of Yes on 1 "We use a lot of hyperbole and I think that's always dangerous," says Mutty during a Yes on 1 strategy session, at the time on leave from his job as public affairs director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine. "You know, we say things like 'Teachers will be forced to (teach same-sex marriage in schools)!' " he continues. "Well, that's not a completely accurate statement and we all know it isn... Portland Press Herald • Apr 19, 2011

	Boehner Hires $5 Million Lawyer To Defend Unconstitutional Law Boehner's office has thus far refused to release its engagement letter with this big-dollar attorney. He brushed off a five week-old request by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) to disclose how much it would cost for the House to hire outside counsel to defend DOMA in court. Nevertheless, a letter from Boehner to Pelosi confirms that Clement is charging the American people for his work. Clement's f... Think Progress • Apr 19, 2011

	Boehner wants Justice Department to fund fight for Defense of Marriage Act Boehner sent House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a letter Monday asking her to support a reallocation of funds from the Justice Department to the House to cover the defense of the statute. "The burden of defending DOMA, and the resulting costs associated with any litigation that would have otherwise been born by DOJ, has fallen to the House," Boehner wrote. "Obviously, DOJ's decision re... Politico • Apr 19, 2011

	Boehner DOMA Counsel Said Some Laws Not Defensible The attorney hired by House Republicans to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in the wake of the Obama administration's decision not to fight for the 1996 federal law stated a position in 2005 that is identical to Obama's recent DOMA stance, saying the Bush White House would defend acts of Congress as long as "reasonable arguments can be made in the statute's defense." Testifying at his 2005 conf... Gay City News • Apr 18, 2011

	Tough questioning for Gallagher at marriage hearing Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, asked Gallagher if the children of Jen and Dawn BarbouRouske, a married same-sex couple from Iowa who were present during the hearing, should have parents who can receive the full protections of marriage or if she considers these children "expendable." "I think no children are expendable," Gallagher replied. "Gay people have fami... Washington Blade • Apr 18, 2011

	Prop 8 Complaint Backfires Spectacularly: This Week in Prop 8 for April 18, 2011 Leaked footage of the Prop 8 trial sparked a legal tug of war this week, with anti-gay groups renewing efforts to keep their work out of public view. Delaware's on track to be the 8th state to offer marriage-ish protections, and activists gear up in New York. This is our last episode of "This Week in Prop 8." Next week we're launching a brand new news show, with a more national focus and more hea... Stop8.org • Apr 18, 2011

	Another shot for UAFA in House, Senate Lawmakers initiated on Thursday a two-pronged approach to stop the separation of bi-national same-sex couples in the United States by introducing legislation and sending a letter to the Obama administration urging executive action. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) reintroduced in the House the Uniting American Families Act, which would enable gay Americans to sponsor their foreign partners for reside... Washington Blade • Apr 18, 2011

	New Yorkers Wanted for Marriage Equality Videos The Human Rights Campaign invites New Yorkers and visitors to the Big Apple to film their own video for the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign this Sunday in Manhattan. The first "pop-up video" event will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District at the intersection of Nine Avenue with Gansevoort and Little West 12th Streets, not far from the el... Advocate • Apr 17, 2011

	Olson responds to Prop 8′s "hide the tapes" motion On Wednesday, they fired up an indignant motion for the courts to put all video of the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial under lock and key, signed by none other than lead counsel Chuck Cooper. I noted that this was but part of their desire to keep any evidence of their testimony locked in the closet, where they think gay people should be. On Thursday, Judge Walker (an advocate for accountability) us... Box Turtle Bulletin • Apr 17, 2011

	Barney Frank: Playboy Interview PLAYBOY: Is the legalization of gay marriage next? FRANK: I don't see any change there. I don't see Congress doing anything about it. PLAYBOY: Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Although states may allow same-sex marriage, only recently did Obama say the federal government would no longer defend DOMA in court. FRANK: There are lawsuits against it that I think will win anyway, ... Playboy • Apr 17, 2011

	DOMA: Watch House "Defending Marriage" Hearing's Lies And Ignorance DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, was the subject of a hearing today convened for the explicit purpose of denigrating same-sex relationships, marriage equality, the LGBT community, the ability of same-sex-headed households to properly raise children, the Department of Justice, President Obama, and to portray the institution of, marriage as under attack from the Left. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), a ... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 17, 2011

	Couples In Prop. 8 Case Want Trial Tapes Public The lawyers filed a motion Friday arguing that the recordings should be treated like other public records. They're asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a seal that has been in place since the 2009 trial.... KCBS • Apr 16, 2011

	Gay Immigration Battle Heats Up Congressional advocates for LGBT immigration reform launched a two-pronged offensive Thursday with the reintroduction of the Uniting American Families Act and the release of a letter from 48 House members urging the Obama administration in part to suspend deportations faced by married gay spouses. The Thursday letter from Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California and Democratic colleagues called on Atty. Ge... Advocate • Apr 16, 2011

	The Cross-Examination Clip Prop 8 Proponents Didn't Want Vaughn Walker to Show The clip shows attorney plaintiffs' David Boies cross-examining Claremont-McKenna political science professor Kenneth Miller on whether Prop. 8 meets his definition of "official" or state sanctioned discrimination. It is not a particularly flattering clip, as it shows Boies getting Miller to acknowledge that laws against same sex marriage discriminate against gay and lesbian couples.... KQED • Apr 16, 2011

	Plea to make public Prop. 8 trial video The judge who presided over the Proposition 8 trial on same-sex marriage in California is accused of defying a Supreme Court order against any public broadcast of videotapes of that trial. UPDATE: The judge responded on Thursday, without mentioning the charge of defying the Court. FURTHER UPDATE: The couples who challenged Prop. 8 urge the Circuit Court to make public the full videotape of last ye... SCOTUSblog • Apr 16, 2011

	Delaware approves civil unions The House voted 26-15 in favor of the measure. The Delaware Senate voted 13-6 to approve the bill on April 7, and the state's governor, Democrat Jack A. Markell, has said he plans to sign it "Today, we celebrate a victory for all Delaware families who will have the tools to protect themselves in good times and in bad," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "We look forward to Governor Markell signing... Washington Blade • Apr 15, 2011

	Judge Walker responds to the "Oh, Noooes! Teh Ghehs Will Recognize Me" hysteria The Perry case involved a public trial. As Chief Justice Berger observed some years ago, "People in an open society do not demand infallibility in their institutions, but it is difficult for them to accept what they are prohibited from observing."... Box Turtle Bulletin • Apr 15, 2011

	UAFA re-introduced in Congress Federal lawmakers are set to announce the re-introduction of the Uniting American Families Act today (Thursday, April 14). The act would allow gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor their permanent partners for legal residency in the United States, a right currently enjoyed only by married heterosexuals under immigration law. Because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the United States does not legal... Bay Area Reporter • Apr 14, 2011

	NOM is developing a secret online propaganda team As early as last year after the Summer for Marriage Tour, NOM had the idea of assembling a special team of particularly dedicated supporters, which I lightly touched upon discussing NOM's illusion of support. The task of this team is to do the work NOM doesn't want to do or officially engage in.... Louis Marinelli • Apr 14, 2011

	Gay marriage foes want judge to return trial tapes The sponsors of California's same-sex marriage ban want the now-retired federal judge who declared Proposition 8 unconstitutional to surrender videotapes of the trial that led to his ruling. Lawyers for supporters of the voter-approved ban also asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday to prohibit former Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker from playing the recordings for anyone... Mercury News • Apr 14, 2011

	Victory: Illinois Kills Anti-Adoption Bill Thanks to hundreds of calls being made by people all over Illinois and all over the nation, the Senate panel in charge of overseeing SB 1123 rejected the discriminatory amendment to the bill, and sent the anti-gay set packing out of Springfield. The vote was very close: seven to six with one abstention.... Bilerico Project • Apr 14, 2011

	Wait: The Anti-gay Illinois Legislation Is a Democrat Bill? The anti-gay bill being hammered through Illinois in record time - the bill that will allow adoption agencies to deny loving, capable families the ability do deny based on "sincerely held religious belief" - is (wait for it) an almost totally Democrat-sponsored bill. "We are expecting this bill to pass the committee and will most likely pass the Senate as well," said TCRA Executive Director, Anth... Bilerico Project • Apr 13, 2011

	Wisconsin Courage Campaign members ask Sen. Kohl to become the final DOMA vote on committee 10 votes are required to pass legislation from the Senate Judiciary Committee. With Sen. Klobuchar now onboard with the bill and 8 other Democrats on the committee who are co-sponsors of the bill, Sen. Kohl's support would give our movement the votes we need to pass repeal... before the hearings even start.... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 13, 2011

	Two Top Think Tanks Merge One of the nation's leading research groups on the military and issues of gender and sexuality announced Monday that it is merging with the Williams Institute, another top think tank for policy-making and tracking statistics about the gay population. Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, announced the move to work as a distinct center operating under the Williams Institute at the University... Advocate • Apr 13, 2011

	Illinois Right Wing Is Forcing through an Anti-LGBT Bill The bill would amend the recently passed civil unions bill in Illinois to not only allow adoption agencies to discriminate against lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the adoption process - something currently illegal in Illinois currently, and has been Illegal for years with no negative consequences - the bill would also dismantle the Human Rights Act in the most dastardly way. Religious institu... Bilerico Project • Apr 13, 2011

	Poll: 46 percent of Mississippi Republicans want interracial marriage ban When usual Republican primary voters in the state of Mississippi were asked if they think interracial marriage should be legal or illegal, a whopping 46 percent said it should be illegal, compared to 40 percent who think it should be legal. The remaining 14 percent were unsure.... Salon • Apr 12, 2011

	House GOPer who wants Obama impeached over DOMA to chair hearing on "Defending Marriage" The hearing, scheduled for Friday, is being held by the House Judiciary Committee's "Subcommittee on the Constitution." That's classic. But, we've seen many times before that homophobes on Capitol Hill are willing to use the Constitution to discriminate and divide. And, as Chris Johnson reported, the hearing will be chaired by Rep. Trent Franks, who is especially homophobic.... AmericaBlog • Apr 12, 2011

	Gay Marriage Law Proposed In Uruguay A bill that would legalize marriage between two members of the same sex is expected to be introduced in Uruguay next week, La Nacion reported. The bill was drafted with the help of the gay rights group Ovejas Negras (Black Sheep) and is being sponsored by Representative Sebastian Sabini of the Frente Amplio, the nation's ruling party.... On Top Magazine • Apr 12, 2011

	N.Y. Poll Shows Record Marriage Support The telephone poll of 777 registered voters in early April found 58% in favor of and 36% opposed to "making same-sex marriages legal in New York state." That represents a slight but significant change from January, when the Siena poll found 57% in support and 38% opposed. Moreover, according to pollster Steven Greenberg, voters age 55 and older and Republicans are almost even divided on the issue,... Advocate • Apr 12, 2011

	Republicans Schedule Third Anti-Gay Hearing in Three Weeks Even when there was a serious threat to shut down the government in a matter of hours, the Republican leadership in the House found the time to schedule the third anti-gay hearing in just three weeks, this time to prop up the discriminatory and unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Yesterday and last week, Republicans held two hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal.... The Rainbow Times • Apr 11, 2011

	Boehner's Blank Check to Anti-Gay Lawyers: This Week in Prop 8 for April 11, 2011 Why did John Boehner sign up for a protracted legal fight over anti-gay laws without first finding out what it was going to cost taxpayers? Hope is on the way for gay couples facing homelessness due to discriminatory Medicaid policies. Civil unions advance in Delaware but marriage is on the rocks in Rhode Island. And will we see Prop 8 back on the ballot in 2012? Last month House Speaker John Boe... Stop8.org • Apr 11, 2011

	Anti-gay amendment filed in N.C. House LGBT advocates with the statewide group Equality North Carolina say marriage -- already denied to same-sex couples by state statute -- isn't the only right that could be banned by the proposed Senate version. Civil unions and domestic partner benefits could also be subject to prohibition. Several municipalities across the state offer health and other benefits to same-sex partners of their employee... QNotes • Apr 10, 2011

	Civil Unions Bill Clears Delaware Senate The Delaware Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would give gay and lesbian couples many of the legal protections of marriage. Democratic Senator Dave Sokola's civil unions bill cleared the chamber with a comfortable 13 to 6 vote. (2 members were absent.) Supporters fought off two amendments proposed by Democratic Senator Robert Venables. One measure asked for a public referendum on the issu... On Top Magazine • Apr 9, 2011

	Sources: Gay Marriage Can't Pass RI House ources are telling GoLocalProv that more than three months into the legislative session, there still are not enough votes in the Rhode Island House to ensure that a gay marriage bill would pass. In interviews with GoLocalProv, the number of 32 to 34 votes consistently was referenced as the number of state reps in favor of gay marriage, falling short of the 38 votes necessary for passage. Two stat... GoLocalProv • Apr 9, 2011

	Gay Couples Closer to Receiving Medicaid Spousal Protections Same-sex couples are one step closer to receiving protections that heterosexual married couples get when they receive long-term care through Medicaid -- that is, the healthy partner will be able to keep some of the ailing partner's money and remain in their home. At least, that's the goal. Right now, only opposite-sex married couples receive those rights because the federal government doesn't rec... NY Times • Apr 9, 2011

	Senators: Stop separating married bi-national couples Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is leading a group of 12 Democratic U.S. senators who are calling on the Obama administration to allow legally married bi-national same-sex couples to remain together in the United States. In a letter dated April 6, the senators urge the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to take action to protect these couples until the courts determine the const... Washington Blade • Apr 9, 2011

	Senate passes bill creating same-sex civil unions After an afternoon's worth of debate on the floor today, the Delaware Senate passed a bill that would establish civil unions for same-sex couples. Thirteen of the chamber's 21 members voted in favor of Senate Bill 30. Six voted against it: sens. Colin Bonini, R-Dover South; Joe Booth, R-Georgetown; Bruce Ennis, D-Smyrna; Dave Lawson, R-Kenton; F. Gary Simpson, R-Milford; and Robert Venebles, R-... Dover Post • Apr 8, 2011

	Delaware Senate to vote on civil unions SB 30 would give gay and lesbian couples access to the responsibilities and rights of marriage; partners in a civil union would be included wherever terms like "dependent," "next of kin" and "family" are used in Delaware regulations, codes and court decisions. If passed, Delaware would also recognize civil unions performed in other states. The measure passed out of committee and is expected to be... Washington Blade • Apr 8, 2011

	Launching a 50-state network to repeal DOMA This morning, Courage Campaign and veteran LGBT activist Cleve Jones are partnering to launch a 50-state network of volunteers committed to repealing DOMA. As I've written here, we are just one vote shy of the votes needed to pass DOMA repeal in the Senate Judiciary Committee. As Cleve wrote to our members this morning, what we will need to find the rest of the votes in both houses is volunteers ... Prop 8 Trial Tracker • Apr 8, 2011

	Vaughn Walker, retired judge, reflects on Prop. 8 After a 12-day trial that included testimony by gay and lesbian couples and experts on the history and purpose of marriage, Walker ruled that Prop. 8 discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender and did not benefit heterosexual spouses or the marital institution. The measure's sponsors have asked a federal appeals court to overturn the ruling, but the court has questioned whether t... SF Gate • Apr 8, 2011

	Plan to Repeal DOMA State by State The Courage Campaign has launched a 50-state strategy to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which is also being challenged in federal court cases and by Congress. The plan, in conjunction with longtime activist Cleve Jones, will be managed on a grassroots level, with efforts in each of the 435 congressional districts.... Advocate • Apr 8, 2011

	Perry v. Brown: Yes on 8 trying to 'usurp' power of elected officials In its brief, the Olson-Boies team argues that allowing Yes on 8 standing to represent voters after the state's election officials have decided against appeal would "subvert the express constitutional authority of the governor and attorney general to direct the defense of state laws." Both Governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris have said they would not defend Prop 8. Brown was pr... Bay Area Reporter • Apr 8, 2011

	'Brookings' Of Gay Rights Movement Marks 10 Years As Brains Behind Marriage, DADT Policy Shifts If there has been a single intellectual engine driving the shift in attitudes and laws regarding sexual orientation, it is arguably the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. As it celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, the California think tank has grown into the 'Brookings Institution' of the gay rights movement. "Objectivity is our modus operandi, the source of our credibility," said B... Huffington Post • Apr 8, 2011

	Prop. 8: Who speaks for the state? The Ninth Circuit indicated in January that it would put off a ruling on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 until after it gets some legal advice from the state Supreme Court on whether the backers of the ballot measure have any authority under state law to defend the ban in court since state officials have refused to do so. The proponents filed their brief on that issue in March. In reply M... SCOTUSblog • Apr 8, 2011

	With adoption campaign, NOM is now officially an anti-gay group While couched under a desire to protect religious-based adoption agencies from going against their beliefs, NOM's latest action is an undeniably anti-LGBT effort. They have voiced no real concern for the surplus of children in need of homes. No concern for the balance between civil and religious interests. Obviously they've shown no concern for the same-sex couples who deserve respect, ideally, an... Good As You • Apr 8, 2011

	Boehner has no estimate on DOMA defense costs U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday he doesn't have an estimate for the cost of the House defense of the Defense of Marriage Act in court as he maintained congressional action was necessary to uphold the anti-gay statute. During a news conference on Capitol Hill, Boehner said he doesn't have information on the expenses for defending DOMA -- including the cost of any private att... Washington Blade • Apr 7, 2011

	The Extra Hoops Gay Parents Must Jump Through Most pregnant women avoid long road trips right before their due date. But Amanda and Kay Shelton, a lesbian couple in Beverly Hills, Mich., contemplated traveling more than 600 miles to New Jersey so Amanda could give birth in a state where their baby could have two "legal" mothers. Michigan, along with several others, doesn't allow same-sex couples to perform second-parent adoptions, which allo... NY Times • Apr 7, 2011

	Gay judge never considered dropping Prop 8 case The U.S. judge who struck down California's gay marriage ban never considered his own homosexuality as a reason to recuse himself from the case, he said on Wednesday. Former U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who retired from the bench at the end of February, said it would not be appropriate for any judge's sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin or gender to stop them from presiding over ... Reuters • Apr 6, 2011

	Little support for marriage alternative in RI A proposal to extend some of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples and others who can't legally marry, such as siblings, is winning little support amid Rhode Island's debate over legalizing gay marriage. The legislation would grant some rights associated with insurance coverage, health care decisions and inheritance to so-called "reciprocal beneficiaries." Relatives would also be eligible fo... AP • Apr 6, 2011

	Reps Speak Out on Gay Immigration A growing number of congressional representatives are voicing opposition to the Department of Homeland Security's "business as usual" handling of immigration cases involving married binational gay couples -- some who may face future deportation proceedings as a result. Two California Democrats -- Rep. Jackie Speier and Rep. Mike Honda -- told The Advocate Friday that they disagreed with the recen... Advocate • Apr 6, 2011

	Couple celebrate first civil partnership in Ireland Barry Dignam and Hugh Walsh will make history today as Ireland's first official gay wedding couple - and they couldn't be happier. Dignam and Walsh, together for the past 17 years, will become the public face of civil partnership in Ireland as the first couple not to require an exemption to celebrate a gay marriage. New legislation which came into effect on January 1st allows the pair to be marr... Irish Central • Apr 6, 2011

	John Boehner Pressed For DOMA Defense Briefing Six House Democrats behind the effort to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) have asked House Speaker John Boehner for a briefing on efforts to defend the law in court. A Boehner-appointed committee last month instructed House counsel to defend the law that bans federal recognition of the marriages of gay and lesbian couples after President Barack Obama announced his administration would no... On Top Magazine • Apr 6, 2011

	Congressman Rush Holt to Secretary Janet Napolitano: Stop the Deportation of Henry Velandia In the first letter of its kind since the administration changed its position on the Defense of Marriage Act, Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) urges Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to "immediately resolve" the deportation case currently impacting his constituents, Josh Vandiver and Henry Velandia, and to halt all deportations involving married gay and lesbian binational c... Stop the Deportations • Apr 6, 2011

	Proposition 8 back to the ballot in 2012? Equality California launched a campaign yesterday to gauge community support for heading back to the ballot in 2012 to try to undo Proposition 8. Approved by voters in November 2008, Prop 8 amended the state constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage, which had been legal for 4 and a half months. EQCA said the ongoing federal lawsuit against Prop 8 "could take years to resolve" and so it wants to ... PinkPaper • Apr 5, 2011

	Hate Msg's for Prop. 8 Plaintiffs Two plaintiffs in the high-profile Proposition 8 case were subjected to multiple vitriolic and antigay voice mails during the 2010 trial from a San Francisco man who was later convicted of making threatening telephone calls to then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi. According to a 2010 Berkeley, Calif., police department report, Sandra Stier, who with her partner, Kristin Perry, filed suit against Prop.... Advocate • Apr 5, 2011

	Politicians & Gay Bashers: This Week in Prop 8 for April 4, 2011 What's the connection between this anti-gay assault in New York and this anti-gay politician in California? We'll take a closer look at both this week, and analyze some new ads airing in Oregon. There's been significant movement around the country on civil unions, and Montana Republicans are backing an bill that could send any gay couple to prison for up to ten years. All that plus an interview wi... Stop8.org • Apr 4, 2011

	Shocking Video Of NYC West Village Anti-Gay Hate Crime Beating Damian Furtch was walking home from work Sunday, March 27, when two men called him a "fucking faggot," then beat him so hard he was forced into oncoming Sixth Avenue traffic. Police have yet to locate the suspects that landed Furtch in the hospital with two black eyes, stitches, and a broken nose that will need to be broken again by doctors to heal properly.... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 2, 2011

	Republican Voters: Moral Values, Social Issues Not Important In Politics A new study released by Gallup finds that only 17% of Americans who vote or lean Republican say social issues and moral values are important, and rank them third of four major categories, after government spending and power (38%), and business and the economy (32%), in stark contrast to the focus of over a dozen current Republican presidential candidates and aspirants. Despite an overwhelming foc... The New Civil Rights Movement • Apr 2, 2011

	Shumlin Pushes for Marriage Equality in R.I. Vermont governor Peter Shumlin spoke about his state's journey toward marriage equality in Rhode Island, where he urged lawmakers to put aside any fears and vote on the right side of history. Shumlin visited Thursday afternoon at the invitation of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, which organized a news conference in Providence with Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee. The Vermont governor also me... Advocate • Apr 2, 2011

	Ill. Marriage Amendment Declared Dead Illinois already has a statutory ban on same-sex marriage, but constitutional bans are more difficult to overcome. Earlier this year Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law a bill establishing civil unions for both gay and straight couples, something that proponents see as a step toward marriage equality.... Advocate • Apr 2, 2011

	Put It Gets Better In School Libraries With a $25 donation, you can make sure a copy of Dan Savage's It Gets Better book is sent to the school library of your choice. The anthology, which was edited by Savage and his partner, Terry Miller, and was born out of their It Gets Better antibullying initiative, is available now. Reads the website: "Your $25 contribution will enable us to send a copy of the book to a school library of your ch... Advocate • Apr 2, 2011

	Basic Rights Oregon launches a major marriage equality ad campaign Basic Rights Oregon has launched a 3-week television campaign that is blanketing the state with these two ads. The goal is simple: reach out to people who haven't yet formed strong opinions about marriage equality and encourage them to consider the issue in perhaps a new way.... Pam's House Blend • Apr 1, 2011

	Gay Marriage 'Front' In Brazil Attracts 171 Lawmakers A group of 171 senators and deputies in Brazil have joined a "Parliamentary Front for the LGBT Community," which will promote the legalization of gay marriage, Spanish news agency EFE reported. The effort is helmed by Senator Marta Suplicy and Congressman Jean Wyllys, Brazil's first openly gay lawmaker.... On Top Magazine • Apr 1, 2011

	Young gay man brutally beaten at New York McDonald's A young gay man has posted pictures of his injuries on Facebook after he was set upon in an anti-gay attack outside a McDonald's restaurant in New York. Damian Furtch, 26, was sitting in the West Village fast food restaurant with a friend on Sunday evening when two men began to harass him.... Pink News • Apr 1, 2011

	Delaware civil unions bill clears committee A Senate civil unions bill that would recognize "solemnized" same-sex relationships with the same legal protections and requirements as marriage -- was voted out of the state Senate Administrative Services Committee after a two-hour hearing Wednesday. The bill -- S.B. 30 -- sponsored by Sen. David Sokola, D-Newark North, with more than two dozen co-sponsors, now goes to the Senate floor for debat... Delaware Online • Apr 1, 2011

	Republicans reject Colorado civil unions bill A GOP-led House committee voted Thursday to shelve the measure that would have made Colorado the eighth state in the country with civil union legislation or similar legal recognitions for gay couples. The bill died on a 6-5 party-line vote.... KGWN • Apr 1, 2011

	Colorado House Judiciary Committee Stops Civil Union Bill From Advancing Today, the House Judiciary Committee in Colorado voted to stop all progress on the Colorado Civil Union Act, which would have provided committed lesbian and gay couples the same legal protections such as the inheritance of property, family leave rights, hospital visitation rights, and medical and end of life decisions for a partner. The bill has the support of 72% of Coloradans, but does not have ... Lez Get Real • Apr 1, 2011

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