Brief challenges laws discriminating against gay and lesbian veterans

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals on Wednesday for Veterans Claims arguing that laws denying gay and lesbian veterans the spousal benefits they have earned, and which Congress has determined are necessary to support their families, "serve[] only to discriminate against gay and lesbian veterans" and "must be struck down as unconstitutional." ...

LGBTQ Nation • Apr 30, 2012

Colorado gay rights group donates to Republican lawmakers who voted for civil unions

One Colorado, the group leading the lobbying effort for civil unions here, has repeatedly pledged to support any lawmaker -- Republican or Democrat -- who supports relationship recognition legislation. This week, campaign finance reports show the group has made good on its promise. ...

LGBTQ Nation • Feb 5, 2012

Scotland likely to legalize same-sex marriage 'by the end of 2013'

Scotland is likely to have full marriage equality by the end of 2013 at the latest, Tim Hopkins, Director of the Equality Network, told LGBTQ Nation at a reception in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday evening. ...

LGBTQ Nation • Feb 2, 2012

More twists and turns as Colorado legislature wrestles with civil unions

When the Colorado Civil Union Act of 2012 is introduced on the first day the General Assembly convenes, it will start a journey for the LGBT community -- and for politicos, alike -- that no one is quite sure where it will end up. So many factors and actors are in play at this point that everyone involved should be prepared for more ups and downs than a roller coaster ride at Elitch Gardens....

LGBTQ Nation • Jan 6, 2012

Nebraska teenage politico responsible for gay marriage initiative

One year after filing the initiative petition to end the same-sex marriage prohibition in the state of Nebraska, Chris Dyer, 18, is more dedicated than ever in reaching the required 112,877 signatures to place the Constitutional amendment repeal onto the 2012 ballot....

LGBTQ Nation • Nov 30, 2011

Congressman calls for hearing to address rising cost of DOMA defense

Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, on Tuesday sent a letter to the Subcommittee's Chairman -- Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) -- asking for the hearing "to shine light" on the GOP effort to defend the "constitutionally-questionable Defense of Marriage Act." ...

LGBTQ Nation • Oct 20, 2011

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network plans lawsuit over military benefits

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said it will file a lawsuit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), seeking military benefits for legally married same-sex couples that are currently available to their heterosexual counterparts....

LGBTQ Nation • Oct 20, 2011

Obama addresses annual HRC dinner; calls for repeal of DOMA, rebukes GOP candidates (Video)

President Barack Obama on Saturday evening delivered the keynote address to a gathering of more than 3,000 LGBT rights advocates at the Human Rights Campaign's 15th Annual HRC National Dinner, and called for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and issued a sharp rebuke to GOP presidential hopefuls for not supporting gay troops....

LGBTQ Nation • Oct 2, 2011

Boehner's DOMA defense contains junk science, bad sources

Diamond's complaint is detrimental to this pursuit. But I think I have found another potentially huge problem. There is a portion of Clement's documentation which bears much scrutiny. It is the section called "Plaintiff Misstates the Science on Same-Sex Parenting" and it is a huge mess....

LGBTQ Nation • Aug 25, 2011

Gay man, transgender woman marry in first LGBT wedding in Cuba

Same-sex marriage is illegal in Cuba, however the government has recently permitted marriage between transgendered individuals who have changed their sex and wish to marry someone of the opposite sex. Although Triepa, previously Alexis, is now a woman, the couple consider their union a gay marriage....

LGBTQ Nation • Aug 15, 2011