Passing the Word

Did The Boy Scouts Just Give a Nod to Gays?

2012-01-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Full Story » The Advocate

While the Boy Scouts of America has stood by its policy of barring openly gay scout leaders, one blogger for the national organization says the scout leaders should embrace a tolerance-boosting initiative spearheaded by a gay student organization.

In a blog post on Monday for Scouting magazine, Eagle Scout Bryan Wendell wrote in support of No Name Calling Week, coordinated by the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network. He encouraged leaders to stop name-calling among their scouts.

Eliza Byard, executive director of GLSEN praised the blog post and the BSA on the Huffington Post on Tuesday, for supporting No Name-Calling Week.

"However," she said in a statement to the news site, "the lessons of this week are not enough to counteract the overwhelmingly negative message sent to scouts by the Boy Scouts of America’s continuing anti-LGBT policies. The Boy Scouts of America must recognize that gay people can be—and are—positive contributors to its vision of building respectful and service-oriented leaders of tomorrow."

Newt Gingrich Secretly Funneled $350,000 To Anti-Gay Hate Groups Last Year

2012-01-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

Full Story » ThinkProgress.org
By Josh Dorner

Last year, former Speaker Newt Gingrich offered his vocal support for the ultimately successful campaign to oust three of the nine Iowa Supreme Court justices who had unanimously ruled in favor of marriage equality. As Gingrich courts social conservatives while exploring a possible presidential bid, new disclosures from his camp indicate that he and his associates bankrolled more than one-third of the $850,000 campaign to remove the Iowa justices.

ThinkProgress previously reported on $200,000 that Gingrich funneled from an anonymous donor to the anti-marriage equality group Iowa for Freedom, which was also being funded by AFA Action, the political arm of the virulently anti-gay American Family Association. The Associated Press revealed yesterday that one of the cogs in Gingrich’s vast network of business enterprises and front groups, ReAL Action, provided $125,000 to AFA Action. The Des Moines Register reported this morning that ReAL Action also contributed $25,000 to yet another Iowa anti-LGBT group, the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition.

AFA is not only of the nation’s most prominent anti-LGBT groups, it has been officially labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. As ThinkProgress has reported, the AFA is known for making incendiary comments about gays, including blaming gays for crop failure and various other biblical plagues, claiming that Hitler was gay, saying lesbians can’t be justices, equating gay sex with domestic terrorism, and equating gay sex to heroin, just to cite a few examples.

Washington Lawmakers to Consider Marriage Bills Monday

2012-01-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

Ready, Set, GO...
Full Story » The Advocate
Google+
By Andrew Harmon

Large crowds are expected Monday in Olympia as lawmakers begin considering whether to make Washington the seventh state in the nation where marriage equality is legal.

Passage of the legislation, which has the support of Gov. Chris Gregoire, is by no means certain. Though the house bill has enough votes, an identical senate measure is currently one vote shy of support, with five lawmakers still undecided (The Stranger profiles the remaining undecideds and lists all relevant office contact information as well).

Per its usual playbook, the National Organization for Marriage is threatening to support the ousting of any Republican senator who votes in favor of the bill. On Wednesday, NOM president Brian Brown said in a statement that the group would spend $250,000 to fund primary challenges against pro-equality GOP legislators.

“If the legislature forces through same-sex marriage, they need to know that marriage will be on the ballot in November and the people of Washington will hold them accountable," Brown said.
A coalition of marriage equality supporters includes heavy-hitting corporations headquartered in the state such as Nike and Microsoft. "To be successful, it’s critical that we have a workforce that is as diverse as our customers," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith wrote Thursday. "Inclusiveness is therefore a fundamental part of our values."

The Seattle Times reports that anti-gay marriage forces are planning a noontime rally Monday at the state capitol.

Both bills could see a floor vote in the state legislature by next month.

More on this...

Packed hearings likely Monday on gay-marriage bills
By Andrew Garber and Lornet Turnbull
Seattle Times staff reporters
Hearings on gay marriage legislation are scheduled Monday in Olympia, and supporters and opponents are working to persuade lawmakers.

OLYMPIA — With gay-marriage legislation only one vote short of approval in the state Senate, pressure is building on five uncommitted senators who will likely decide the issue.

A coalition of religious conservatives is lobbying lawmakers in Olympia to oppose same-sex marriage, while the National Organization for Marriage announced last week it would spend $250,000 in Washington state to help defeat any Republican who supports the bill.

Mayors for the Freedom to Marry

2012-01-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

Full Story » freedomtomarry.org
Facebook

Welcome Message from the Chairs

In affirmation of the critical role that cities and their mayors have played in advancing civil rights and equal treatment for all Americans, we are proud to be chairs of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. Mayors for the Freedom to Marry is a broad-based and nonpartisan group of mayors who believe that all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage.

As mayors of five of America’s great cities, we understand that the strength and health of our cities are enhanced when all families are protected and supported. We know many people in loving and committed same-sex relationships who are active participants in improving our communities and we’ve seen how important marriage has been for them and their families.

We are honored to lead this bipartisan group of mayors who support ending marriage discrimination at all levels of government. While we will each have different strategies for pursuing that end, we all agree on the goal: securing the freedom to marry and upholding equal rights for all citizens.
We are a diverse group of mayors—from small cities in Indiana and Maine, to the four largest cities in America. Our cities are culturally, racially and geographically diverse, but we share one important value: a common commitment to fairness.

We invite our colleagues to join us in signing this statement as we advocate for the freedom to marry and build a nation where all loving couples who want to make the life-long commitment can share in the joy and respect of marriage.

Marriage Equality in Washington State Would Be Good for Business

2012-01-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Technet: Microsoft Blog

Today, Microsoft is joining other Northwest employers Concur, Group Health, Nike, RealNetworks and Vulcan Inc. in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. We believe that passing this bill would be good for our business and good for the state’s economy. I wanted to take a few moments to explain why.

At Microsoft, we pride ourselves on our products and services, our brand, and our global reach. But unquestionably, our employees are our greatest asset.

To be successful, it’s critical that we have a workforce that is as diverse as our customers. Every day, the national and global economies are becoming more diverse. The lifeblood of a business is its ability to understand and connect with its customers. We’re no exception. Now more than ever, the most effective workforce is a diverse workforce.

While some of our employees literally grew up around the corner, others have come from every state and almost 150 countries around the world. They reflect virtually every background in the country and on the planet. They bring their creativity to work, and they put it to good use in developing new products and serving our customers. There simply is no substitute for their diverse backgrounds, perspectives, skills and experiences.

Inclusiveness is therefore a fundamental part of our values, and is integral to the company’s business success.

This means it’s important to go beyond simply forbidding discrimination; we strive to actively promote diversity, equality and inclusion in our workplace. In 1993, Microsoft became the first Fortune 500 company to provide same-sex domestic partnership benefits. For almost two decades, we’ve benefited from this support and the resulting contributions of our LGBT employees.

In addition to corporate policies supporting diversity and equality, we strive to engage in a thoughtful manner in public discussions on issues that have a significant impact on our employees and our business. For example, Microsoft supported legislation in Washington State prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as well as legislation expanding domestic partnership rights.

Our support today for Senate Bill 6239 and HB 2516, Washington’s marriage equality legislation, builds upon our previous work in this area.

As other states recognize marriage equality, Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families. Employers in the technology sector face an unprecedented national and global competition for top talent. Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbors. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples – Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. This in turn will help us continue to compete for talent.

While Microsoft’s support for marriage equality is motivated by respect for our employees, we also respect the views of those who may not agree with our position. For example, we have many highly valued and highly successful employees who hold a wide range of views on this and many other issues. We’re not asking anyone to change their views to conform to the company’s position.

Why Gay Parents May Be the Best Parents

2012-01-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Yahoo News
By Stephanie Pappas | LiveScience.com

Gay marriage, and especially gay parenting, has been in the cross hairs in recent days.

On Jan. 6, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum told a New Hampshire audience that children are better off with a father in prison than being raised in a home with lesbian parents and no father at all. And last Monday (Jan. 9), Pope Benedict called gay marriage a threat "to the future of humanity itself," citing the need for children to have heterosexual homes.

But research on families headed by gays and lesbians doesn't back up these dire assertions. In fact, in some ways, gay parents may bring talents to the table that straight parents don't.

Gay parents "tend to be more motivated, more committed than heterosexual parents on average, because they chose to be parents," said Abbie Goldberg, a psychologist at Clark University in Massachusetts who researches gay and lesbian parenting. Gays and lesbians rarely become parents by accident, compared with an almost 50 percent accidental pregnancy rate among heterosexuals, Goldberg said. "That translates to greater commitment on average and more involvement."

And while research indicates that kids of gay parents show few differences in achievement, mental health, social functioning and other measures, these kids may have the advantage of open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships, according to some research. Not only that, but gays and lesbians are likely to provide homes for difficult-to-place children in the foster system, studies show. (Of course, this isn't to say that heterosexual parents can't bring these same qualities to the parenting table.) [5 Myths About Gay People Debunked]

Adopting the neediest

Gay adoption recently caused controversy in Illinois, where Catholic Charities adoption services decided in November to cease offering services because the state refused funding unless the groups agreed not to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Rather than comply, Catholic Charities closed up shop.

Catholic opposition aside, research suggests that gay and lesbian parents are actually a powerful resource for kids in need of adoption. According to a 2007 report by the Williams Institute and the Urban Institute, 65,000 kids were living with adoptive gay parents between 2000 and 2002, with another 14,000 in foster homes headed by gays and lesbians. (There are currently more than 100,000 kids in foster care in the U.S.)

An October 2011 report by Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute found that, of gay and lesbian adoptions at more than 300 agencies, 10 percent of the kids placed were older than 6 — typically a very difficult age to adopt out. About 25 percent were older than 3. Sixty percent of gay and lesbian couples adopted across races, which is important given that minority children in the foster system tend to linger. More than half of the kids adopted by gays and lesbians had special needs.

The report didn't compare the adoption preferences of gay couples directly with those of heterosexual couples, said author David Brodzinsky, research director at the Institute and co-editor of "Adoption By Lesbians and Gay Men: A New Dimension of Family Diversity" (Oxford University Press, 2011). But research suggests that gays and lesbians are more likely than heterosexuals to adopt older, special-needs and minority children, he said. Part of that could be their own preferences, and part could be because of discrimination by adoption agencies that puts more difficult children with what caseworkers see as "less desirable" parents.

No matter how you slice it, Brodzinsky told LiveScience, gays and lesbians are highly interested in adoption as a group. The 2007 report by the Urban Institute also found that more than half of gay men and 41 percent of lesbians in the U.S. would like to adopt. That adds up to an estimated 2 million gay people who are interested in adoption. It's a huge reservoir of potential parents who could get kids out of the instability of the foster system, Brodzinsky said.

"When you think about the 114,000 children who are freed for adoption who continue to live in foster care and who are not being readily adopted, the goal is to increase the pool of available, interested and well-trained individuals to parent these children," Brodzinsky said.

In addition, Brodzinsky said, there's evidence to suggest that gays and lesbians are especially accepting of open adoptions, where the child retains some contact with his or her birth parents. And the statistics bear out that birth parents often have no problem with their kids being raised by same-sex couples, he added.

"Interestingly, we find that a small percentage, but enough to be noteworthy, [of birth mothers] make a conscious decision to place with gay men, so they can be the only mother in their child's life," Brodzinsky said...

Read the Full Story » Yahoo News

Former ‘ex-gay’ leader comes out, says he ‘can no longer condemn gays’

2012-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

Full Story » LGBTQ Nation
Google+

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — John Smid, the former Executive Director of Exodus International’s oldest ministry “Love in Action,” has publicly admitted that he is gay, and now says that being LGBTQ is an intrinsic part of a person’s being, not a “behavior” that one can repent from.

Writing on the website of his new ministry, Grace Rivers, Smid said, “One cannot repent of something that is unchangeable.”

Smid, who resigned as Executive Director of Love in Action in 2008 — an ex-gay Christian ministry that purports to “restore those trapped” in homosexuality — is now disavowing the message he preached for years that promised gays they could change.

In acknowledging that he is gay, Smid wrote:
“I also want to reiterate here that the transformation for the vast majority of homosexuals will not include a change of sexual orientation. Actually I’ve never met a man who experienced a change from homosexual to heterosexual.”

“I used to define homosexuality or heterosexuality in terms describing one’s behavior. I thought it made sense and through the years often wrote articles and talked from that perspective.

“Today, I understand why the gay community had such an issue with my writings. My perspective denied so many facets of the homosexual experience. I minimized a person’s life to just their sexuality but homosexuality is much more than sex.”

Smid also writes that, “I am homosexual, my wife is heterosexual,” and that this creates a “unique marriage experience that many do not understand.”

Huntsman bows out of presidential race, endorses Romney

GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, Jr., announced on Monday he was bringing to an end his bid for the White House, marking an end to the candidacy of one of the most pro-gay contenders in the Republican field.

In an address to supporters at Myrtle Beach, S.C., the former Utah governor announced he was exiting the race and throwing his support behind frontrunner Mitt Romney.

Anti-gay, evangelical leaders endorse Santorum

2012-01-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Washington Blade
Google+

The anti-gay Family Research Council and evangelical leaders have endorsed Republican candidate Rick Santorum for president amid observations that the social conservatives are unhappy with the idea of frontrunner Mitt Romney’s nomination.

On Saturday, Tony Perkins, FRC’s president, announced Santorum had won the backing of the nearly 170 conservative leaders who gathered in Brenham, Texas, to discuss the GOP primary race and top policy goals for a Republican administration.

“There is clearly a united group here that is committed to see … a true conservative elected to the White House,” Perkins said after the decision was made, according to Reuters.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has dubbed the Family Research Council a “hate group” in part because of its opposition to LGBT rights. Other anti-gay leaders who were present at the meeting — and backing Santorum — were Gary Bauer and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania won the endorsement on the third round of balloting, Politico reports. Of the 114 votes cast, Santorum won 85. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich took the remainder.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry didn’t even make it past the first round of balloting — even though the meeting was held in his home state and he’s heavily courted evangelicals since the beginning of his campaign.

Santorum is line with the views of evangelicals on social issue because he’s taken a hard line on them — especially opposition to same-sex marriage — over the course of his presidential campaign.

While campaigning before the New Hampshire primary, Santorum said the legalization of same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy and said children would be better of having parents in prison rather than parents of the same gender. Santorum has also said he’s restore “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” if elected president.

Meanwhile, Romney has said he supports “full rights” for gay people, although he opposes same-sex marriage. The former Massachusetts governor has said he’d leave open service for gays in the military as it is.

But both Santorum and Romney have signed a pledge from the National Organization for Marriage committing themselves to back a Federal Marriage Amendment, defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court and establish a presidential commission on “religious liberty.”

Minnesota Rep. Karen Clark Backs Repeal Of Proposed Gay Marriage Ban

2012-01-14T19:53:00.000-08:00

Full Story » On Top Mag

Minnesota Rep. Karen Clark on Friday introduced a bill in the House that would repeal a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

The amendment, approved last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature and slated to be voted on during the November general election, would define marriage in the state as a heterosexual union.

Clark's bill (HF 1885) would remove the measure from the 2012 ballot. The bill faces an uphill battle in a Legislature whose composition hasn't change much since last year.

The measure has the backing of 17 co-sponsors, all off whom are Democrats.

In an emotional speech to colleagues last year, Clark pleaded with lawmakers to consider her own union of 22 years in deciding on the amendment.

“Which one of you, my colleagues, do not believe I should have my basic family rights with my partner?” she asked. “Please tell me. That's what this [is] about. I've paid my dues, my required share. You have to be able to face me and face your own constituents who have been calling you and tell us that's what you believe and support.”

“Until this last election, I thought my partner and I might be able to be one of the early couples to enjoy the rights of marriage by a law getting passed and signed by Minnesota. But that possibility has changed, at least for now. And since my dad has become so ill, I have, for the first time, thought of taking a trip to Iowa, where gay marriage is legal.”

“But I beg you colleagues; please don't make me go off to Iowa.”

Child, Please: How Much Worse Does It Have to Get Before 'It Gets Better'?

2012-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Huffington Post Gay Voice
Google+

While at least 12 queer teens succumbed to hostile schoolground violence (HSV)-induced bullycide (bullying that leads to suicide) in the final four months of 2010, the anti-queer HSV-motivated bullycides rolled right into 2011.

A year ago this week, in mid-January 2011, after suffering HSV that included (but wasn't limited to) a broken jaw and cyber-attacks on a Facebook page created specifically to ridicule him in part based on his perceived sexual orientation, 14-year-old Kameron Jacobsen succumbed to bullycide.

I couldn't imagine what it would be like for a parent to live through the death of a child for any reason. I also couldn't imagine how a parent or sibling could live through the bullycide of their family member and then see other kids celebrating or mocking the death of the parent's or sibling's family member, at school, with the school refusing to meaningfully intervene to stop it.

Dan Savage wants us to think that somehow, someway, "it gets better." While I value Savage's intentions, laud his efforts, and adore his irreverence, I'm calling B.S. on the "It Gets Better" propaganda. Jamey Rodemeyer was proof enough of that to me, as last year, after he made an "It Gets Better" video, he ultimately succumbed to the torment of HSV by killing himself. It didn't get better. And as we unfortunately just learned, this week it didn't get better for EricJames Borges, who took his own life only a month after filming his video for the "It Gets Better" campaign.

While it sometimes does get better for queer adults, many queer or queer-perceived youth simply can never envision making it to adulthood, nomatterwhostars in the video.

And now, beyond more deaths of queer teens, we're sadly also seeing how it doesn't get better for the surviving families of these kids' bullycides.

Resiliently attempting to honor Kameron Jacobsen's memory following his bullycide last January by trying to help make "it get better" for bullycidal kids, Kameron's dad, Kevin Jacobsen, devoted the past year to fight against the HSV that can lead to bullycide. In the last year alone, Kevin helped create the Kindness Above Malice Foundation (KAM), an organization with a simple and noble goal: "Teach kids to be kind."

Even assuming kids are inherently kind and instead are socialized into their discriminatory and ignorant conduct, what a great and understandable message, right? How could you not praise Kevin Jacobsen for his efforts to create KAM following the heartbreaking bullycide of his son?

But whether because of the daily battle he faced to ease bullying and HSV for other kids or the arrival of the one-year anniversary of his son's bullycide or any other conceivable reason or combination of reasons that we don't know about that may have existed, earlier this week Kameron's dad, Kevin Jacobsen -- an advocate for kids to just be kind to each other -- took his own life.

Watson withdraws Senate version of bill affecting transgender use of restrooms, dressing rooms

2012-01-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Times Free Press
NASHVILLE — Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, this afternoon withdrew the Senate version of a controversial House measure prohibiting transgender people from using use public bathrooms and dressing rooms that don’t match the gender listed on their birth certificates.

Watson, who is chairman of the Hamilton County legislative delegation, said he sponsored the bill as a standard courtesy to local House members, in this instance, Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, the House sponsor of the measure.

“I understand Rep. Floyd’s passion about the issue, but we have more pressing issues before us that we need to focus our attention on and we don’t need to get sidetracked,” Watson said.

The legislation had drawn swift condemnation on gay and liberal blogs with Jonathan Cole of the Tennessee Equality Project dubbing it the “Police the Potty” bill. Cole noted state law already prohibits anyone born in the state from amending their gender on birth certificates after undergoing medical procedures to change gender.

Facebook shuts down page of lead DADT repeal group based on fake complaint

2012-01-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Full Story » America Blog GAY

OutServe played a key role in repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. They're an organization of active duty gay, lesbians, bisexual and trans members of the military.

I just spoke with OutServe's co-director Ty Walrod, and as it stands, OutServe says that someone using a fake name and fake email address contacted Facebook to complain that the OutServe Facebook page was somehow infringing on OutServe (they used a fake OutServe "legal department" email address). So Facebook simply shut it down. Now Facebook is telling OutServe that it needs to get the fake complainant to rescind its complaint or they won't put the page back up. But of course, how do you get a fake person with a fake email address to rescind their fake complaint?

This reeks of SOPA/PIPA. Of Internet types shutting people down with no due process, at the slightest whiff of someone, anyone, even a fake person, making a claim against you. And then the burden is on you, after you're shut down, to try to prove you're innocent - though this is actually worse, making you find the person who lied to shut you down. This isn't right.

Not only does Facebook need to reopen this page, pronto, but Facebook also needs to establish a better process than simply telling people they're out of luck unless they can get the fake complainant to rescind his fake complainant. This is starting to reek of an anti-gay action by the fake complainant, and we can't have Facebook setting up a precedent where they pull down the pages of legitimate gay groups every time a homophobe makes up a lie.

Here's the email paper trail from Facebook, it looks pretty dumb.

Read the letters in full at AB Gay

Gingrich Denies Facts About Same-Sex Adoption In Massachusetts, and D.C.

2012-01-10T15:56:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Equality Matters

During an appearance on the January 10, 2012, edition of CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich attempted to advance his claim that the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. had forced Catholic Charities and other religious institutions to put an end to their adoption services. O’Brien attempted to correct Gingrich by pointing out that, in both cases, Catholic Charities were simply being asked to abide by non-discrimination laws in order to receive public funding. Gingrich rejected O’Brien’s explanation, but her analysis was exactly correct.

Gingrich Claims Catholic Adoption Agencies Were “Forced To Close” In Massachusetts, Washington, D.C.

Gingrich: Catholic Adoption Agencies Are “Being Forced To Meet The Secular Demands Of The State.” From the January 10 edition of CNN’s Starting Point:

SOLEDAD O’BRIEN (HOST): You were talking about gay adoption and you said that the church, the Catholic Church, was forced to close its adoption centers. Isn’t what really happened that, if the church decided it was going to continue to take federal funds and have access to those foster children, that they couldn’t continue to discriminate against gay couples who wanted to adopt?

NEWT GINGRICH: That’s right.
O’BRIEN: They weren’t really forced to close, they made the decision.
GINGRICH: No, no. They were forced to close because you’re saying to a religious group “give up your religion.” That’s absurd. The idea that the state would impose its secular values on a religious organization is an absurdity.
O’BRIEN: If you want funding. Isn’t that if you want funding?
GINGRICH: No, no, in Massachusetts–
O’BRIEN: You can do whatever you want but if you want funding.
GINGRICH: No, that’s not true. That’s not true. There are states now, including the District of Columbia, which essentially adopt laws that say you can’t offer an adoption service unless you meet the secular standards of the state. They are in effect saying the secular standards of the state are more important than religious freedom. I think it is inherently anti-Christian and anti-Jewish. It is in favor of a secular model, that I think is wrong. And I think that it’s wrong for the government to impose its values on religion. That’s the whole point of the First Amendment, is to not have the government imposing values on religion.

Gayest Cities in America, 2012

2012-01-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

Full Story » The Advocate
By Matthew Breen

It’s no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we’ve even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn’t that list. Find out why here.

1. Salt Lake City
2. Orlando, Fla.
3. Cambridge, Mass.
4. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
5. Seattle
6. Ann Arbor, Mich.
7. St. Paul and Minneapolis
8. Knoxville, Tenn.
9. Atlanta
10. Grand Rapids, Mich.
11. Little Rock, Ark.
12. Portland, Ore.
13. Austin
14. Long Beach, Calif.
15. Denver
16. Washington, D.C.
17. New Orleans
18. San Francisco
19. Pittsburgh
20. Salem, Ore.
21. Madison, Wis.
22. Eugene, Ore.
23. Oakland, Calif.
24. Boston
25. Kansas City, Mo.

Republican Sen. Steve Litzow helps lead with gay-marriage support

2012-01-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Seattle Times
Google+

Washington state Sen. Steve Litzow told The Seattle Times editorial board he will be the first Republican in the Senate to support gay marriage. His decision is a profile in courage. He will make a big difference. Passage in the Senate has been described as uncertain.

SOMETIMES it takes just one individual to stand on principle and let others follow. State Sen. Steve Litzow announced he will be the first Republican in the Senate to support gay marriage.

Outstanding. Litzow is a profile in courage, a freshman lawmaker willing to act on conviction.

Litzow of Mercer Island told The Times editorial board he plans to support this historic legislation. His announcement follows last week's decision by Gov. Chris Gregoire to introduce and push a law that affords gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits of marriage enjoyed by other couples.

If the legislation is approved — and it should be — Washington would become the seventh state in the country to act on this compelling civil-rights issue.

"I am a traditional Republican," explained Litzow. "When you think about gay marriage, it's the right thing to do and it's very consistent with the tenets of being a Republican — such as individual freedom and personal responsibility."

Litzow is not an activist on social issues, but is a big supporter of education reform. He also is a suburban businessman, married with four children, who believes in treating all citizens fairly. He believes that if two adults of the same gender wish to commit to each other, the state should not discriminate, period. He is correct.

State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, will work the marriage-legalization bill in the Senate. He has said votes for passage probably exist in the House, but the Senate remains iffy.

Litzow's decision will be a huge factor. He likely will take some heat from fellow Republicans, but his willingness to buck his party is commendable.

An individual lawmaker has thought an issue through and decided to take a stand. His announcement should prompt other Republicans to make the same decision. It is time to legalize same-sex marriage in this state.

Litzow's announcement helps Democrats and Republicans reach that milestone. Senators or representatives who have been waffling should step up and join him.

N.J. Legislature to introduce bill legalizing gay marriage

2012-01-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

Full Story » NJ
By Star-Ledger Staff

TRENTON — In a dramatic gesture, Democratic leaders plan to announce Monday that a bill legalizing gay marriage will be the first measure to be introduced in the new session of the Senate and the Assembly, sources with knowledge of their intentions said tonight.

The unified Democratic leadership represents the best chance supporters will have to see a bill legalizing gay marriage move through both houses, according to three sources who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the plan.

State Sen. President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), who is said to be a pivotal supporter of the legislation, abstained the last time the issue came before the Legislature in 2010 — a decision he later said he regretted more than any other in his career. A spokesman for Sweeney did not respond to questions about the plan last night.

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) will also be present at the news conference, ensuring that the proposal has the full support of the state’s two most powerful Democratic lawmakers. Oliver could not be reached for comment.

But there remains a major obstacle to the legalization of gay marriage in New Jersey: Gov. Chris Christie.

A spokesman for the governor, Michael Drewniak, declined to comment on the reported measure. But Christie has emphasized in the past that he opposes gay marriage and supports civil unions, which New Jersey currently allows.

Really Rick?

2012-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

Should a man and a women be allowed to marry if they plan not to have kids, or can't have kids?

Open Letter to Parents: Your Kid Might Be Gay

2012-01-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

Full Story » huffingtonpost.com
Google+

Your child might be gay.

I'm not talking about your neighbor's kid or your cousin's kid, and I'm not even talking about my kid (although they are certainly included). I'm talking about your kid. Your kid might be gay.

You may want to protest:

"My son doesn't like show tunes. He likes football and Legos."

"My daughter doesn't play softball. She loves princess dresses and pink."

"My son has a girlfriend."

"My daughter has a boyfriend."

"My child is too young to think about those things."

Well, I am here to tell you that none of those things matter.

Sure, some gay people might fit into certain stereotypes, but not all... and probably not even the majority. Lots of gay boys like playing in the mud with sticks and listening to rock 'n' roll. Lots of lesbian girls like ballet dancing and painting their fingernails. None of those things define anyone's sexuality.

Even if your child is a toddler, his or her sexual orientation may already be firmly in place... not that they are thinking about it yet.

And sure, your son or daughter might have the correct heterosexual-designated partner right now, but that doesn't mean they always will.

How do I know your kid might be gay? Your child is a human being. Depending on what research you have in front of you, you'll find that between 3 and 10 percent of human beings happen to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. And there is no way to know for sure, and there is definitely no way to change it.

So why am I telling you all this? Because I think it is high time for all of us parents to start thinking about what we say.

A man wears pink, so we call him a "sissy." A woman is powerful and strong, so she's called a "dyke." An athlete gets hurt, and we say he needs to "walk it off and stop being such a fag." An attractive woman is at the park with her girlfriend, and we comment, "All she needs is a real man."

We need to think about what we say even when we call our son's female friend his "girlfriend," or when we call our daughter's male friend her "boyfriend."

Some of these things are downright offensive and violent. The last pair could be said in all innocence. But all of them send the same message to a gay child: there is something wrong with you. And that's a message gay children (and adults) hear loud and clear.

Sources say Gregoire will publicly support gay marriage

2012-01-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

Gregoire to introduce gay marriage bill
View Video

Facebook » Equal Rights Washington

Full Story » Seattle Times
Posted by Andrew Garber

Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to announce her support for gay marriage at a news conference Wednesday morning, according to sources close to the discussions.

The governor's office won't comment except to say there will be an 11 a.m. news conference on Wednesday to discuss "marriage equality."

Leaders of Washington United for Marriage, a coalition of gay-rights, civil-liberties, labor and religious groups, announced in November they plan to pressure the Legislature this coming session to pass a marriage equality law in 2012.

Gregoire has supported giving gay and lesbian partners the same rights that married couples have today, but has never publicly endorsed same-sex marriage.

The Legislature is scheduled to go into session on Monday and wrap up by March 8. In addition to debating gay marriage, lawmakers have a $1.5 billion hole to fill in the state budget.

Four years ago in Iowa, candidate Obama made some big promises about the kind of President he would be—and he’s kept them.

2012-01-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

» barackobama.com
» Google+
» Facebook

President Barack Obama sits down for a conversation with caucus attendees in Iowa via video link. This also happens to be our first photo from the official Obama 2012 Instagram account—follow @barackobama if you’re also a fan of photo filters.

Four years ago today, Iowa voters went to the polls and made history. Where were you the night Barack Obama won the Iowa caucus in 2008?

Young, gay caucus-goers talk politics, support for GOP

Full Story » Washington Blade
» Google+

DES MOINES, Iowa — For some gay Iowa Republicans, the 2012 presidential election is about more than just LGBT issues.

Economic issues and a belief in limited government are trumping concerns that the GOP presidential contenders are hostile to LGBT rights.

The Washington Blade interviewed five young gay Des Moines residents who will be among the estimated 120,000 Iowa Republican caucus-goers about why they support the GOP this year.

C.J. Peterson, 21, a customer service representative for Nationwide Insurance, is backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney because of the candidate’s business background.

Peterson said he became interested in Romney as a high school senior in 2007 when he saw him speak during his last presidential run.

“I think, this year, he’s been a 100 percent better candidate,” Peterson said. “If you compare the YouTube videos from ’08 to now, he seems a lot less robotic and choppy and nervous. I think he seems a lot more relaxed, and almost presidential, ready to be a leader.”

Two other gay Iowa residents interviewed by the Blade said they’re backing Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) because of the candidate’s libertarian views.

Dereck Plagmann, 21, said he’s in the Paul camp because of the candidate’s adherence to the U.S. Constitution.

“I think it’s something that we’ve definitely drifted away from,” Plagmann said. “We need to get back to it basically. Other presidents, everybody’s trying to make changes to it. They’ve lost focus on what really made this country, and what made us who we are.”

Zach Coffin, 22, a collector for Wells Fargo bank, also plans to back Paul.

“I think that’s basically what this country needs right now is someone that will defend the core values and the core principles of the Constitution of the United States,” Coffin said. “That’s one thing that Ron Paul is focusing on well.”

Stories to watch in 2012 promise drama, suspense for the LGBT community

2012-01-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

Google+ LGBTQ

Full Story » LGBTQ Nation
By Lisa Keen
Keen News Service

Significant events are crowding the calendar for 2012, and each promises considerable drama and suspense for the LGBT community. Here are the ten most important stories to keep an eye on:

1. The next decisions on Proposition 8
2. The decision, on appeal, in DOMA
3. Tammy Baldwin’s historic bid
4. The fight for the Senate
5. Counting the “Gay Caucus”
6. On hold, and on defense, in Congress
7. Ballot battles abound
8. Fight for freedom of religion
9. A fight for the White House
10. Ah, the unpredictable

Read more at LGBTQ Nation

Stop the Hate, Taste the Rainbow

2012-01-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2012.

Man throws glitter at Santorum for his anti-LGBT views

Full Story » Raw Story

A bump in the Iowa caucus polls isn’t the only thing Rick Santorum has received over the past week.

During a campaign spot in Johnston, Iowa Friday evening, the Republican presidential candidate was greeted by an unidentified man upset over Santorum’s negative views on the LGBT community.

Within a second of shaking the former Pennsylvania senator’s hands, the man threw glitter right into Santorum’s face.

“Stop the hate!” he shouted. “Taste the rainbow!”

WATCH: Video from The Associated Press

What is Mitt Romney Hiding?

2011-12-31T18:30:00.000-08:00

Google+ Barack Obama

Republican candidates have been releasing their tax returns for decades, so we're wondering—why won't Mitt Romney release his?

Hawaii set to recognize its first same-sex civil unions on January 1

2011-12-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

Full Story » KHON2 News
Also » LGBTQ NATION » Google +

HONOLULU — In a private ceremony set for just after midnight on Sunday, January 1, four same sex couples will enter into civil unions as the state’s new civil unions law takes effect.
Hawaiian Democratic Governor Neil Abercrombie had signed the civil unions’ bill into law last February 23, making the state the fifth in the nation to recognize same-sex civil unions. While civil unions are not considered marriage, the legally binding agreement provides same-sex couples in Hawaii with many of the same legal rights and benefits of marriage.

Local Honolulu television station KHON-TV reported that one of the four couples taking part in the New Year’s Eve event has been together for thirty-three years.

Tambry Young and Suzanne King, two women who were married in Massachusetts in 2009, are helping the couples coordinate the event as members of the CU in Hawaii 2012 Planning Committee.

“They’ve seen some of their friends pass away before this actually could be enacted, so it’s an important step for them,” said Young. “The Department of Health did a tremendous job in getting this system up and running. So basically what happens is twelve midnight the system goes live.”

“We can help them kind of walk through that to make sure that they have everything up and running … I think everybody’s realizing that this is the next step in our evolution to get full equality and I think everyone’s taking it serious,” said Young.

Remember When Ron Paul Called Sacha Baron Cohen a 'Queer'?

2011-12-29T13:46:00.000-08:00

Full Story » Bilerico
Filed By Karen Ocamb

Much has been made over a statement issued Monday from former Ron Paul congressional staffer and one-time personal assistant Eric Dondero who alleges that the now top tier Republican presidential candidate is anti-Israel, "out of touch" with black and Hispanic voters and is "uncomfortable" and "unsettled by being around gays personally." Dondero also tells two stories of how Paul refused to use the bathroom of a San Francisco gay supporter and swatted away the outstretched hand of another gay supporter.

Paul has previously described Dondero (who is also known as Eric Rittberg) as a "disgruntedl former employee" and on Tuesday the campaign told The Daily Caller that "Eric Rittberg was fired for performance issues." Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton wouldn't elaborate out of respect for the privacy of the former employee.

Nonetheless, Dondero/Rittberg's allegations about Paul's personal uneasiness with gays seems to have a chunk of truth when you look at the way Ron Paul freaked out when he got punked by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.

Go after the break to see the video as "Bruno" drops his pants as Ron Paul dashes out of the room calling him "Queer" and saying Bruno was trying to hit on him. See the funny video at Bilerico

Kelly Clarkson Supports Ron Paul?
Full Story » Bilerico

Yesterday, pop singer and American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson announced her support of Ron Paul's candidacy to win the Republican's presidential nomination in a blog post on her site.

I love Ron Paul. I liked him a lot during the last republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican party in 2012 he's got my vote. Too bad he probably won't.

After tons of fans deluged her page with references to Paul's racist, homophobic newsletter articles, Clarkson hedged her support a wee bit.

I am really sorry if I have offended anyone. Obviously that was not my intent. I do not support racism. I support gay rights, straight rights, women's rights, men's rights, white/black/purple/orange rights. I like Ron Paul because he believes in less government and letting the people (all of us) make the decisions and mold our country. That is all. Out of all of the Republican nominees, he's my favorite.