Archive for April 2009
Maine Senate approves gay marriage 20-15
The Maine Senate on Thursday approved a bill to provide equal marriage rights to gay couples. Read the rest of this entry »
US House Passes Matthew Shepard Act
The United States House of Representatives passed a Federal Hate Crimes Bill Wednesday afternoon. House lawmakers voted 249-175 to approve the bill, which would extend hate crime protections to LGBT Citizens. Read the rest of this entry »
NH Sen passes gay marriage bill
The New Hampshire Senate approved a same-sex marriage bill Wednesday that puts the Granite state on the track to becoming the fifth state in the nation to do so.
Obama Finally Nominates PEPFAR Head
The White House has announced the appointment of AIDS research pioneer Eric Goosby to head the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief … nearly three MONTHS after it was rumored he had been offered the job. Read the rest of this entry »
Newsom Clarifies Mixed Prop 8 Messages
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is clarifying statements he made Monday night on the Rachel Maddow Show. Newsom gave Maddow his first interview since announcing his candidacy for Governor of California next year.In the interview, Maddow asked Newsom if Proposition 8 would pass, if another election were held today. Newsom said that it would … but implied that it wouldn’t.
Maddow: “If prop 8 was on the ballot again, would it pass?”
Newsom: “I think it will. I think it would today. I think a lot of folks that voted for it now step back and say, ‘Boy, did I need to do that?’ A lot of people were hurt. 18,000 couples are waiting for their day in court literally”
But Newsom Spokesman Brian Purchia says the Mayor got tripped up – by the same thing that gay marriage supporters worried would trip up voters: a “no” vote that means “yes.” Purchia told OutQ News the Mayor meant to say that a proposition to reinstate gay marriage would pass today in California.
-Aaron McQuade
Groups push for gay-inclusive hate crime bill
A coalition of civil rights organizations is pledging their support for the passage of a bill that adds gays, lesbians and the transgendered to the protection of federal Hate Crime laws.
Gay Rights Group Protests Vatican Position on UN Resolution
The LGBT Christian group Soulforce held a silent vigil outside the office of the United Nation’s Vatican ambassador this week to encourage support for a U.N. statement affirming LGBT rights. Read the rest of this entry »
Prominent Transgender Blogger Says Zapata Family Helped Verdict
A Colorado jury found a 32 year-old man guilty of murder as a hate crime yesterday – and a prominent transgender blogger and activist says the family of the victim may have played a huge role in the decision. Read the rest of this entry »
Upstate NY School District Allows GSA in Face of Lawsuit
A high school in upstate New York has decided to allow a sophomore to start a gay-straight alliance, after being threatened with a lawsuit. Read the rest of this entry »
Gay Supporter Beats NOM to Name
Last week, a prominent anti-gay group announced a new campaign against same-sex marriage, titled “2 Million for Marriage” – or, for short, 2M4M. But visitors to the website bearing that name are finding something very different. Read the rest of this entry »
