NY Gay/Lesbian Couples Line Up to Marry

At long last gay and lesbian couples are getting married in New York today. Congrats and best wishes to all the newly weds!

Obama Certifies Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Vermont Has Highest Percentage Of Same-Sex Households

Vermont Has Highest Percentage Of Same-Sex Households

Michelle Bachman's Husband Performs "Ex-Gay" Therapy

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Bachmann signs anti-gay pledge

365gay.com | Bachmann signs anti-gay pledge

Anti-gay amendments added to Defense Spending Bill

365gay.com | Anti-gay amendments added to Defense Spending Bill

Court Orders End to DADT, Halt to Gay Military Ban

DADT Repeal: Court Orders Halt to Gay Military Ban

A federal appeals court ordered the U.S. government on Wednesday to immediately cease enforcing the ban on openly gay members of the military, a move that could speed the end of the 17-year-old rule.

Congress repealed the policy in December and the Pentagon is already preparing to welcome gay military personnel, said the ruling from a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. There's no longer any purpose for a stay the appeals court had placed on a lower court ruling that overturned "don't ask, don't tell," the judges said.

In the meantime, the court order blocks the military from discharging anyone based on sexual orientation, a Pentagon spokesman said, news that brought relief from gay rights advocates who say there are still dozens of gay or lesbian personnel under investigation.

New York: Another Victory for Marriage Equality

New York became the sixth state to grant gay and lesbian couples the right to marry Friday night. The bill, which passed the Democratic controlled NY House overwhelmingly, was finally passed in the GOP controlled state senate 33-29, with the support of four Republicans. It was a major victory for the national struggle for marriage equality because with the victory in New York the number of gay couples who can legally marry has doubled, and it was only the second time a state legislature was not forced to legalize same-sex marriage by a court order. Gov. Cuomo signed the bill before midnight.

New York Win Celebrated Far and Wide

New York Gay Marriage Victory Transforms National Debate

New York City Celebrates Marriage Victory (Pictures)

Unfortunately, President Obama was NOT a "fierce advocate" for LGBT equality as Gov. Cuomo.
Obama's Gay Marriage Wimp Out

Obama's Gay Marriage Stance in Spotlight as NY Nears Legalization | AlterNet

Obama's Gay Marriage Stance in Spotlight as NY Nears Legalization | AlterNet

Harold Ford Jr. Makes Marriage Equality Video

My former political opponent, former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr.,  made a video in support of gay marriage in his new home state of New York.  I believe he supports gay marriage now, he LIED when he campaigned against gay rights, including marriage, when he was pandering for the bigot vote in Tennessee and bragged about his support of the anti-gay marriage amendment.  My opinion of him has not changed.  Sorry Jr.

Harold Ford Jr. Makes Marriage Equality Video

New York Assembly Approves Gay Marriage

The New York state Assembly approved same-sex marriage on Wednesday and the bill is likely to face a vote in the Senate on Friday, where it only needs support from one more senator to pass.

"Justice For All" Rally Seeks to Unify Progressive Causes - WREG

"Justice For All" Rally Seeks to Unify Progressive Causes - WREG

A coalition of progressives groups representative women, labor, immigrants, and the LGBT community, organized a rally Saturday in Memphis to protest recent actions by the conservative Republican Tennessee legislature to restrict the collective bargaining rights of public employees, cut funding for Planned Parenthood, and to rollback and prohibit local laws to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians and LGBT people. 

In addition to anti-gay and anti-labor legislation at the state level, the Memphis City government is considering proposals to privatize sanitation services and destroy the local AFSCME labor union that Dr. MLK came to Memphis to march with to protest low wages prior to his assassination.

Gay Activists Arrested in Moscow Protest

(CNN) More than 30 people were arrested Saturday in central Moscow during the sixth attempt by gay rights groups to hold a parade in the city.

According to the group, Gay Russia, far right groups clashed with activists who were gathered in front of the Kremlin wall and city hall.

A total of 18 gay activists and 14 anti-gay activists were arrested, according to Moscow City police.  A police spokesman told CNN that the group did not have permission to gather publically for a parade.

Three prominent gay rights activists, Americans Dan Choi and Andy Thayer, and France's Louis-George Tin, were among those detained.

Tennessee Green Lights Discrimination

Tennessee Green Lights Discrimination

Tennessee legislature passes and governor signs bill overturning and prohibiting cities from passing non-discrimination ordinances or policies to protect LGBT people from discrimination.

Companies Targeted in TN Anti-Gay Law Passage

Gay Rights advocates began calling out companies that were part of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce which supported the bill.  Many of the issued statements opposing the bill and asking the governor to veto it, AFTER the bill was already passed and signed!

TN Govenor Reverses Nashville Metro Non-Discrimination Ordinance

Strike another blow to LGBT civil rights in Tennessee

Gov. Bill Haslam has signed the bill reversing Metro's new nondiscrimination ordinance, dealing a blow to opponents who had mounted a campaign urging him to veto the bill.

The bill effectively reverses an ordinance passed by the Metro Council that required contractors with the city to agree to follow Metro's rules barring discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgendered people.

The move comes despite an effort by opponents of the bill to convince Haslam not to sign the bill, which passed by a more than two-thirds margins in the Republican-led state legislature. Gay rights activists from across the country have been pushing companies to issue statements against with the legislation.

The campaign led the executive committee of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which had supported the bill while it was in the legislature, to reverse its position Monday.

"The Tennessee Chamber supports a standard regulatory environment at the state level as opposed to potentially conflicting local regulations covering employment practices," the executive committee said in a statement released late Monday.

"That principle was the only interest the Chamber had in this bill. Because (the bill) has turned into a debate on diversity and inclusiveness principles, which we support, we are now officially opposing this legislation in its present form."

From The Tennessean

AmericaBlog has been been closely following the anti-gay legislation in Tennessee and helped launch a nationwide campaign to boycott the companies which had supported the TN Chamber of Commerce's support of the anti-gay bill.

George Takei (Star Trek's "Mr. Sulu") Takes on TN Don't Say Gay Bill

It's OK to Be Takei

Tennessee Dismantles Anti-Discrimination Ordinances

It's been a sad week in Tennessee as the Teapublican controlled state legislature passes a series of anti-gay bills to override local non-discrimination ordinances, such as one recently passed in Nashville, and another bans discussion of homosexuality and gay issues in public elementary schools.

Tennessee Dismantles Anti-Discrimimation Ordinances

"Don't Say Gay Bill" Passes in Tenn. Senate

Second Major Poll Finds That Most Americans Want Same-Sex Marriage to Be Legal | AlterNet

Second Major Poll Finds That Most Americans Want Same-Sex Marriage to Be Legal | AlterNet

Newt Gets Glittered

Newt Gingrich was showered with rainbow glitter, courtesy of a 24-year-old LGBT activist, prior to the 2012 presidential candidate’s Tuesday appearance at the antigay Minnesota Family Council’s annual dinner.

“Feel the rainbow, Newt,” activist Nick Espinosa said as he poured the glitter on Gingrich and his wife, Callista, during a book signing, according to ABC News. “Stop the hate. Stop antigay politics. It’s dividing our country and it’s not fixing our economy.”

From The Advocate

Gay Activists Urge Orbitz to Drop Fox News Ads

The Advocate: Gay Leaders Urge Orbitz to Drop Fox News Ads


Several prominent gay rights groups are urging travel site Orbitz to drop its advertising from Fox News because of the network's antigay content.

Leaders from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Courage Campaign, and Equality Matters have all signed a letter to Orbitz CEO Barney Harford asking that his company stop advertising on Fox News.

The letter cites former Gov. Mike Huckabee hosting a show despite his statements in the past, comparing homosexuality with drug abuse, incest, pedophilia, and necrophilia. The letter also mentions host Bill O'Reilly warning about the dangers of allowing gay people to be near children, and others on the network "perpetuating the claim that repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' would impact troop readiness and morale, despite multiple reports -- including the Pentagon's -- to the contrary," according to a statement released Monday.

Orbitz has been a longtime advertiser to gay media outlets, including The Advocate, as well as gay pride and other events. It also has a gay-specific travel site, offering trips to LGBT-friendly destinations.

GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said companies like Orbitz, with a “strong track records of LGBT inclusion, should think twice before supporting Fox News’ pervasive pattern of indefensible bias against our community.”


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