At a press conference in Senegal, U.S. President Barack Obama took the occasion of the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down DOMA to give his thoughts to Africa about issues of gay and lesbian rights.

At the Presidential Palace in Dakar, with Senegal President Sall at his side, Obama said, "The issue of gays and lesbians, and how they're treated, has come up and has been controversial in many parts of Africa." Obama made it clear that he believed "everybody has to be treated equally."

Here is the relevant passage from Obama's remarks, which were released by the White House Office of the Press Secretary:

Now, this topic did not come up in the conversation that I had with President Sall in a bilateral meeting. But let me just make a general statement. The issue of gays and lesbians, and how they're treated, has come up and has been controversial in many parts of Africa. So I want the African people just to hear what I believe, and that is that every country, every group of people, every religion have different customs, different traditions. And when it comes to people’s personal views and their religious faith, et cetera, I think we have to respect the diversity of views that are there.

But when it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats people, I believe that everybody has to be treated equally. I don’t believe in discrimination of any sort.

That’s my personal view. And I speak as somebody who obviously comes from a country in which there were times when people were not treated equally under the law, and we had to fight long and hard through a civil rights struggle to make sure that happens.

So my basic view is that regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender, regardless of sexual orientation, when it comes to how the law treats you, how the state treats you -- the benefits, the rights and the responsibilities under the law -- people should be treated equally. And that’s a principle that I think applies universally, and the good news is it’s an easy principle to remember.

Every world religion has this basic notion that is embodied in the Golden Rule -- treat people the way you want to be treated. And I think that applies here as well.

Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) has announced that will be introducing the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) later this week. The FMA would define marriage as between one man and one woman but, unlike DOMA which was a federal law, Huelskamp will propose the FMA as an amendment to the Constitution.

As an amendment to the Constitution the act would require support by two-thirds of the House and Senate as well as ratification by 38 (or more) states.

This is not the first time that a marriage amendment has been introduced. In 2006 a similar measure was defeated by a vote of 236 – 187 (290 votes were needed for passage). Judging by the current make up of the House and Senate the new amendment proposal would have little chance of success.

Prior to yesterdays Supreme Court ruling CNN released the results of a poll showing that 55 percent of those asked support marriage equality, up from 53 percent just days earlier.

That did not deter Huelskamp who stated, "Today, 37 states still have traditional marriage amendments and laws. Those are not overruled, which is the good side of this. It's not over."

The Massachusetts Catholic Conferences (the public policy arm of the four area bishops) has issued a statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision earlier today which struck down several key components of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

From the Conference:

The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman and a gift to children and society. Today, more than ever, the institution of marriage needs to be strengthened, not redefined as twelve states (including Massachusetts)and the District of Columbia have done.

This morning, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act, (DOMA) which defines marriage as between one man and one woman, is unconstitutional. The Court based that decision primarily on the principle that DOMA deprives equal protection under the Fifth Amendment to those citizens lawfully married in those thirteen jurisdictions. The Court did not hold that the Constitution requires marriage redefinition in those states that do not recognize same sex marriage.

The Bishops of Massachusetts are extremely disappointed that the Court has struck down DOMA. The Church continues to stand for the traditional definition of marriage, an institution which unites one man and one woman with any children who may come from that union. Marriage, as a natural institution, predates both religion and government and is grounded in the nature of the human person. Protecting the traditional definition of marriage affirms the basic rights and dignity of women and men while safeguarding the basic rights of children.

Carl Sciortino (photo: Courtesy Sciortino for Congress)

Now that Edward Markey has won the U.S. Senate seat for Massachusetts, openly gay Massachusetts state Rep. Carl Sciortino is officially announcing his intention to fill Markey's former Congressional seat.

Sciortino launched his campaign to represent the 5th Congressional District on the steps of the Massachusetts Statehouse today.

Here's from the press release from his campaign:

“This race is not going to be about who is the woman’s candidate or the gay candidate or the law and order candidate,” said Sciortino. ... “It’s going to be about who is the progressive Democratic leader who has always been there and always will be there to fight for progressive values.”

Sciortino continued, “As Governor Patrick said last year, we need Democrats with backbone. From my very first campaign, through my legislative accomplishments, I have maintained the view that the toughest challenges have to be met head on. I’m the only candidate for Congress in this race who enthusiastically supported Governor Patrick’s effort to make generational investments in transportation and education, to create jobs and move our economy forward.”

Sciortino also contrasted himself with the other candidates in the race.

“I’m the only candidate who has stood up for workers rights, veterans rights, immigrants rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, LGBT rights and privacy rights every day I’ve served in this state legislature. No other candidate in this race can say that.”

Sciortino, who coincidentally launched his campaign on the same day as the Supreme Court handed down decisions on the Defense of Marriage Act, also addressed the rulings.

“When I first ran for State Representative in 2004, I couldn’t have imagined how much progress we would make on marriage equality in nine short years. We are headed to the day to all couples have the right to marry whoever they love in any state in the country. But we are not there yet. Today is a great step forward for the thousands of couples living in states with marriage equality, and I’m so proud of Massachusetts for being a leader for equal rights. We must keep working until there is true marriage equality in every state.”

Carl Sciortino represents the 34th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House, which includes parts of Medford and Somerville. He is the author of the Buffer Zone Bill, The Transgender Equal Rights bill, and fought to close corporate tax loopholes in Massachusetts. A Tufts alumnus, he resides in Medford with his partner, Pem.

One way or another it looks as though history will be made on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m. It is at that time that the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release its decision on two cases, Hollingsworth v. Perry, the Proposition 8 case, and U.S. v. Windsor, the case challenging the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

After concluding today’s session Chief Justice John Roberts announced that opinions on the three remaining cases before the court will be released tomorrow, prior to the courts scheduled summer vacation.

The Proposition 8 case will decide the fate of marriage equality in the state of California while the “Windsor case” will decide whether certain aspects of the Defense of Marriage act are discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional.

As the lgbt community awaits word from the United States Supreme Court regarding marriage equality on California and the legal merits of the Defense of Marriage Act, one justice who will be ruling spoke out recently regarding the “sanity of having a value-laden decision such as (marriage equality) this made for the entire society by unelected judges.”

The statement was made by Justice Antonin Scalia on Friday while he was speaking at a North Carolina Bar Association event.

Scalia, in comments made at the meeting, said that judges shouldn’t delve into the moral components of issues such as abortion, the death penalty and same-sex marriage because they’re no more qualified than anyone else.

“I am questioning the propriety, the sanity of having a value-laden decision such as this made for the entire society by unelected judges,” Scalia said to the attorneys and judges attending the annual meeting. “We have become addicted to abstract moralizing.”

The Supreme Court is expected to render a decision, perhaps as soon as Tuesday morning, on two major cases closely ties to the lgbt community. The court will rule to either uphold Proposition 8 in California (defining marriage in that state as between a man and a woman) or strike it down (ensuring marriage equality in that state).

In addition the Court will rule on whether the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) discriminates against same-sex married couples when it comes to receiving federal benefits.

Earlier today Republican Senator Lisa Murkowsjki (Alaska) joined fellow GOP Senators Rob Portman (Ohio) and Mark Kirk (Illinois) as the only sitting Republican senators publically supporting marriage equality. Murkowski cited several reasons for her change of heart, she supported a state gay marriage ban in 1998, including her experience with a lesbian couple who lives in her home state and has adopted four children.

Regarding the couple, Murkowski stated:

Despite signing up and volunteering to give themselves fully to these four adorable children, our government does not meet this family halfway and allow them to be legally recognized as spouses. After their years of sleepless nights, after-school pickups and birthday cakes, if one of them gets sick or injured and needs critical care, the other would not be allowed to visit them in the emergency room – and the children could possibly be taken away from the healthy partner. They do not get considered for household health care benefit coverage like spouses nationwide. This first-class Alaskan family still lives a second-class existence.

Murkowski went on to state that changing views across country on marriage, and relationships in general, played a large part in her “evolving views.” She discussed the rise in divorce rates and the increase in cohabitation as societal changes that are making the traditional notion of marriage (“til death do us part”) as more the exception than the rule.

“Why should the federal government be telling adults who love one another that they cannot get married, simply because they happen to be gay? I believe when there are so many forces pulling our society apart, we need more commitment to marriage, not less,” said Murkowski.

She continued, “This thinking is consistent with what I hear from more and more Alaskans especially our younger generations. Like the majority of Alaskans, I supported a constitutional amendment in 1998 defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, but my thinking has evolved as America has witnessed a clear cultural shift. Fifteen years after that vote, I find that when one looks closer at the issue, you quickly realize that same sex unions or civil marriages are consistent with the independent mindset of our state – and they deserve a hands-off approach from our federal policies."

The White House announced the nominations of James Costos, an accomplished businessman and current executive at HBO, as the United States Ambassador to Spain, and Rufus Gifford, a former finance official for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, Obama for America, and the Democratic National Committee, as the United States Ambassador to Denmark. Last week, President Obama also nominated Daniel Baer, the openly-gay Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, to be Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. If all three are confirmed, they would become the fourth, fifth, and sixth openly-LGBT people to serve as a U.S. Ambassador. Spain and Denmark are two of the 13 countries in the world that have marriage equality. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin issued the following statements:

“Ambassador-designate James Costos is a true citizen of the world. He has incredible global business experience and is a respected and innovative leader. He has solid business and political relationships at the highest levels and a proven commitment to community, philanthropy, human rights, and democracy that make him an outstanding choice to be the nation's next Ambassador to Spain.”

“Rufus Gifford is a terrific choice to represent our country in Denmark. His demonstrated leadership and unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights will serve him well as he represents America’s interests abroad. I urge the Senate to confirm his nomination.”

Gifford also has strong ties to the Boston area as his parents, Chad and Anne Gifford, live on the North Shore. Gifford was also honored recently by Greater Boston PFLAG for his work on behalf of the LGBT community.

Although France recently legalized marriage equality one Mayor, Jean-Michel Colo of Arcangues (in Southwestern France) is refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. In fact, Colo recently stated that he will “go to the gallows” before officiating a
same-sex marriage.

“I am not discriminating as a same-sex couple is sterile. It’s a parody of equality, it’s a big lie,” Colo said. “When people close the door at home, they do what they want. For me, marriage is for a woman and man to have children.”

Colo rejected a marriage license application from Guy Martineau-Espel and his partner Jean-Michel Martin last week. The couple is planning to sue.

According to French Interior Minster Manuel Valls, Colo could face discrimination charges for refusing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and penalties including up to five years in jail and a fine approximately $100,000.

“The elected [officials] who do not respect the laws of the republic will risk significant sanctions,” Valls said.

Colo has vowed not to change his mind, saying, “I will go to the gallows.”

President Obama nominated Daniel Baer to be the next Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

If Baer is confirmed, he would be the "4th openly-LGBT person to serve as a U.S. Ambassador abroad, and the first to a multilateral institution," according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT advocacy organization.

Baer is the current Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. He is a Colorado native who received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College.

“Deputy Assistant Secretary Baer has led a distinguished career of public service, both at home and abroad,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin. “Over the last few years at the Department of State, Daniel has worked tirelessly to promote democracy and human rights in every corner of the globe, helping to secure and protect the freedoms of the world’s most vulnerable communities. This, paired with his years of global business experience, makes him an outstanding choice to be our nation’s next Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”

In keeping with his administration’s tradition President Obama has released a proclamation that the month of June will be recognized as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.

The proclamation, which can be seen in full HERE, begins by stating, “The story of America's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community is the story of our fathers and sons, our mothers and daughters, and our friends and neighbors who continue the task of making our country a more perfect Union. It is a story about the struggle to realize the great American promise that all people can live with dignity and fairness under the law. Each June, we commemorate the courageous individuals who have fought to achieve this promise for LGBT Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

While President Obama has highlighted progress in his annual proclamations for several years, this is the first year that the Department of Defense has also recognized the month of June as LGBT Pride Month. A statement from the DoD remarks that that "the LGBT community has written a proud chapter in this fundamentally American story by reminding us that integrity and respect remain corner stones of our military and civilian culture."

After going into some detail on all of the advances made on the LGBT front during the recent past the President’s proclamation takes a moment to express confidence in the future stating, "We have a long way to go, but if we continue on this path together, I am confident that one day soon, from coast to coast, all of our young people will look to the future with the same sense of promise and possibility," says the proclamation reads. "I am confident because I have seen the talent, passion, and commitment of LGBT advocates and their allies, and I know that when voices are joined in common purpose, they cannot be stopped."

Boston Pride Week launches with a Rainbow Flag-raising ceremony at City Hall at noon on Friday, May 31 (photo: James Lopata)

It's Pride Week again in Boston!

The 2013 festivities commence this coming Friday at noon with the raising of the Rainbow Flag over City Hall.

This year, Thomas Menino hosts the flag raising for the last time as mayor of Boston. Menino is also being honored as a Marshall for the Pride parade on Saturday, June 8.

Below is a rundown of some of the key events happening in conjunction with Boston Pride Week.

For more information on all the events, be sure to check out Boston Pride’s web site at www.bostonpride.org.

Rainbow Flag Raising Ceremony
Friday, May 31 — Boston City Hall
With host Mayor Thomas Menino.

Pride Day at Faneuil Hall
Saturday, June 1 — Boston’s Faneuil Hall
Live music and performances from The Urban Ballet, South End Show Stopperz Dance Team, Crystal Foxx, Rolla and more. Hosted by Raquel Blake. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Royal Pageant
Monday June 3 — Machine Nightclub
Lake Mondale and Raquel Blake crown the king and queen of Boston Pride at 7 p.m.

Boston Pride Festival
Saturday June 8 — City Hall Plaza
From noon to 6 p.m. with vendors and live entertainment — including Boston-based headliner Karmin.

Boston Pride Parade
Saturday June 8 — The streets of Boston
Parade starts at 12 p.m., with celebrity marshal Denise Crosby (Star Trek).

ESME Women's Block Party
Saturday, June 8 — 1 Boylston Place
DJ Linda Lowell spins the annual women's favorite. 2 p.m. in the alley at 1 Boylston Place.

Pride Block Party: Back Bay Edition
Sunday, June 9 — St. James Avenue in the Back Bay
Dancing in the streets from noon to 8 p.m.

Pride Block Party: JP Edition
Sunday, June 9 — Perkins Street, Jamaica Plain
Dancing in the streets of JP from noon to 7 p.m.

Delaware became the 11th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage yesterday as Gov. Jack Markell signed a gay marriage bill into law just minutes after its passage by the state Senate.

“I do not intend to make any of you wait one moment longer,” Markell told a group of supporters following the 12-9 Senate vote only half an hour earlier.

“Delaware should be, is and will be a welcoming place to live and love and to raise a family for all who call our great state home,” Markell said.

Under the bill, no new civil unions will be performed in Delaware after July 1, and existing civil unions will be converted to marriages over the next year. The legislation also states that same-sex unions established in other states will be treated the same as marriages under Delaware law.

Lambda Legal, a national gay rights advocacy group, applauded passage of Delaware’s gay marriage bill.
Susan Sommer of Lamba Legal saluted Delaware for joining 10 other states who have legal marriage equality “Today, we celebrate with the thousands of Delaware same-sex couples and their children who will soon be able to have the full recognition and respect accorded to married families,” said Sommer.

Not all in Delaware were happy about the legislation including many in the Catholic Diocese.

“Let’s be careful about the concept of social evolution,” said the Rev. Leonard Klein, a Roman Catholic priest speaking on behalf of the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, which serves more than 200,000 Catholics in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“When you remove male and female from the definition of marriage, all bets are off,” added Klein.

Next up for marriage equality supporters looks to be Minnesota. A bill for marriage equality has already been endorsed by the governor and appears to have enough backing in both the Senate and the House.

With the recent passage of the Marriage Equality Act, legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, there are now 10 states allowing for legal same-sex marriages in the U.S., including all 6 New England states.

Now that Governor Lincoln Chafee has signed the Rhode Island bill paving the way for marriage equality in Rhode Island, what is next in line for the marriage equality caravan?

Here are six upcoming states that will be tackling the issue in the near future:

Delaware

The state’s House recently approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage by a 23-18 vote, the bill will now be voted on in the Senate. Recent polls show that the majority of voters in Delaware support same-sex marriage as does Governor Jack Markell.

Illinois

The state’s Senate voted in favor of a marriage equality bill in February. The bill is now in the House where it is unclear if there are enough votes to secure passage.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn supports marriage equality

Minnesota

Marriage equality legislation has passed committees in the House and Senate and will now move to the full House and Senate. There is also a civil unions bill up for consideration.

Minnesota Governor Mark Drayton supports marriage equality.

New Jersey

Governor Chris Christie vetoed marriage equality legislation last year and would like the issue to be decided by New Jersey voters.

According to recent polling, if put to a vote, the majority of voters would vote in favor of marriage equality.

Oregon

In 2004 Oregon voters passed legislation banning same-sex marriages. There is now a movement underway to include a question on the 2014 ballot that would reverse that ban. Among the supporters of including the question is current Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.

Nevada

The state Senate recently passed a resolution to repeal the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, the first step in a long process to legalize marriage equality in Nevada. The measure must be passed by lawmakers this year and in 2015, and then go before voters in 2016 for ratification.

Congressional members of the ‘Gang of Eight’ currently working on new, comprehensive immigration reform, have hit a stumbling block regarding what to do same-sex partners of American citizens.

The immigration bill, concocted by four Democratic Senators, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), as well as four Republican Senators, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), includes provisions for legal immigration for highly skilled immigrants, migrant farm workers and those living here illegally however there are no provisions for same-sex partners of American citizens.

“There’s a reason this language wasn’t included in the Gang of Eight’s bill: It’s a deal-breaker for most Republicans,” said Senator Flake.

Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont has proposed a separate measure that would allow immigrants in long-term same-sex relationships to obtain residency with a green card. Senator Susan Collins of Maine is a co-sponsor of Leahy’s amendment. “Our legislation would simply update our nation’s immigration laws to treat binational, same-sex permanent partners fairly,” said Collins.

According to Senator Rubio, “This immigration bill is difficult enough as it is, if that issue (same-sex partners) is injected into this bill, this bill will fail. It will not have the support. It will not have my support.”

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee will stand on the steps of the Rhode Island State House later today and sign the Marriage Equality Act into law, thus allowing for legal same-sex marriages in Rhode Island. Chafee, elected as an Independent Governor, was formerly a Republican Senator for the state.

Chafee took the occasion of the signing to write an article for the New York Times. In the article he discussed the magnitude of the moment stating, “A historic realignment is happening all around us, as Americans from all walks of life realize that this is the right thing to do. It is occurring both inside and outside of politics, through conversations at the office and over kitchen tables, and at different speeds in different parts of the country. But once the people have spoken, politics should do its part to make the change efficient and constructive.”

He goes on to highlight a rather unique byproduct of signing the Act into law…economic growth. “Many experts have found evidence of a strong correlation between tolerance and prosperity, particularly in high-tech sectors. One of them, the author Richard Florida, has identified the “three T’s” — talent, technology and tolerance — as the fundamental basis for the growth of new economies.”

He continued, “The point is not simply that we are welcoming to gay people, though we are. It is that we want to welcome everyone. The talented workers who are driving the new economy — young, educated and forward-looking — want to live in a place that reflects their values. They want diversity, not simply out of a sense of justice, but because diversity makes life more fun. Why would any state turn away the people who are most likely to create the economies of the 21st century?”

Last week the state legislation voted to advance the Act for the Governor’s signature by a vote of 26 – 12. The majority of Rhode Island citizens favor marriage equality. Once Governor Chafee signs the Act into law Rhode Island will join the other 5 New England states in allowing for same-sex marriage.

As for what Governor Chafee will be thinking when he stands on the State House steps and signs the Act into law…

“I will be thinking of the Rhode Islanders who have fought for decades simply to be able to marry the person they love. I will be thinking of how Rhode Island is upholding its legacy as a place founded on the principles of tolerance and diversity.”

Members of the board overseeing San Francisco Pride have backtracked on their earlier decision to name Bradley Manning, the military intelligence specialist accused of leaking classified information to the website Wikileaks, as a Pride parade Grand Marshal.

"That was an error, and that person has been disciplined. He does not now, nor did he at that time, speak for SF Pride," said SF Pride Board President Lisa Williams

A committee of former San Francisco Pride grand marshals did select the 25-year-old Manning, who is openly gay, for the honor, but the Pride Board decided his nomination would be a mistake, Williams said.

"In point of fact, less than 15 people actually cast votes for Bradley Manning," Williams said. "However, as an organization with a responsibility to serve the broader community, SF Pride repudiates this vote."

While the event's grand marshals are typically celebrated as they wave from convertibles during a downtown San Francisco parade, naming Manning as one was destined to be a symbolic gesture. He is in custody at a military prison in Kansas while he awaits court-martial and would have been unable to attend the June 30 parade.

Rainey Reitman, a member of the Bradley Manning Support Network, was excited when Manning was chosen as a Grand Marshal however that excitement proved to be short-lived. "I and many other LGBT Manning supporters are deeply disappointed by this sudden change in position on the part of the committee," Reitman said. "Bradley is a gay American hero who sacrificed a great deal so we could learn the truth about our government, and he was fairly elected to serve as grand marshal in the parade."

On the other hand, the Pride committee’s change of heart was applauded by others.

"Manning's blatant disregard for the safety of our service members and the security of our nation should not be praised," said Stephen Peters, president of American Military Partners Association. The group, which advocates for same-sex military families, had called on the Pride Committee to rescind the invitation.

"No community of such a strong and resilient people should be represented by the treacherous acts that define Bradley Manning," Peters said.

Given that yet another state is on the verge of enacting marriage equality for same-sex couples (Rhode Island) you would think that something as basic as the right for people to work without fear of being fired simply for being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, would be the law of the land. Right?

Nope.

Today, a bipartisan coalition of U.S. lawmakers introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, which prohibits worker dismissal solely on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, for consideration — again.

Since as far back as 1974 some politicians in U.S. Congress have tried to outlaw employment discrimination for gay, lesbian and bisexual workers, when Bella Abzug introduced the Equality Act that year.

ENDA was first introduced in 1994. Almost every Congress since then has had the bill presented to it for consideration. No Congress has passed it, yet.

This year may be different. According to the The Huffington Post:

... given the public discussion on gay rights over the past year, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), a co-sponsor, told HuffPost he thinks the bill has about as good a shot as ever in the Senate.

"There's a growing recognition that discrimination is wrong" against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Merkley said Thursday. "The same concept that's driving the marriage debate will help drive success on employment discrimination."

Gay marriage now has support from all but three Democratic senators -- Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.), Mark Pryor (Ark.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.) -- as well as Republican Sens. Mark Kirk (Ill.) and Rob Portman (Ohio). ...

For the ENDA bill, Merkley's co-sponsors include Democratic Sens. Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), as well as Kirk and fellow Republican Susan Collins (Maine). A companion bill has been introduced in the House by Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a statement pushing for passage of the act, noting that, "it is perfectly legal to fire lesbian, gay and bisexual people under the laws of 29 states and transgender people are not protected by the laws of 34 states." More from the HRC release:

The Rhode Island state Senate voted late this afternoon in favor of a marriage equality bill putting Rhode Island on course to become the tenth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The full Senate voted 26-12 in favor of the bill, just one day after the Judiciary committee voted 7-4 to advance the measure to the Senate floor.

The Senate also voted 10-28 to defeat a proposed amendment to put the issue to popular vote on the 2014 ballot; that same amendment was rejected by the Judiciary committee on Tuesday.

The Senate had long been seen as the true test for same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, currently the only state in New England without marriage equality.

The bill now returns to the state House for a largely procedural vote on small changes made to the bill on the Senate side. The House previously voted 51-19 in January in favor of the bill.

House Speaker Gordon Fox (D-Providence), who is gay and a supporter of same-sex marriage, said a final vote could come as early as next week.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an Independent and supporter of same-sex marriage, has promised to sign the bill.

The first marriages could take place Aug. 1, when the legislation would take effect.

Late this afternoon the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 to recommend S38, the marriage equality bill, to the full Senate. This move sets up Rhode Island to join the five other New England states in allowing for same-sex marriages.
positions Rhode Island, the final holdout in New England, to pass marriage equality. This.

The vote on the full floor of the Senate will be tomorrow (Wednesday).

The Rhode Island House of Representatives passed the marriage equality bill earlier this year after a unanimous committee vote and strong bipartisan support. And, earlier this week the Senate Republican Caucus announced that they are unanimous in their support for the bill.

Governor Lincoln Chaffee, a strong supporter of marriage equality in Rhode Island, has already indicated that he will sign the measure once it reaches his desk.

After a months of debate and tempestuous demonstrations on both sides of the issue, French legislators approved civil marriage for same-sex couples, according to the Associated Press. From the report:

France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate and protests that flooded the streets of Paris. Legions of officers and water cannon stood ready near France's National Assembly ahead of the final vote, bracing for possible violence on an issue that galvanized the country's faltering conservative movement. ...

France is the 14th country to legalize gay marriage.

All five of Rhode Island's Senate Republicans say that they unanimously support marriage equality, according to the Associated Press.

The Rhode Island Senate is scheduled to determine whether or not to advance legislation that would legalize civil marriage for same-sex couples today, Tuesday, April 23. According to AP:

The Senate Republican Caucus announced Tuesday that its members will support legislation allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. The senators cite their support for liberty and limited government and say same-sex couples deserve the same marriage rights as anyone.

While the GOP caucus only holds five of the Senate's 38 seats, its support is another indication of the growing support for gay marriage in Rhode Island, now the only New England state that doesn't allow gay marriage.

The bill has already passed the House and the Senate Judiciary Committee will decide Tuesday whether to forward the measure to the full Senate for a debate.

(Photo: GLAAD)

GLAAD held its 24th annual Media Awards in Los Angeles this past week and among the winners was former President Bill Clinton. Clinton, a somewhat controversial choice as he is the President who signed DOMA and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell into law, has since committed himself to "keep working on this until not only DOMA is no longer the law of the land, but until all people, no matter where they live, can marry the people they love."

Clinton went on to state, "I believe you will win the DOMA fight and I think you will win the constitutional right to marry, if not tomorrow, then the next day and the next day."

Clinton also touched on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) -- "We still need to pass that. From what you've seen tonight we still need to fight bullying and the right kind of immigration reform that doesn't discriminate against anybody," and on the recent proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to end their ban on gay scouts -- "We're about halfway home on that."

Clinton also took time to thank his daughter, Chelsea, citing that she has a "profound impact on the way I see the world... Chelsea and her gay friends and her wonderful husband have modeled to me the way we ought to all treat each other without regard to our sexual orientation or any other artificial difference that divides us."

More from Clinton’s speech:

"People who oppose equal rights for gays in the marriage sphere are basically acting out of concerns for their own identity not out of respect for anyone else. We are less racist, less sexist, for all the problems, we're far less homophobic than we used to be, but we have a new bigotry in America. Apparently, we don't want to be around anyone who disagrees with us about anything...Whenever we turn away from treating someone with the dignity and honor and respect we would want accorded to ourselves, we have to face the fact that it's about to us and we're afraid we wouldn't be us if we couldn't hold on to this, that, and the other little box that doesn't make any sense in a world we're all crashing together in."

"The whole story of the life of our country, of a more perfect union, is to widen the circle of opportunity, to strengthen and enhance the reach of freedom and cement the bonds of community as it gets ever more diverse. Don't you let anyone tell you otherwise. You have made this a better, a more interesting, and a more well-prepared country for the future. We need you fully-armed for the continued struggle for equality. You are the agents of change."

Ireland’s constitutional convention has voted to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. Members of the convention (which is comprised of one third politicians and two thirds citizens) were overwhelmingly in favor of allowing same-sex marriage with 79 percent recommending that the constitution be amended to allow for marriage equality. The convention's recommendation will now be sent to the Government, which has pledged to hold a debate and respond within four months.

As for what form the constitutional change will take, there are two options, a directive amendment ("the State shall enact laws providing for same-sex marriage") or a permissive amendment ("the State may enact laws providing for same-sex marriage").
78 percent of the convention’s members voted for a directive amendment.

Asked what form the constitutional change should take 78 percent of members voted for a directive amendment while 17 percent opted for a permissive amendment

The members also voted in favor of recommending that the State pass laws "incorporating changed arrangements in regard to the parentage, guardianship and the upbringing of children".

"It is a major milestone on the remarkable journey to full constitutional protection for lesbian and gay people and families in Ireland," said Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) director Brian Sheehan. "It builds on the extraordinary progress we have achieved over the last 20 years, and clearly demonstrates that Ireland is ready to take the next step to complete that remarkable journey."

A spokesman for the Catholic Communications Office said: "While the result of the constitutional convention is disappointing, only the people of Ireland can amend the constitution. The Catholic church will continue to promote and seek protection for the uniqueness of marriage between a woman and a man, the nature of which best serves children and our society."

At 1 p.m. today, a hearing will be held on Beacon Hill to discuss the possibility of creating an LGBT Elder Commission in Massachusetts.

MassEquality and the LGBT Aging Project are the leaders in this discussion. Here's from their joint press release:

Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum, in an interview with the Des Moines Register, has predicted that the Supreme Court won’t “make the same mistake in the (current marriage equality) cases as they did in Roe v. Wade. I’m hopeful the Supreme Court learned its lesson about trying to predict where the American public is going on issues and trying to find rights in the Constitution that sit with the fancy of the day.”

Santorum went on to say that there is “an increasing mood” on supporting gay marriage, but “it is not a well thought-out position by the American public.”

When asked about the current surge of politicians who support marriage equality, including several Republicans, Santorum likened the situation to the abortion debate that took place in the 70s as Roe v. Wade came before the court. “I’m sure you could go back and read stories, oh, you know, ‘The Republican party’s going to change. This is the future.’ Obviously that didn’t happen,” Santorum said. “I think you’re going to see the same stories written now and it’s not going to happen. The Republican party’s not going to change on this issue. In my opinion it would be suicidal if it did.”

According to Brendon Ayanbadejo, who was recently cut by the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League, a “handful of players” currently in the league are discussing coming out as gay. In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Ayanbadejo said it will happen “sooner than you think,’” stating, "We're in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now and they're trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.”

"Of course, there would be backlash. If they could share the backlash, it would be more positive. It's cool. It's exciting. We're in talks with a few guys who are considering it. The NFL and organizations are already being proactive and open if a player does it and if something negative happens. We'll see what happens."

Ayanbadejo ,along with Minnesota Viking punter Chris Kluwe, has been an outspoken leader within the NFL for lgbt rights including marriage equality. Although he is no longer playing he plans on continuing his activism and working with the NFL to make the league a more inclusive place. "The NFL wants to be proactive about what's going on with players and some of the remarks and incidents that have been happening with the LGBT community,” he said. “The NFL wants me to talk to the rookie class and they are talking about potentially having talks with all the guys about LGBT sensitivity. I think all the major sports groups need to be productive and take a stance.”

"Everyone has a relative or friend that's in the LGBT community, whether it's (former NFL commissioner) Paul Tagliabue's son or people in the Ravens organization who have relatives in the LGBT community. There are a lot of opportunities opening up, but I had nothing scheduled because I had been anticipating playing. I knew there was a possibility that I could be released. I have no regrets. I wouldn't change a single thing. It's been a good ride. If the Ravens call me in training camp, so be it. If not, I'll still be busy with a lot of great things."

Finally, Ayanbadejo thanked his fans in Baltimore and across the country.

"The Ravens have a ton of gay and lesbian fans nationwide and in the city of Baltimore," Ayanbadejo said. "I get a ton of supportive emails and letters. It's pretty cool. We have blue-collar fans, a diverse set of blue-collar fans, a diaspora of great people.”

(Photo: Minnesota Vikings)

Minnesota Vikings Punter, and staunch lgbt ally, Chris Kluwe has penned a brilliant Op-Ed for CNN regarding the prospect of an NFL player coming out as gay. Kluwe say, among other things that “There are millions of people across America who work with gay co-workers every day, and they handle their business without riotous orgies consuming the work environment. In the extremely unlikely event that a gay player harasses you? We have an HR department. File a complaint, just the way a female employee would if you harassed her.”

He discusses the many reasons that he felt compelled to write the column in the first place, including , “so that coaches, managers, players, owners and fans realize that the first gay player who comes out won't spontaneously cause rainbows to erupt out of everyone's rear.” And because he feels that “it's not right that professional sports, and especially the professional sports media, have created an environment where gay players are willing to hide essential components of themselves as human beings in order to pursue their dreams, in order to not be a distraction.”

Kluwe, along with former Baltimore Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo, have been outspoken in their support of the lgbt community and their support for any professional athlete who is gay and is thinking of coming out of the closet.

Kluwe closes his piece with some supportive words of advice for any athlete struggling with hiding his/her sexuality stating, “You are a teammate, a friend, and you do not have to sacrifice who you are for the team to win, no matter what anyone else says.”

See Kluwe’s full column below:

"Don't be a distraction." These words are pounded into every single NFL player's head from the day he enters the league until the day he leaves (and I would imagine it holds true for just about every professional sport).

The same message, over and over and over -- "The team comes first," "Sacrifice your personal goals to win," "Only be judged by what goes on between the lines" -- which is why I find it unsurprising that there are no openly gay athletes in any of the big four professional sports leagues in the U.S.: the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.

The message is pushed on us so hard, in fact, that players run the very real risk of losing their jobs if the team deems them too much of a distraction, and unfortunately it seems gay players feel that being comfortable with who they are has to take second place to keeping their jobs.

This isn't right.

It's not right that professional sports, and especially the professional sports media, have created an environment where gay players are willing to hide essential components of themselves as human beings in order to pursue their dreams, in order to not be a distraction. It's not right that our insatiable lust for sports coverage creates an atmosphere where someone would willingly subordinate his life to a backward and bigoted worldview in order to stay employed.
It's not right that we can't just accept someone for who he is.

Why?

Why do people care so much about someone else's sexuality? Why do people give two s***s how someone else lives his life? Why do people have this absolutely idiotic notion that being gay has any sort of effect on how well a player can play football, or basketball, or baseball? Why the f*** do I even have to write this column for a major news organization to talk about something that shouldn't even remotely be a factor in sports?

Well, the reason is simple. I'm writing this because no gay player is currently out, and the first gay player who eventually does come out needs to know that -- despite all the indoctrination from the league about not being a distraction -- if he's the one to take the first step, he will have allies. He will have support. He will have those of us who realize that people's sexuality doesn't define who they are, just as their jobs don't define who they are, and that guys who bring our wives and children to games and team events are no different than those who would bring their husbands and children.

Most importantly, I'm writing this so that coaches, managers, players, owners and fans realize that the first gay player who comes out won't spontaneously cause rainbows to erupt out of everyone's rear.

In professional sports, the players on a team are a team. We eat together. We practice together. We watch film together, and we succeed or fail together. We see each other more than our own families during the season. To think that a gay player is suddenly going to destroy all that because he's out is asinine.

The idea that a gay player will be a distraction needs to change.

Coaches, administrative personnel -- will an openly gay player bring extra attention? Maybe, but guess what -- there's a whole bunch of other crap that happens during the season every year, anything from sexting to arrests to profane letters, and somehow we've managed to find a way through it each time without the entire edifice of football collapsing into ruin.

Instead of looking at an openly gay player as a distraction, ask yourselves -- how much better would that player play if he didn't have to worry about hiding a core part of who he is? How many more sacks would he have, free of that pressure? How many more receptions? How many more rushing yards?

Fans, media -- will an openly gay player be a distraction? Only if you make it one. Only if you insist on denying someone the freedom to live his own life on his own terms, instead of under someone else's control. Stop worrying about who a player dates; worry about his completion percentage, or tackles for loss, or return average. I can promise you, on Sundays the only thing he's worried about is lining up and doing his job to the best of his ability, or else he's going to be cut (just like any of us).
Players -- Those of you worried about a gay teammate checking out your ass in the shower, or hitting on you in the steam room, or bringing too much attention to the team -- I have four simple words for you. Grow the f*** up. This is our job, we are adults, so would you kindly act like one?

There are millions of people across America who work with gay co-workers every day, and they handle their business without riotous orgies consuming the work environment. In the extremely unlikely event that a gay player harasses you? We have an HR department. File a complaint, just the way a female employee would if you harassed her. If the media want to ask you about a gay teammate? He's a teammate, and you're focused on winning -- together. As a team.

And finally, to the gay player who does eventually come out, whoever that brave individual happens to be -- will you have to deal with media attention, with heightened scrutiny? Yes. Despite everything Brendon, Scott, myself, and all your other allies do, despite all the articles we write and interviews we give, despite the growing acceptance across this entire country, there are going to be people who insist on looking at you through the lens of your sexuality, and not at your skills as a football player. But you know what? All of us understand the truth.

You are a teammate, a friend, and you do not have to sacrifice who you are for the team to win, no matter what anyone else says.

You are not a distraction.

Markus Schreiber/AP

In a recent interview with Huffington Post Jeremy Irons, who won an academy award for his role in Reversal of Fortune, opined that legalized marriage equality could lead to a father and son getting married.

"Could a father not marry his son?" Irons asked Huffington Post’s Josh Zepps. “It’s not incest between men" because "incest is there to protect us from inbreeding, but men don't breed," he continued.

Irons went on to state, "It seems to me that now they're fighting for the name. I worry that it means somehow we debase, or we change, what marriage is. I just worry about that." He also discussed whether same-sex marriage might allow fathers to pass on their estates to their sons without being taxed.

Despite all of this, Irons stated several times that he "[doesn't] have a strong feeling either way" on same-sex marriage, and said that he "[wishes] everybody who's living with one other person the best of luck in the world, because it's fantastic."

"Living with another animal, whether it be a husband or a dog, is great," he said. "It's lovely to have someone to love. I don't think sex matters at all. What it's called doesn't matter at all."

Republican Senator Mark Kirk, Illinois, has announced his support for marriage equality today. Kirk joins fellow Senator Tom Carper (Democrat, Delaware) who made a similar announcement today.

The addition of these two Senators to the ‘pro-marriage equality’ group in the Senate means that, for the first time, half of the United States Senate supports marriage equality. Both Kirk and Carper represent states where legislatures are currently considering marriage equality bills.

In a message posted to his blog, Kirk explained how he came to his decision to support marriage equality, "When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others. Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage," he wrote. "Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back -- government has no place in the middle."

Kirk joins Senator Rob Portman of Ohio as the only two Republican Senators who publicly support marriage equality.

Carper used his Facebook page to announce his support of marriage equality:

As our society has changed and evolved, so too has the public's opinion on gay marriage – and so has mine. I pray every day for God to grant me the wisdom to do what is right. Through my prayers and conversations with my family and countless friends and Delawareans, I've been reminded of the power of one of my core values: the Golden Rule. It calls on us to treat others as we want to be treated. That means, to me, that all Americans ultimately should be free to marry the people they love and intend to share their lives with, regardless of their sexual orientation, and that's why today, after a great deal of soul searching, I'm endorsing marriage equality.

(Photo: Catholic News Agency)

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, appearing on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, said that gays are “entitled to friendship,” but not sexual love or marriage.

Dolan also said that the church “is not anti-anybody,” and that it needs to do a better job conveying that message.

When asked by Stephanopoulos to respond to gays and lesbians looking to get married in church, Dolan said, "Well, the first thing I’d say to them is, 'I love you, too. And God loves you. And you are made in God’s image and likeness. And – and we – we want your happiness. But – and you’re entitled to friendship.' But we also know that God has told us that the way to happiness, that – especially when it comes to sexual love – that is intended only for a man and woman in marriage, where children can come about naturally. We gotta be – we gotta do better to see that our defense of marriage is not reduced to an attack on gay people. And I admit, we haven’t been too good at that."

Is Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly pro marriage equality?

Judging by his comments to fellow Fox anchor Megyn Kelly this week it would appear that he is. O’Reilly stated that he didn’t "feel that strongly one way or another" about gay marriage. "I want all Americans to be happy," he said, adding, "I live in New York. New York is fine with it." He also stated that he felt that decisions regarding marriage equality should be left to the states.

In response to Kelly’s statement that pro-marriage equality proponents have been very convincing as opposed to their opponents, O’Reilly agreed, stating, "I agree with you 100 percent. The compelling argument is on the side of homosexuals. That is where the compelling argument is. We're Americans, we just want to be treated like everybody else. That's a compelling argument, and to deny that you've got to have a very strong argument on the other side. And the other side hasn't been able to do anything but thump the Bible." He finished by adding that the bible thumping approach was not a basis on which to enact public policy.

In the past O’Reilly has argues that legalized marriage equality would lead to polygamous marriage and has asked if people “should be allowed to marry turtles” if they want.

According to a new poll by the Washington Post and ABC News support for legalizing same-sex marriage is at an all time high.

According to the poll 58 percent of Americans now believe it should be legal for gay and lesbian couples to get married; 36 percent say it should be illegal. These results are almost exactly opposite of what they were a decade ago when, 37 percent favored same-sex marriage and 55 percent opposed it.

Among young adults age 18 to 29, support for gay marriage hit a record high of 81 percent in the poll. As for their elders, those aged 65 years old and up remain opposed with 44 percent say same-sex marriage should be legal; 50 percent say illegal.

Also of note, according to the poll the majority of respondents in across the political spectrum now support marriage equality.

Hillary Clinton came out today in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples in a video posted to the Human Rights Campaign website.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released the following statement concerning Clinton's video:

Hillary Clinton Joins Human Rights Campaign’s Americans for Marriage Equality Series

WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Americans for Marriage Equality series, a public engagement campaign featuring prominent Americans who support committed gay and lesbian couples getting married.

Her full statement can be viewed at: www.hrc.org/Clinton

A hallmark of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement is the fight to have our relationships recognized as equal under the law. Full marriage equality is an important measure of our success in this area.

The Americans for Marriage Equality series has included political and civil rights leaders, professional athletes, film and music celebrities, and business leaders: www.hrc.org/americansformarriageequality

Local LGBT and immigration advocates are planning to at Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office on Friday.

Members of the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP) plan to gather at 2 p.m. on March 14 at the JFK Federal Building before a meeting at Sen. Warren's Boston office. At the meeting, undocumented LGBT people are expected to disclose their status to the senator's staff in order to raise awareness about the connection between LGBT and immigration issues.

“We’re fighting for inclusive immigration reform that doesn’t leave anyone out—especially our LGBTQ community and immigrant detainees," said Alan Pelaez, grassroots organizer for QUIP in Massachusetts and Connecticut and self-identified undocumented and queer immigrant, in a statement. "As Massachusetts residents, we will give voice to the pain our communities are feeling, as thousands of moms, dads, brothers, and sisters are deported every day to meet an artificial quota of 400,000 deportations per year. Queer rights and immigrant rights are directly intertwined.”

Here's from the press release:

Former President Bill Clinton has joined the ever growing group of current and former politicians urging the Supreme Court to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) when the justices take on the case later this spring. Clinton, in a op-ed piece he wrote for the Washington Post, states that the country was in a very different time when he signed the Defense of Marriage Act. “In no state in the union was same-sex marriage recognized, much less available as a legal right, but some were moving in that direction. Washington, as a result, was swirling with all manner of possible responses, some quite draconian” he states.

He goes on to write that he now believes that “DOMA is contrary to those principles and, in fact, incompatible with our Constitution.”

More from the op-ed piece:

Because Section 3 of the act defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, same-sex couples who are legally married in nine states and the District of Columbia are denied the benefits of more than a thousand federal statutes and programs available to other married couples. Among other things, these couples cannot file their taxes jointly, take unpaid leave to care for a sick or injured spouse or receive equal family health and pension benefits as federal civilian employees. Yet they pay taxes, contribute to their communities and, like all couples, aspire to live in committed, loving relationships, recognized and respected by our laws.

When I signed the bill, I included a statement with the admonition that “enactment of this legislation should not, despite the fierce and at times divisive rhetoric surrounding it, be understood to provide an excuse for discrimination.” Reading those words today, I know now that, even worse than providing an excuse for discrimination, the law is itself discriminatory. It should be overturned.

One hundred fifty years ago, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln concluded a message to Congress by posing the very question we face today: “It is not ‘Can any of us imagine better?’ but ‘Can we all do better?’”

The answer is of course and always yes. In that spirit, I join with the Obama administration, the petitioner Edith Windsor, and the many other dedicated men and women who have engaged in this struggle for decades in urging the Supreme Court to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.

(Bay Windows)

(This article is appears in the current issue of Bay Windows and is being re-printed with permission)

Maureen Dahill, a candidate for State Senate in the 1st Suffolk District, today circulated an online petition to urge South Boston’s elected officials to fight for an inclusive St. Patrick’s Day Parade that allows gay and lesbian groups to march.

“I am proud to be from South Boston. I am proud of the deep roots and the amazing people who have ultimately shaped who I am today. South Boston is a vibrant community. It is a diverse community and it is a welcoming and inclusive community,” said Dahill.

Her petition is collecting signatures from voters asking Congressman Stephen Lynch, Representative Nick Collins and Councilor Bill Linehan to urge the Allied War Veteran’s Council to allow gay and lesbian groups to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

“Last year over one million people visited South Boston to watch the St Patrick’s Day Parade. With this year’s parade falling on the St Patrick’s Day holiday, there will be likely even more people. It’s time we showed our neighborhood in its true light and allowed gays and lesbian groups to march in the parade’, added Dahill.

State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry (D-Boston) has already signed on to Dahill’s proposal, according to Dahill’s campaign.

“This is an opportunity to put our past behind us and to begin a new and positive chapter for all of us in South Boston. It's a simple, yet powerful gesture that could heal deep wounds,” said Dahill.

The petition can be viewed at http://www.maureendahill.com/petition

Dahill is a candidate for the special election for the 1st Suffolk State Senate seat. The primary election is April 30th.

Tonight's Boston Spirit magazine LGBT Executive Networking Night has been postponed due to inclement weather. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 20th. For more information visit www.bostonspiritmagazine.com

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), is claiming that he received an honorary degree from a university that is no longer incorporated, according to the The Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Brown, leader of NOM, a group that opposes equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, tweeted on Monday that he received an honorary degree from "American Urban U. & Church of God in Christ" in Memphis. HRC verified that the American Urban University's corporate status has been suspended.

Here's from HRC's press release:

NOM President Brian Brown Touts Honorary Degree – From Non-Existent University

Records show the American Urban University’s corporation status has been suspended

Washington – National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown is touting an honorary degree he’s received from a non-existent university. On Monday, Brown – fresh off a jaunt to Paris in an attempt to take NOM’s anti-LGBT message abroad - tweeted that he was “honored to receive honorary doctorate this weekend in Memphis from American Urban U. & Church of God in Christ!” Brown also tweeted a picture of himself receiving the “honorary degree.”

Unfortunately for Brown, American Urban University does not exist. HRC has independently confirmed that the school is not in operation as a postsecondary institution.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, there is no American Urban University accredited postsecondary institution anywhere in the country. The Tennessee Higher Education Committee lists no such school on its database of authorized institutions.

“NOM just continues to remove itself further and further from reality,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “Brian Brown has made it a habit of denying the growing support for marriage equality despite the historic victories we achieved in 2012 and a wide array of polling that shows support growing across virtually all demographics. He has conveniently ignored the fact that his membership base is rapidly deteriorating and that his organization relies on the deep coffers of just two donors. And now apparently he thinks it’s perfectly normal to receive a degree from a non-existent university.”

In fact, public records indicate that the “university” was incorporated in California – not Tennessee - and has had its corporate status suspended. According to the California Secretary of State, some of the reasons an entity can have its status revoked include a failure to pay taxes or other fees, or a failure to file all required information with the state.

“This is just more bizarre, head-scratching behavior from NOM and Brian Brown,” added Sainz. “Congratulations to Mr. Brown on his well-deserved recognition from the non-existent American Urban University.

(White House)

Gautam Raghavan, the Associate Director of Public Engagement and LGBT liaison in the White House, will serve as the Keynote Speaker at Boston Spirit magazine’s annual LGBT Executive Networking Night this Thursday night.

The networking night, now in its sixth year, is the largest business related lgbt event in New England. In March 2012 more than 1,300 attended the event. Past speakers include Patriots owner Robert Kraft and television personality Chaz Bono.

Raghavan, a Washington veteran, has also served as the Deputy White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of Defense and as the Outreach Lead for DoD’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Working Group. In addition he worked for the Obama campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and Progressive Majority.

In his current role as LGBT liaison Ragahvan’s duties include advocating gay issues within the White House, letting the public know where the President stands on LGBT issues, and explaining the work progress of equality legislation. This for a President that is widely known as the most lgbt friendly President in history.

The event, sponsored by Eastern Bank, Fidelity Investments and Mintz Levin, among others, will offer a unique opportunity to hear, first hand, about the inner workings of the Obama White House as it relates to LGBT policy decisions…particularly timely on the heels of the historic amicas brief that the President filed last week calling on the Supreme Court to strike down Proposition 8, California’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Boston Spirit’s LGBT Executive Networking Night takes place on Thursday night, March 7th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Copley Marriott Hotel. For more information and to RSVP visit www.bostonspiritmagazine.com.

TV (and lesbian) icon Ellen DeGeneres has weighed in on the Proposition 8 issue headed to the Supreme Court. Degeneres has filed a brief with the Court....via Facebook.

In the brief, which appears on the Facebook page for the Ellen Degeneres show, she quotes Benjamin Franklin as saying "We're here, we're queer, get over it." (Yes, it was a joke)

Ellen's letter:

California’s Proposition 8 is headed to the Supreme Court. Hundreds of companies and families as well as Republicans are submitting briefs urging the 9 judges to allow gay people to marry. I thought that was ridiculous. Why would judges want all of that underwear? Then, after a quick talk with some people, I found out what a brief was.

I’ve never filed a brief to the Supreme Court, so I thought I would post mine here. I’m sure someone will tweet it to them.

Portia and I have been married for 4 years and they have been the happiest of my life. And in those 4 years, I don’t think we hurt anyone else’s marriage. I asked all of my neighbors and they say they’re fine.

But even though Portia and I got married in the short period of time when it was legal in California, there are 1,138 federal rights for married couples that we don’t have, including some that protect married people from losing their homes, or their savings or custody of their children.

The truth is, Portia and I aren’t as different from you as you might think. We’re just trying to find happiness in the bodies and minds we were given, like everyone else.

Coming out was one of the hardest things I ever did. I didn’t intend to be on the cover of Time magazine saying, “Yep, I’m gay.” The truth is, I don’t even remember saying that. I mean, I definitely said the “I’m gay” part. It’s the “yep” I don’t remember. I’m not really a “yep” person. “Yes siree Bob” maybe. But not “yep."
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “We’re here, we’re queer, get over it.” And there’s another famous quote that says “A society is judged by how it treats its weakest members.” I couldn’t agree with that more. No one’s really sure who said it first, so if anyone asks, tell them I said it.

I hope the Supreme Court will do the right thing, and let everyone enjoy the same rights. It’s going to help keep families together. It’s going to make kids feel better about who they are. And it is time.

*I was just told Benjamin Franklin did not say that first quote. I apologize and see that I have a lot to learn about stuff.

Please join Boston Spirit magazine this Thursday night, March 7th, for our annual LGBT EXECUTIVE Networking Night. This is the largest lgbt business networking night in New England with more than 1,000 attendees and 50 exhibitors. Also, this year's Keynote speaker is Gautam Raghavan, the lgbt liaison in the White House. This promises to be an amazing night. To RSVP visit www.bostonspiritmagazine.com

In a recent radio interview with VCY America Brian Camenker of the anti-gay, ‘pro-family’ group MassResistance, compared Massachusetts school administrators to “Nazi concentration camp guards” in response to the Mass Department of Education’s directive regarding the use of bathrooms and participation on sports teams for transgender students.

Camenker, while on the talk show Crosstalk, said "These school administrators, you know I mean you think of them as what the Nazi concentration camp guards must have been like where they are doing this horrible evil and they are just taking orders or something, they believe in it. People need to rise up because it is only going to get worse."

The directive in question states that ‘‘the student may access the restroom, locker room, and changing facility that corresponds to the student’s gender identity.” It goes on to state that “whether a student identifies as a boy or girl is up to the student or, in the case of younger students, the parents.”

Not to be outdone, FOX news host Bill O’Reilly also jumper on the anti-LGBT bandwagon earlier this week calling the Massachusetts Department of Education’s decision “insane” and “madness.”

"Here’s how insane you are and this whole thing is, and this is truly madness, ladies and gentlemen. You’re telling me that a kid can go to a public school in Massachusetts, immediately upon entering the school take off the kid’s shirt and put on a dress, go to the girls’ room when he’s a boy, and then change his name from John to Tiffany. And then after school, put the shirt back on, go home, and he’s still John," said O’Reilly.

Equality Blog has written an excellent piece explaining, in clear and factual terms, the many reasons why O’Reilly’s rant was misleading, incorrect, and factually inaccurate.

A group of at least 75 prominent Republicans have signed a brief in support of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples that is being submitted to the Supreme Court, according to The New York Times.

The New York Times notes:

The list of signers includes a string of Republican officials and influential thinkers — 75 as of Monday evening — who are not ordinarily associated with gay rights advocacy, including some who are speaking out for the first time and others who have changed their previous positions.

Among them are Meg Whitman, who supported Proposition 8 when she ran for California governor; Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Richard Hanna of New York; Stephen J. Hadley, a Bush national security adviser; Carlos Gutierrez, a commerce secretary to Mr. Bush; James B. Comey, a top Bush Justice Department official; David A. Stockman, President Ronald Reagan’s first budget director; and Deborah Pryce, a former member of the House Republican leadership from Ohio who is retired from Congress.

While briefs of this kind — called amicus, or friend-of-the court briefs — do not often sway Supreme Court justices, there is a sense that this brief may be an exception. More from the Times:

Tom Goldstein, publisher of Scotusblog, a Web site that analyzes Supreme Court cases, said the amicus filing “has the potential to break through and make a real difference.”

He added: “The person who is going to decide this case, if it’s going to be close, is going to be a conservative justice who respects traditional marriage but nonetheless is sympathetic to the claims that this is just another form of hatred. If you’re trying to persuade someone like that, you can’t persuade them from the perspective of gay rights advocacy.”

Suze Orman recently penned a column detailing the inequities between heterosexual couples and same-sex couples when it comes to federal benefits. Inequities that, hopefully, will be corrected when the Supreme Court hears cases related to DOMA this spring.

Speaking on her own relationship with her partner, Kathy Travis, Orman writes:

If the federal government recognized same-sex marriage, then when one of us dies our assets would seamlessly transfer free of tax to the survivor. That's a basic right that every heterosexual married couple has.

But because there is no federal recognition of same-sex marriage, if I die first, or vice versa, before either of us can inherit what is now jointly our assets, there would be a federal estate tax bill that one of us would currently have to pay. Again, to be clear: If we were a heterosexual married couple, there would be no estate tax regardless of the size of the estate or who died first.

Orman goes on to detail other issues, specifically with Social Security:

Married heterosexual couples can maximize their Social Security retirement benefits by taking advantage of the highest-earner's benefit. When both spouses are alive, the lower earner can opt to collect a monthly benefit check that is equal to 50% of his or her spouse's benefit. For many married couples, that 50% spousal benefit is often much higher than what the lower-wage-earning spouse could collect based on his or her own earnings record. Most important, when the high earner dies, the surviving spouse is allowed to collect 100% of the deceased's higher benefit.

Because same-sex marriages aren't recognized on the federal level, gay and lesbian couples are not eligible for Social Security spousal benefits. The lower earner cannot claim any benefits based on the higher earner's benefit. A heterosexual couple married for just a few months is able to collect a federal benefit that same-sex couples who have been together for decades can't.

And finally, on health insurance, Orman details that the current regulations are costing same-sex couples nearly $200 million in additional costs and employers nearly $60 million.

Health insurance is another area of severe federal financial discrimination against gay couples. I am so glad to see more employers extending health insurance benefits to same-sex partners. But because same-sex couples are not considered legally married under the eyes of the federal government, the dollar value of the health coverage is considered taxable income.

A 2007 study estimated that this gay health insurance penalty costs same-sex couples an aggregate $178 million ($1,069 per household), while employers paid an additional $57 million in payroll tax on that taxable income. No heterosexual married couple or their employers pay that penalty.

CLICK HERE to read the entire piece.

President Obama Speaks on Strengthening the Economy for the Middle Class in Chicago, including a mention about the importance of having “loving ... gay or straight parents” in society. (Video: The White House)

Has any president uttered the word ‘gay’ as much as President Barack Obama? It’s doubtful.

Much was made of his soaring rhetoric in his second inaugural speech, with words that have already attained legendary status in the LGBT community:

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths –- that all of us are created equal –- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; ...  

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. ... Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law  –- (applause) -- for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.  (Applause.)

But just in the past week, beginning with his State of the Union (SOTU) address last Tuesday, Obama has included ‘gay’ in his public remarks on three separate occasions, in three different ways.

Illinois is now one step closer to joining the growing number of states to pass legislation for same sex couples to legally marry.

In a vote taken today (of all days, Valentine’s Day) the Illinois Senate approved a same sex marriage bill by a vote of 34 – 21. Governor Pat Quinn has already stated that if passed he would not veto the legislation and has gone so far as to urge the General Assembly to pass the bill

Recently Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady backed gay marriage, leading to an unsuccessful call for his removal by members of his party

If the bill is also approved by the state House of Representatives, Illinois will become the 10th state with legal marriage equality as well as Washington D.C

LGBT activists are planning a rally at US Senator Marc Rubio's Florida headquarters at 3 p.m. ET, today, February 14. They are calling on the Republican legislator to be sure that LGBT people are included in the immigration law that Congress is considering.

National LGBT civil rights organization GetEQUAL is staging the demonstration. Here's from the group's press release:

On this Valentine's Day, LGBT immigrants with the group GetEQUAL -- a national civil rights organization fighting for the full equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans -- are asking Senate Marco Rubio not to leave them out of an immigration reform bill that is currently moving through Congress. While most loving couples will be celebrating, LGBT immigrants and their partners have to choose between the country they love and the person they love.

"LGBT immigrants are caught in the perfect storm -- we live in a country that doesn’t recognize our marriages and the broken immigration system leave us without a pathway to citizenship," says Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez, GetEQUAL's National Field Director. "I grew up here and became undocumented while a young man. Even though I’m married to permanent resident, I’m still not able to adjust my immigration status."

Undocumented LGBT community members and allies will gather to take action outside Senator Marco Rubio’s Florida headquarters in Orlando. They will ask questions about Senator Rubio’s position on a clear pathway to citizenship, asylum rules, the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), and the end of harsh enforcement policies.

More information on the action can be accessed at GetEQUAL's website.

(Huffington Post)

In a truly beautiful bit of irony Fox News columnist Suzanne Venker mistakenly used a photo of a lesbian couple (which was supposed to show a “traditional couple”) to accompany her column on the failures of feminism and female independence.

The photo, which first appeared on Huffington Post, is of Lela Mc Arthur and Stephanie Figarelle a lesbian couple from, Alaska on their wedding day. McArthur and Gigarelle were the first same-sex couple to marry at the top of the Empire State Building after New York State legalized gay marriage…recreating the famous scene from the movie Sleepless in Seattle.

In the article that accompanied the photo Venker says, “As products of divorce, the modern generation has few role models for lasting love. That alone is a problem. But young women have an added burden: they’ve been raised in a society that eschews marriage. They’ve been taught instead to honor sex, singlehood and female empowerment.”

She also identifies 2 major failures on the feminism movement as she sees it.

1. Women postpone marriage indefinitely and move in and out of intense romantic relationships, or even live with their boyfriends for years at a time. Eventually, their biological clocks start ticking and many decide they better hurry up and get married to provide a stable home for their yet-to-be-born children. Trouble is, their boyfriend’s not willing to commit.

2. Marriage becomes a competitive sport. The complementary nature of marriage—in which two people work together, as equals, toward the same goal but with an appreciation for the qualities each gender brings to the table—has been obliterated. Today, husbands and wives are locked in a battle about whom does more on the home front and how they’re going to get everything done. That’s not a marriage. That’s war.

Venker then concludes, “It’s time to say what no one else will: Feminism didn’t result in equality between the sexes – it resulted in mass confusion. Today, men and women have no idea who’s supposed to do what.”

Openly gay Massachusetts state Representative Carl Sciortino announced on his Facebook page today that he would be running for the US Fifth Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Edward Markety, who is running for US Senate.

Here is Sciortino's full announcement:

MEDFORD, MA – Today, Massachusetts State Representative Carl Sciortino (D – 34th Middlesex) announced his candidacy for the Commonwealth’s Fifth Congressional District.

“I am running to continue the strong progressive leadership that the families of the Fifth District have always counted on,” said Sciortino. “I look forward to bringing my record of accomplishment to Washington to fight for our progressive values.”

The Fifth Congressional District is currently represented by Rep. Edward Markey of Malden, the frontrunner in the special election to replace Sen. John Kerry, who was recently appointed Secretary of State by President Barack Obama.

“I am proud to call Ed Markey my Congressman and I am dedicated to helping elect him as our next U.S. Senator,” said Rep. Sciortino. “His record on behalf of Massachusetts families – fighting for jobs, consumers’ rights, and a healthier environment— is the kind of leadership Massachusetts needs in the Senate and it is a record I look forward to continuing in Congress.”

A leading progressive voice, Rep. Sciortino was first elected in 2004, upsetting a 14-year incumbent at age 25. One of the Commonwealth’s seven openly-gay legislators, Sciortino is the leading voice for LGBT rights on Beacon Hill, championing the fight for marriage equality and co-authoring the 2011 Transgender Equal Rights Bill. In 2007, Sciortino co-authored the bill which created the 35-foot buffer zone that protects the entrances to women’s reproductive health centers. He has led the fight to close corporate tax loopholes and make the state’s minimum wage the highest in the nation.

Rep. Sciortino, a graduate of Tufts University, represents the 34th Middlesex District, including parts of Medford and Somerville. He resides in Medford with his fiancé. To learn more or get involved, visit www.carlforcongress.com.

President Obama, in a pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS' Scott Pelley yesterday, called on the Boy Scouts of America to end their ban on gay on gay scouts and leaders.

The President had a simple, one word answer, when asked if gays should be allowed in the Boy Scouts, "Yes."

He then went on to say, "Gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everyone else does."

You can view Pelley's question to the President, and the President's answer HERE.

Texas Governor and former presidential hopeful Rick Perry, an Eagle Sout, took a different position. "Hopefully the board will follow their historic position of keeping the Scouts strongly supportive of the values that make Scouting this very important and impactful organization. I think most people see absolutely no reason to change the position and neither do I," said Perry.

Perry concluded by saying, "to have popular culture impact 100 years of their standards is inappropriate. I think you get tolerance and diversity every day in Scouting."

The scouts Board is expected to vote on the anti-gay policy in the next week.

Support for marriage equality in Rhode Island is at an all-time high, according to a poll released yesterday by Public Policy Polling.

The results show a strong 57 percent of Rhode Islanders support same-sex couples' right to marry. Only 36 percent opposed marriage equality. Support has increased from just one year ago, when a PPP survey found 50 percent supported marriage equality, while 41 percent opposed.

Rhode Island’s Senate is expected to vote on marriage equality legislation in the spring, after its historic passage in the House last month.

From Public Policy Polling:

The other main finding on our Rhode Island poll is that voters in the state strongly support legalizing gay marriage- 57% support it to 36% who are opposed. When we polled the state on this issue in February 2011 there was 50/41 support for it, and the 12 point increase in the margin in favor of same sex marriage reflects the national movement on this issue over the last few years. Among Rhode Islanders under the age of 45 there's 65/31 support on the issue. Looking more broadly at legal rights for same sex couples 85% of voters, including 75% of Republicans, at least support civil unions. “If public opinion has anything to do with it Rhode Island will legalize gay marriage this year,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Voters in the state strongly favor it and support is increasing by the year.”

Recently released framework for immigration reform does not address the issue of same-sex couples who are legally married in the U.S., and if you believe Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, it will remain that way. When asked the question about same-sex couples Graham responded, "Why don't we just put legalized abortion in there and round it all out."

Graham went on to warn that if President Obama pushes to include same-sex couples, the reform initiative will fail.

It looks as though Graham’s warning has fallen on deaf ears. According to White House spokesman Jay Carney President Obama believes there is a need to recognize same-sex couples as families as part of immigration law.

"The president believes that it should be included and that should come as no surprise," Carney said. "As we've said all along, this is consistent with the principles he has laid out over the last four years. And the president has long believed that Americans with same-sex partners from other countries should not be faced with the painful choice between staying with the person they love or staying in the country they love."

Several other members of the committee working on the legislation, including Sen. Chuck Shumer and Sen. John McCain have said it is too early to tell whether or not language addressing same-sex couples will be added.

"We haven't even gotten that far yet," McCain said. "This is thrown out by the people who think we have gotten into the details, which we haven't. We haven't gotten into those kind of details."

The Ontario legislature in Canada has elected Kathleen Wynne to lead the government, making her the first openly gay premier of a Canadian province.

The Canadian Press is reporting on the historic nature of the event:

Rhode Island took another step toward becoming the final state in New England to allow same-sex couples to marry on Thursday when the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a same-sex marriage bill.

The final count was 51 in the affirmative and 19 in the negative, with five members not in attendance for the vote.

“It was important that this House of Representatives stood and finally said we stand for equality, we stand for justice, we stand for tolerance in the shadow of our great founder Roger Williams,” said House Speaker Gordon Fox.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where a contentious battle is expected to unfold. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, is an opponent of the bill, but she has indicated she will not block a vote out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chairman Michael McCaffrey, D-Warwick, is also vote against the legislation, but advocates say they are confident the committee will allow the bill to go before the full Senate.

Fox, who is openly gay, said he plans to speak to Paiva Weed regularly about the legislation and said he is isn’t concerned about the bill being held up until the House approves other pieces of legislation that the Senate may want passed.

“Just pass it,” he said.

Thursday’s vote came following 70 minutes of generally civil discussion on the House floor and was met with loud cheers from the several hundred supporters in attendance. For 23-year-old Kyle Marnane and 27-year-old Donny McKendall, both of Cranston, the passage was the culmination of years of lobbying to bring a same-sex marriage bill to a vote.

“This took a lot of hard work and a lot of momentum over the past couple of years so it was nice to see it all come together now in the House,” Marnane said.

The couple is planning to get married next year in Massachusetts, but said they’d like to get married in Rhode Island.

“The fact that now it’s come and we can see it coming is just so exciting,” McKendall said.

But not all lawmakers were pleased with the outcome of the vote. Rep. Doc Corvese, D-North Providence, delivered an 11-minute speech chastising those who support same-sex marriage. Corvese called the legislation an “irrevocable, societal game changer.” He predicted the bill will have trouble passing in the Senate.

“I think the absence of religious rights of conscience legislation will be noted by the Senate,” Corvese said.

Rep. Doreen Costa, who voted in favor of the legislation in Tuesday’s House Judiciary Committee meeting, voted against the bill Thursday. She said she plans to submit a letter of opposition with 7,500 signatures to Senate.

“It had its day today,” Costa said. “It is what it is.”

Other lawmakers said they put their religious views aside to vote in favor of the bill. House Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello, D-Cranston, admitted that as recently as three years ago, he didn’t support same-sex marriage. But he said his change of heart came because he believes that marriages are public contracts and “everyone is entitled to equal protection under the law.”

“I’ve given a lot of thought over the past three years and I finally came to conclusion that you have to separate your personal religious viewpoints from the needs of society at large,” Mattiello said.

Nine states and Washington D.C. currently allow same-sex couples to marry. In 2011, Rhode Island lawmakers approved a bill that allows gay couples to enter into civil unions, but critics say an amendment that allows religious institutions to not recognize the law has stopped couples from seeking civil unions.

Last September, a WPRI 12 poll found that 56.3% of registered voters support legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, with 36% opposed and 7.8% unsure.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who last year signed an executive order recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, called the vote a “significant step forward.” He called on the Senate to pass the legislation.

“Although this vote is indeed historic, there is still a long way to go, now that the House has swiftly acted, I urge Senate leadership to ‘call the roll’ – for our economy, for our gay and lesbian friends and neighbors, and for history,” Chafee said.

As we ready ourselves to celebrate what would have been Rev. Martin Luther King’s 84th birthday an article in Huffington Post by local Rev. Irene Monroe asks the question ‘Would King, a champion of civil rights, have been a vocal supporter of equal rights for the lgbt community?’

Writes Monroe:

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day 2013, we no longer have to hold King up to a godlike standard. All the hagiographies written about King after his assassination have come under scrutiny as we have come to better understand all of him: his greatness and his flaws and human foibles. As I comb through numerous books and essays, learning more about King's philandering, his sexist attitude toward women at home and in the movement, and his tenuous relationship with the openly gay Bayard Rustin, I am wondering whether King really would be a public advocate for LGBTQ rights.

Monroe goes on to report that King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, while speaking to Lambda Legal, an organization of lawyers supporting lgbt rights, stated they she felt Dr. King would have been a supporter of the cause. "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King's dream to make room at the table of brother and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people," said Scott King.

Monroe, however, appears less convinced and goes on to offer up recent examples via other members of Dr. King’s family:

King's youngest and only living daughter, Rev. Bernice King, who has been rumored for years to be a lesbian, as well as his niece, Alveda King, have historically thought otherwise. In 2004 the cousins, along with thousands of protesters, participated in a march against same-sex marriage in Atlanta. In January 2005 Newsweek asked Alveda, who has aligned herself with the religious right and frequently wields her family name and her voice against LGBTQ rights, whether Martin Luther King would be a champion of LGBTQ rights. "No, he would champion the word of God," she replied. "If he would have championed gay rights today, he would have done it while he was here. There was ample opportunity for him to champion gay rights during his lifetime, and he did not do so." She added, "My cousin, the Rev. Bernice King, has said that she knows in her sanctified soul that her father did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage."

And finally there is this, from Bayard Rustin, whom many considered to be Dr. King’s chief strategist and most trusted advisor:

Martin Luther King, with whom I worked very closely, became very distressed when a number of the ministers working for him wanted him to dismiss me from his staff because of my homosexuality. Martin set up a committee to discover what he should do. They said that, despite the fact that I had contributed tremendously to the organization ... they thought that I should separate myself from Dr. King. This was the time when [Rev. Adam Clayton] Powell threatened to expose my so-called homosexual relationship with Dr. King.

Rustin offered to resign and King did not reject the offer. "Basically [King] said I can't take on two queers at one time," according to one of Rustin's associates.

Monroe concludes by recalling a letter she wrote to an associate on the topic, "I agree that you have to wonder whether King would support LGBTQ rights today, even if he felt he couldn't in the 60s. You'd like to think he would given his courageous stands otherwise. I now believe that not only would King not have supported LGBTQ rights but his relevance on social issues would have continued to wane considerably had he survived.”

President Obama has replaced conservative, anti-LGBT Rev. Louie Giglio with pro-LGBT Rev. Luis Leon to deliver the benediction at the upcoming inauguration on January 21st.

The original choice of Giglio caused a bit of an uproar in the lgbt community as audio tape of the conservative evangelical surfaced in which he spoke out against the “aggressive agenda” of the gay community and went on to say that gay people could change their lifestyle “through the healing power of Jesus.” Giglio asked out of the inauguration fearing that his prayer would be "dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration."

Leon's parish is known for welcoming openly gay members. The church has had a gay bishop, blesses same-sex marriages and has stated that it would ordain transgender priests.

Both President Obama (and his family) and former President George W. Bush (and his family) have attended Rev. Leon’s Episcopal church on a fairly regular basis.
Leon was baptized into the Episcopal Church in Guantanamo, Cuba. In 1961, when he was 12 years old, he came to the U.S. and settled in Miami. A graduate of the University of the South, he has a Masters in Divinity degree from the Virginia Theological Seminary, and in 1999 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of the South. He is well known for teaching courses nationwide in parish building and stewardship

According to an article in the Providence Journal, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee would veto a bill that would put marriage equality up for a statewide vote. Democratic state senator Frank Ciccone has hinted at introducing such a bill.

Chaffe, a supporter of marriage equality, believes that elected officials should be allowed to decide the issue.

It is expected that Rhode Island will join the other five New England states in allowing same sex marriages in the near future. The current make up of the state legislature appears to carry enough votes to pass a marriage equality bill which Chafee has already stated he will sign into law.

One past sticking point in similar proposed legislation in Rhode Island has been language that would allow religious organizations the power to have "exclusive control over its own religious doctrine, policy, and teachings regarding who may marry within their faith, and on what terms." Language in any new bill is expected to protect clergy from being obligated to officiate any ceremony that is against their religious principles.

At this point even the most ardent opponents of marriage equality realize that Rhode Island will soon complete the New England map of states allowing for same sex marriages.

Pastor Louis Giglio, who had been slated to perform the benediction at President Obama’s inauguration, has withdrawn from the program. Giglio had a history of anti-LGBT rhetoric, including advocating for ex-gay therapy. HRC President Chad Griffin released the following statement in response to this news:

"It was the right decision. Participants in the Inaugural festivities should unite rather than divide. Choosing an affirming and fair-minded voice as his replacement would be in keeping with the tone the president wants to set for his Inaugural."

Giglio’s serman, "In Search of a Standard – Christian Response to Homosexuality," states that being gay is a sinful choice and that gay people will be prevented from "entering the Kingdom of God."

The "only way out of a homosexual lifestyle ... is through the healing power of Jesus. We’ve got to say to the homosexuals, the same thing that I say to you and that you would say to me … it’s not easy to change, but it is possible to change."

Today, the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) took out a full-page ad in The Washington Post exposing former Sen. Chuck Hagel’s (R-Neb.) long history of anti-gay positions. He is widely believed to be President Obama’s pick for Secretary of Defense, and could be nominated by the President as early as today.

The Washington Post ad addresses Chuck Hagel’s recent apology by stating, “Chuck Hagel’s Apology: Too Little, Too Late.” Hagel’s apology was submitted after his anti-gay remarks opposing the Ambassadorship of James Hormel for being "openly, aggressively, gay" surfaced in the media. In Hagel's apology to Politico he said his comments did not reflect the "totality of [his] public record."

A bit more on Hagel’s past with the lgbt community:

In 1996 Hagel said he supported the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law defining marriage as one man and one woman. He also supported a state constitutional amendment barring gays from marrying.

In 1998 Hagel opposed the nomination of James Hormel as Ambassador to Luxembourg, arguing that an "openly, aggressively gay" man should not be selected to represent the U.S.

In 1999 Hagel opposed repealing the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, saying, "the U.S. armed forces aren't some social experiment."

In 2005, in reaction to a federal judge's ruling that Nebraska's voter-passed ban on same-sex marriage violated the constitutional rights of lesbians and gay men, Hagel opposed the decision saying, "I am hopeful the federal appeals court will recognize the rights of Nebraskans to determine their own laws governing marriage and reverse this decision."

"At Chuck Hagel's request, we looked into the 'totality' of his public record on gay rights, and it did nothing to assuage our concerns that his anti-gay record makes him the wrong choice to oversee the ongoing integration of gays and lesbians in the military," stated Gregory T. Angelo, Interim Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans. "Until his name surfaced as a potential nominee for Secretary of Defense, he has stood firmly and aggressively against not only gay marriage, but also against gay people in general. Log Cabin Republicans helped lead the charge to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell and is extremely invested in seeing that we don't lose any ground due to a lack of sincere commitment to gay people and their families on the part of the incoming Defense Secretary."

Today's ad is Log Cabin's second to condemn Hagel, following a December 27th advertisement in The New York Times.

Retiring Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank has revered course and now says that he is interested in filling the senate seat that will open up when current Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is appointed Secretary of State.

Frank, appearing on msnbc's "Morning Joe", had the following to say:

“A few weeks ago said, I said wasn't interested. It was kind of like, you're about to graduate and they said, you've got to go to summer school. But that [fiscal cliff] deal now means that February, March, and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial history."

Frank continued, "Yes, in fact, I'm not going to be coy, it's not anything I've ever been good at. I've told the governor that I would now like, frankly, to be a part of that. It's only a three-month period, I wouldn't want to do anything more, but to be honest, it's a little arrogant."

"Coach, put me in."

The temporary appointment to fill Senator Kerry's seat is expected to last until sometime this summer.

As Republicans in the House of Representatives ramped up to the recent ‘fiscal cliff’ showdown one message front and center was the need for spending cuts. Apparently those cuts do not apply when fighting the Defense of Marriage Act is concerned.

In a recent meeting the House Republican Conference gave the go ahead to the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG -- the House legal team) to continue paying outside counsel to defend DOMA.

According to a report released in October by Democrats on the House Administration Committee, BLAG has already spent more than $1.5 million to defend DOMA after the Obama administration decided to cease defending DOMA after finding it unconstitutional.

Huffington Post obtained a draft of the bill which is expected to pass the House shortly:

(1) CONTINUING AUTHORITY FOR THE BIPARTISAN LEGAL ADVISORY GROUP.

(A) The House authorizes the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the 113th Congress –

(i) to act as successor in interest to the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the 112th Congress with respect to civil actions in which it intervened in the 112th Congress to defend the constitutionality of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (1 U.S.C. 7) or related provisions of titles 10, 31, and 38, United States Code, including in the case of Windsor v. United States, 833 F. Supp.2d 394 (S.D.N.Y. June 6, 2012), aff'd, 699 F.3d 169 (2d Cir. Oct. 18, 2012), cert. granted, No. 12–307 (Dec. 7, 2012), cert. pending No. 12–63 (July 16, 2012) and 12-ll (Dec.___2012);

(ii) to take such steps as may be appropriate to ensure continuation of such civil actions; and

(iii) to intervene in other cases that involve a challenge to the constitutionality of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act or related provisions of titles 10, 31, and 38, United States Code.

(B) Pursuant to clause 8 of rule II, the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group continues to speak for, and articulate the institutional position of, the House in all litigation matters in which it appears, including in Windsor v. United States.

Windsor v. United States was recently added to the list of cases to be brought before the Supreme Court in 2013.

Outgoing Congressman Barney Frank sat down recently for an interview with Huffington Post Senior Editor Michelangelo Signorile. Frank was, as usual, very candid in discussing topics ranging from his ‘coming out’ in 1987, the legalization of prostitution and marijuana, Prop 8 and the Supreme Court, and the future of LGBT rights.

Here are a few highlights:

On coming out:

“I simply would not have won in 1980 if I was out,” he continued. “The fact would have destroyed my chances. I didn’t deny it but just did not volunteer it. I came to Washington and it was just not satisfactory. I told myself, ‘I’m going to be a gay man privately and publicly I’m not going to say anything.’ And what I learned is that, particularly in a prominent position, you can’t live half gay and half closeted. So I decided to come out, and I was wrestling with when to do it, and the Stewart McKinney funeral drove me over the top.”

Regarding the legalization of prostitution (and marijuana):

“I always have thought prostitution should be legal,” he said. “I know people said, ‘Oh it victimizes women.’ And the women are vulnerable. We’ve seen this recently where the women are prosecuted when the customers, the men customers, have gotten away with it. But I think in the first place it’s a matter of personal choice. I’m for legalizing marijuana. I’m for legalizing gambling. I don’t think the government should be trying to make you a better person. But beyond that, the practical effect, the women, who are predominantly the prostitutes, they’re worse off when it’s illegal, because they’re outside protection of the law. They’re more subject to violence and subject to abuse because they can’t go to the law for protection.”

On the upcoming session in which the Supreme Court will hear arguments on Prop 8:

“I was critical of the decision to take Prop 8 to court,” he said. “I don’t the think the five-member Supreme Court majority that we have is ready to declare that there is a constitutional right to marry everywhere. To bring a lawsuit when you’re not likely to win it, prematurely, is a mistake. So I was very critical of those people in California who were doing that. When the Supreme Court decides the Prop 8 case, what I believe is likely to happen is that they will accept the decision by of the circuit court in the west coast [ the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which had narrowed the decision to apply only to California]. It’s people being rescued from themselves. Some of them are still trying to push the broader case, which I think is a mistake.”

On Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s well known anti-lgbt views:

“I was glad that he made clear what’s been obvious, that he’s just a flat out bigot,” Frank said. “I’d previously said he was a homophobe. And Fox and the rightwing said, ‘Oh just because he’s not for same-sex marriage? And I said, ‘No, let me be very clear. That’s not it. This is a man who has said you should go to prison for having sex.’ It was an extraordinarily abusive sentiment and it was dead wrong. And, by the way, for a guy who is supposed to be so smart -- quite stupid.This young man said to him, ‘Why do you compare sodomy to murder?’ And he said, ‘Well because I have a right to say if I think something is immoral.’ Well the question wasn’t about his right. The question was, By what morality is expressing your love for someone in a physical way equivalent to killing that person? It makes it clear that the man is an unreconstructed bigot, and given that you have a bigot on the Supreme Court like that, it is useful to know.”

Regarding the future of LGBT rights:

“The next time we have a Democratic House, president and Senate,if DOMA hasn’t been found unconstitutional -- which, I still believe it will be -- then it will be repealed,” Frank stated. “And you’ll be able to get a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The transgender issue -- it’s interesting to see how time speeds up. In 1972, I filed the first gay rights bill in Massachusetts history [as a state legislator] and I remember at the time encountering this sense almost of disgust and discomfort from my colleagues. They didn’t want to think about it. And over time we eroded that. Now, the transgender issue is a new issue in the sense of being raised. When we were first dealing with it even five or six years ago, we ran into this same discomfort, unease, etc. We’ve made much quicker progress there. The time on this has sped up. So I believe we are now at the point, which we weren’t at even a few years ago, where we’re we’ll be able to get the transgender legislation.”

Republican Representative Todd Aiken, he of the "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," statement, is at it again. Aiken, a Representative from Missouri who was beaten in the November election by Democrat Claire McCaskill is now spending his last few days in Washington targeting gays in the military.

Aiken is pushing to have a bill pushed through congress that will, essentially, give military personnel a “license to bully”. From Aiken’s proposed bill:

The Armed Forces shall accommodate the conscience and sincerely held moral principles and religious beliefs of the members of the Armed Forces concerning the appropriate and inappropriate expression of human sexuality and may not use such conscience, principles, or beliefs as the basis of any adverse personnel action, discrimination, or denial of promotion, schooling, training, or assignment. [...]

No member of the Armed Forces may (A) direct, order, or require a chaplain to perform any duty, rite, ritual, ceremony, service, or function that is contrary to the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of the chaplain, or contrary to the moral principles and religious beliefs of the endorsing faith group of the chaplain; or (B) discriminate or take any adverse personnel action against a chaplain, including denial of promotion, schooling, training, or assignment, on the basis of the refusal by the chaplain to comply with a direction, order, or requirement prohibited by sub-paragraph (A).

In other words, military personnel would be able to discriminate, deny promotions, schooling, training or assignment based solely on sexual orientation. Senator John McCain, among others, are also supporting Aiken’s bill. Aiken has tried to get these provisions put into bills in the past and they have failed each time. Here’s hoping that our elected leaders will (as Aiken feels a woman’s body can do after being raped…) shut that whole thing down.

Twenty-five of the nation’s wealthiest LGBT citizens sent an open letter to U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner and other government leaders urging Congress to increase taxes on high income Americans.

In the letter, the signatories, who include Suze Orman, Andrew Tobias, and Tim Gill, explain:

For LGBT Americans, this "fiscal cliff" isn't just an abstract concept. A report released by the Center for American Progress, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and a coalition of 23 national LGBT organizations outlines the real and lasting impact it would have.

Across-the-board cuts would compromise LGBT health by reducing programmatic funding used to address the health care needs of gay and transgender Americans, impair the federal government's ability to investigate claims of workplace discrimination, and remove critical resources from government agencies working to prevent bullying and school violence.

At the same time, higher tax rates would further endanger middle class and working class members of our community. LGBT Americans have lower levels of income than other Americans, according to a recent Gallup report, and face additional economic obstacles caused by the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the lack of federal workplace protections.

A copy of the full letter can be found at www.fiscalpride.org.

For many years those within the lgbt community have read stories in lgbt press regarding the Salvation Army. Most of these stories revolved around the fact that the nation’s largest charity is decidedly anti-gay.

Now, with the explosion of social media, the noise regarding the Salvation Army’s policies is getting louder. Recently America Blog began urging people to print out vouchers (see below) and to place the voucher in the red donation bucket in lieu of cash.

Significant anti-lgbt moments in the Salvation Army’s past include:

In 2002 the charity made waves when it announced a policy that would have offered health insurance for a “legally domiciled adult” living with an employee. Essentially granting health benefits for same-sex partners of employees. This policy was reversed after only 2 weeks

In 2003 the Washington Post reported that the Bush administration was working with the Salvation Army in an effort to issue a regulation making it easier for government-funded religious groups to discriminate against gay people in hiring. According to an internal Salvation Army report the Bush White House gave the charity a “firm commitment” to work to protect them from state and city laws that prevent discrimination against gays in hiring and domestic-partner benefits

At the time the Salvation Army spent approximately $100,000 to lobby in favor of President Bush’s faith based initiative. (The Bush administration wound up not working with the Salvation Army on the regulation)

In 2004 the charity threatened to leave New York City if Mayor Michael Bloomberg enforces a new ordinance requiring all groups with city contracts to offer benefits to the same-sex partners of employees. Bloomberg was against the ordinance and did not enforce it.

In June of this year the following passage appeared on the official website of the Australian Salvation Army:

"[Homosexual activity is] as rebellion against God's plan for the created order... Homosexual practice, however, is, in the light of Scripture, clearly unacceptable. Such activity is chosen behaviour and is thus a matter of the will. It is therefore able to be directed or restrained in the same way heterosexual urges are controlled. Homosexual practice would render any person ineligible for full membership (soldiership) in the [Salvation] Army."

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) saw a steep decline in the amount of money it raised in 2011 – dropping to $6.2 million from the $9.1 million it raised the previous year. Just two donors were responsible for funding 75 percent of the anti-gay group – the organization reported two donations of approximately $2.4 million each. The information is available in NOM’s 2011 990, which NOM made available this evening after the Human Rights Campaign requested the documents.

“The National Organization for Marriage continues to push the notion that there is some sort of grassroots support for their discriminatory anti-gay agenda,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “Last week, that notion was soundly rejected by voters in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington State. Now, NOM’s own financial records are serving as the latest proof that support for LGBT equality is common-sense and mainstream. NOM is nothing more than a conduit channeling the anti-gay agenda of a few secretive, wealthy donors.”

The sharp drop in funding is notable also because NOM experienced significant financial growth each year since its founding in 2007, when it was formed to demonize LGBT people in California as part of efforts to pass Proposition 8. 2011 marks the first year in which the anti-gay group’s funding declined.

In addition to illustrating that more than $4.7 million of NOM’s total $6.2 million reported came from just two mysterious mega-donors, the documents also reveal some interesting information about NOM’s closest affiliates. For example, NOM paid $870,000 to CC Advertising – a group HRC recently filed an FCC complaint against for spamming unsuspecting cell phone users with anti-gay, anti-Obama text messages. The organization also paid nearly $375,000 to Frank Schubert, their ad guru who makes his living largely off of promoting anti-LGBT propaganda.

NOM spent upwards of $5.7 million on attempts to prevent marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, and Washington; write discrimination in Minnesota’s constitution; and politicize Iowa’s judicial system. Voters in all five states soundly rejected NOM’s discriminatory messaging. The anti-gay organization remains embroiled in several legal battles over revealing the identities of the few mega-donors who fund their work.

More background on NOM, including information on the organization’s leadership and details on its close financial ties to religious institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the Church of Latter Day Saints, is available via HRC’s NOM Exposed project.

According to a new report released by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the Roman Catholic Church spent approximately $2 million in an effort to defeat marriage equality initiatives in the four marriage ballot states of Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington this election cycle. An updated HRC report, available HERE, provides a snapshot of just how much money the Church, along with its close ally the National Organization for Marriage(NOM), poured into campaigns aimed solely at depriving LGBT Americans of dignity and respect.

In Minnesota, the Roman Catholic Church spent upwards of $1.3 million, funding nearly 25 percent of the failed attempts to write discrimination into the state’s constitution. The Church’s funding included hundreds of thousands of dollars from dioceses across the country. The report also highlights the Roman Catholic Church’s donations to states where voters affirmed marriage equality – more than $100,000 in Maine; well over a quarter-million dollars in Maryland; and $307,000 in Washington.

Despite voters rejecting the anti-LGBT agenda financed by the Roman Catholic Church and NOM, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently re-committed to fighting against equality for LGBT Americans. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone – a leading anti-LGBT voice within the Roman Catholic Church and one of the chief architects of Prop 8 - said the Church must continue funding discrimination because people “don’t understand” marriage.

The report breaks down publicly reported in-kind and cash expenditures from the Roman Catholic hierarchy, the Knights of Columbus, and NOM to the four ballot states. Final campaign figures from Maine and Maryland will be available in the coming weeks.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), has issued a statement in response to Tuesday night's election results which saw all four states with ballot initiatives pass marriage equality.

Brown, as expected, does not see the results as an affirmation of marriage equality, but more as an issue with funding, voters in 'blue states' and the media.

From the statement:

"Obviously we are very disappointed in losing four tough election battles by narrow margins. We knew long ago that we faced a difficult political landscape with the four marriage battles occurring in four of the deepest-blue states in America. As our opponents built a huge financial advantage, the odds became even steeper. We ran strong campaigns and nearly prevailed in a very difficult environment, significantly out-performing the GOP ticket in every state.

Despite the fact that NOM was able to contribute a record amount to the campaigns (over $5.5 million), we were still heavily outspent, by a margin of at least four-to-one. We were fighting the entirety of the political establishment in most of the states, including sitting governors in three of the states who campaigned heavily for gay marriage. Our opponents and some in the media will attempt to portray the election results as a changing point in how Americans view gay marriage, but that is not the case. Americans remain strongly in favor of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The election results reflect the political and funding advantages our opponents enjoyed in these very liberal states.

Though we are disappointed over these losses, we remain faithful to our mission and committed to the cause of preserving marriage as God designed it. Marriage is a true and just cause, and we will never abandon the field of battle just because we experienced a setback. There is much work to do, and we begin that process now."

The most recent national polls taken show that approximately 53% of those asked support marriage equality while approximately 39% are opposed.

As last night’s election results are dissected and reviewed one thing is perfectly clear, it was a historic night for the nation’s LGBT community. Starting with the victory for President Obama, the first sitting US President to endorse marriage equality, to the election of the first openly gay Senator, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, there were positive results across the country.

As of the posting of this article, voters in three of the four states voting on marriage equality have voiced, loud and clear, their support for the right for LGBT couples to marry. Our neighbors to the north, in Maine, have joined majorities in Maryland and Minnesota in ensuring marriage equality for all. While optimistic, we await results from Washington State. It looks, however, as though marriage equality will prevail in all four states in which it was on the ballot.

In Massachusetts voters have elected Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren who is considering a very strong ally for the LGBT community.

In Rhode Island openly gay congressman David Cicilline was reelected for a second term. In New York Sean Patrick Maloney defeated Congresswoman Nan Hayworth to become the first openly person elected to represent New York in Congress.

In upstate New York, Republican Senator Mark Grisanti, who voted for the marriage equality legislation that passed the New York state legislature last year, won his race for reelection, and in Hawaii Mazie Hirono, an LGBT-friendly U.S. representative from Hawaii, will move up to the Senate with her victory over Linda Lingle, who as the state's governor had vetoed civil unions legislation.

Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign, issued the following statement regarding last night’s historic results:

“Tonight we celebrate, but tomorrow morning we get up and get back to work so that the victories we hail tonight are felt everywhere across this great country. Too many people are denied the ability to marry. Too many people go to their jobs without workplace protections. Too many young people go to bed at night and stare at the ceiling, sleeplessly wondering what awaits them the next day at school or at church or in their own home. Thanks to all the hard work in achieving tonight’s victories, we finally have momentum on our side and we will not rest until the promise of equal justice under the law is realized for every single person living in every single corner of this vast country.”

In a fascinating story of family and politics the family of Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel have penned an open letter in opposition to his beliefs on same-sex marriage.

The letter, signed by eight cousins of Mr. Mandel's wife and appearing in the Cleveland Jewish News yesterday, details the wedding of Ellen Ratner and Cholene Espinoza, two cousins of Ilana Shafran Mandel, Mr. Mandel's wife. Ellen and Cholene were married eight years ago in Massachusetts.

According to a Mandel campaign spokesperson, the candidate "has never met any of those 'cousins' who signed that letter, but looks forward to having the opportunity to meet them someday."

Mandel currently trails his Democratic opponent in the senate race,

Here is a copy of the letter as it appeared in the newspaper:

Open Letter to Josh Mandel, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senator from Ohio

Dear Josh,

Four years ago you came into our family. We still remember the excitement surrounding your wedding, and how happy our family members were as they described it afterwards. So we were deeply saddened when you announced during your October 18th debate with Senator Sherrod Brown that you believe only some people should share this right to marry the person they love, while others should not.

Your cousins, Ellen Ratner and Cholene Espinoza, are among the many wonderful couples whose rights you do not recognize. They were married almost eight years ago in Massachusetts, at a time when it was the only state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage. Their wedding, like yours, was a beautiful and happy occasion for all of us in our family. It hurts us that you would embrace discrimination against them and countless other loving couples in Ohio and around the country.

We are equally distressed by your belief that gay men and women should not be allowed to serve openly in the military. Like you, Cholene spent many years in the armed forces. A graduate of the Air Force Academy and an accomplished pilot, she became the second woman in history to fly the U-2 reconnaissance plane. And yet, you have argued that she, like many gay and lesbian soldiers, should be forced to live a life of secrecy and lies.

Josh, as you know, our roots are deep in the Cleveland area and we have friends and family we love throughout Ohio. This family is sprawling and diverse, but it has always believed strongly in the values of equality and inclusiveness. Your discriminatory stance violates these core values of our family. Nevertheless we hope that over time, as you advance in years and wisdom, you will come to embrace the values of inclusiveness and equality as well.

Your cousins,

Michael Ratner, Bruce Ratner, Karen Ranucci, Pamela Lipkin, Rebecca
Ratner, Elizabeth Ratner, Patrick Markee, Jacob Ratner, Ana Ratner

Over the past few months several articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, on Boston.com and in Boston Spirit magazine calling into question former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's controversial statements on gay families and same sex parents.

In September Boston Spirit published an article detailing a meeting between then Governor Romney and several same sex couples from Massachusetts. In that meeting Governor Romney is reported as stating "I didn't know you had families," to the group of lgbt couples in the meeting. He later stated to Julie Goodridge, in response to her question on what to tell her daughter (if same sex marriage was repealed) the Governor responded "I don't care what you tell your adopted daughter." Goodridge's daughter is not adopted, she is her biological daughter.

Now video has surfaced of Governor Romney, speaking in 2006, to a group of supporters in South Carolina. In the video Romney states that same sex couples having children is "not right on paper and it's not right in fact." The video backs up a story published by Murray Waas of the Boston Globe last week.

In Waas' story he reports that "Romney overruled efforts by his own Department of Public Health to change birth certificates after gay marriage was legalized in the state in 2003. The department wanted to feature a box labeled "father or second parent." Romney refused to allow the change. Instead, he required review of individual births to gay parents by his own top legal staff. Once that special review was complete, hospitals and town clerks were authorized to cross off "father" and write in "second parent" on birth certificates, in pen."

Click Here to view the video of Mitt Romney speaking on gay parenting.

President Obama released statements yesterday on three upcoming state ballot initiatives on marriage equality. In all three cases the President, as expected, spoke in favor of marriage equality.

Portland Press Herald:

"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the president believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect’” said Michael Czin, Northeast regional press secretary. “The president believes same-sex couples should be treated equally and supports Question 1."

Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the president believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect. Washington’s same-sex marriage law would treat all Washington couples equally’ and that is why the President supports a vote to approve Referendum 74."

Baltimore Sun:

"We're moving forward to a country where we treat everybody fairly and everybody equally, with dignity and respect, and here in Maryland, thanks to the leadership of committed citizens and Governor O'Malley, you have a chance to reaffirm that principle in the voting booth in November. It's the right thing to do>"

On the flip side, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has been consistent in his opposition to marriage equality.

Romney in the Des Moines Register:

"The actions that I take as president depends in part on the state of play in Washington, the people that are there and what options exists - but certainly I would defend the Defense of Marriage Act which the current president has refused to defend. I believe that the Defense of Marriage Act was well constructed and should be maintained."

Republican Super PAC American Unity PAC has committed more than $500,000 to the campaign of Massachusetts congressional candidate Richard Tisei. Tisei, a gay Republican and the former Massachusetts senate minority leader, is in involved in a very close race with incumbent Congressman John Tierney. Tisei could become the first non-incumbent openly gay Republican elected to Congress, and the first Republican elected to represent Massachusetts in the House in nearly 20 years.

The funds will be used primarily for broadcast advertising with a smaller portion going to online advertising.

American Unity PAC was launched by hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer and has contributed to campaigns supporting marriage equality in New York and New Hampshire. The Super Pac also supports presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

According to their website American Unity PAC

“is the voice of Republican voters who are committed to equal rights and full relationship recognition for gay and lesbian Americans. We are committed to the values of freedom – limited government, free enterprise, individual liberty, personal responsibility, a strong national defense and the importance of family. In the spirit of these values, we believe the promise of America should be extended to all, regardless of their orientation. Our mission is to engage in federal elections to protect and promote inclusive Republicans.”

Conservative media pundit Ann Coulter has tweeted a message in response to last week's National Coming Out Day;

While apparently a joke, Coulter's tweet has not gone unnoticed by lgbt organizations around the world. Aaron McQuade, director of news and field media for GLAAD, released in a statement:

I recognize that this is a joke, and that she is not really taken seriously in any context anyway, but with this coming right after National Coming Out Day, at the start of Ally Week and just days before Spirit Day, I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk about this idea of hers. There was a time in our culture's history when, if thousands of LGBT kids were to come out on the same day, the next week genuinely would be exactly what Ann describes, all across the country. Fathers disowning their sons and kicking them out onto the street. Mothers locking up their daughters or sending them to charm school. Children forced to undergo electro-shock or even worse forms of "therapy" to rid themselves of their orientation. To learn how to not be true to themselves.

And although we've come a long way from those ideas as a cultural collective, I have no doubt that last week, more than a few American households experienced the tragedy that Ann joked about. Approximately 50% of LGBT youth experience some degree of family rejection. There are as many as 100 thousand homeless LGBT youth on our nation's streets, and it's estimated that LGBT youth make up as much as 40% of our nation's homeless youth population. LGBT youth who are completely rejected by their parents are more than 8 times as likely to have attempted suicide. Pretty funny, right?

Again, I know it’s a joke, but ANYTHING that adds to the idea that family rejection of LGBT young people is expected, or even "normal" enough to be casually joked about, causes harm. The kind of harm that Spirit Day was specifically created to protect against.
So this week we'll let the rest of America stand up for those young people. With Spirit Day on Friday, I thought it would be a nice thought to list some of the corporations and individuals who will be standing up against Ann Coulter's idea, and showing their support for LGBT youth this week by going purple:

Facebook, the NBA, Major League Soccer, Times Square, the New York Stock Exchange, the hosts of ‘Good Morning America,’ ‘The Talk,’ ‘E! News,’ ‘Chelsea Lately,’ Dianna Agron, Sir Ian McKellen, Fun., Bernadette Peters, the cast of Days of Our Lives, Joel McHale, Cesar Milan, the Duke Energy Tower, Toyota Financial Services, AMC Entertainment, NBCUniversal, Nielsen, Omnicom Group, American Apparel, AT&T, PepsiCo, American Airlines, Thomson Reuters, Warner Bros.

Not to mention the millions of everyday people across North America who will be participating, and standing up in support of every LGBT young person, including – and especially – those who came out last week. Like I said, I've never taken Ann Coulter seriously, and I'm certainly not going to start now. But the idea of family rejection is one that does deserve serious attention as a society. Go purple on Friday, not just to show LGBT young people that you support them, but to show Ann Coulter what you stand for.

A new website called 'The Four 2012' has launched in an effort to keep people informed on upcoming votes in 4 states for marriage equality for gays and lesbians. The 4 states in question are Maine, Minnesota, Washington and Maryland. Among the celebrities highlighted on the site as supporters of marriage equality is Bruce Springsteen, long an ally to the lgbt community.

Other celebrities on the site include Lady Gaga, Josh Charles (who spoke at the HRC dinner in Boston recently) and Pink.

According to the website, polling in all 4 states is showing that a majority of voters are in favor of allowing same-sex marriage with Maine showing the largest lead.

From the site:

Marriage equality is about to take a huge step forward. Momentum is on our side and - if we can create a massive groundswell - we can create a massive victory for marriage equality in the United States. In FOUR states there are marriage ballot initiatives - FOUR states we have to win.

With enough of us talking about marriage, sharing, tweeting and donating - we can drive people out to vote on November 6 and deliver marriage equality in 3 states while fighting off a total ban in another.

We can make history by winning marriage equality ballot initiatives in Maine, Maryland and Washington State. In Minnesota the fight is a different one - we’ll be stopping a total ban on same-sex marriage.

Every day, The FOUR will be putting out a new piece of interesting content from a celebrity or artist - if you like it, all you need to do is share it.

Anti-gay and anti-human rights organizations in our country are mobilizing - putting vast sums of money and resources into all four states to defeat us. In the past, despite great polls - we have lost ballot initiatives. Our opposition is organized and well-funded. But we have what they don’t - we’re fighting for love, not against it.

On Wednesday night, October 3rd, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake will be co-hosting an event to support marriage equality in Maryland. The event will take place at Club Café (229 Columbus Ave.) from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

In 2012, The Civil Marriage Protection Act was passed by Maryland's General Assembly and signed by Governor Martin O'Malley. Pending voter approval in November, the law will go into effect on January 1, 2013 and same-sex couples will be able to marry in Maryland.

Maryland is one of four states that will have the issue of marriage equality put to public vote in November. Current polling shows that Maryland, Maine and Washington all show a majority of voters supporting same-sex marriage. Recent polling in Maryland indicated that about 51% over voters in the state support same-sex marriage with approximately 43% opposed. In Washington the numbers are even more impressive with 56% in favor and 38% opposed.

As for our neighbor to the north, citizens in Maine look like they are also poised to legalize same-sex marriage although the numbers are still very close. Current polling numbers show that 52% of Mainers are in favor of legalizing marriage equality with 44% opposed.

The closest race remains in Minnesota with 48% in favor, 47% opposed.

For more information on Wednesday’s event at Club Café CLICK HERE.

Boston Spirit magazine, New England’s Premier lgbt magazine, is published 6 times per year. For a FREE subscription CLICK HERE.

The 31st annual Human Rights Campaign –New England dinner will take place on Saturday night, September 22nd, at the Copley Marriott hotel.

Featured speakers include Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, new HRC President Chad Griffin, and ‘The Good Wife’ actor Josh Charles. There will also be a performance by 80s pop sensation Tiffany.

Warren, fresh off her first debate with incumbent Senator Scott Brown, has been a tireless worker on behalf of LGBT equal rights. She has appeared at a variety of LGBT events during the past year including Pride festivals in Northampton and Boston.

Said Warren, “We must remain committed to promoting fairness and equality for all, and work to end the two-tiered system created by the Defense of Marriage Act, pass a fully-inclusive Employee Non-Discrimination Act, and work to create welcoming schools and prevent bullying."

Josh Charles, known for his role on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife, has also appeared in Sports Night and the Dead Poets Society. Charles is also a fierce advocate for LGBT equality. He has appeared in an HRC-produced Americans for Marriage Equality video testimonial and has been continuously outspoken about his commitment to equal rights across the country.

Tickets to the event are still available and can be purchased by visiting hrcboston.org

The Human Rights Campaign, bills itself as “America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.”

The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), Illinois’ largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights advocacy organization, has released a statement confirming that Chick-Fil-A will no longer give money to anti-gay organizations.

From the statement:

In a letter addressed to Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno and signed by Chick-fil-A’s Senior Director of Real Estate, it states, “The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.” In meetings the company executives clarified that they will no longer give to anti-gay organizations, such as Focus on the Family and the National Organization for Marriage.

Also, according to TCRA, senior management has sent an internal memo to franchisees and stakeholders that stated that, as a company, they will “treat every person with honor, dignity and respect-regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation and gender,” and that their “intent is not to engage in political or social debates.” This statement was placed into an official company document called “Chick-fil-A: Who We Are.”

“We are very pleased with this outcome and thank Alderman Moreno for his work on this issue,” said Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda. “I think the most important part of this outcome is that Chick-fil-A has ceased their donations to anti-gay groups in 2011 and going forward. With some of the groups that they were donating to being classified as hate groups, and others actively trying to halt the movement toward full civil rights for LGBT people, Chick-fil-A has taken a big step forward. We are encouraged by their willingness to serve all people and ensure their profits are not used to fight against a minority community that is still trying to gain full and equal civil rights.”

“Although we are encouraged by their internal statement, we still would like for the company to adopt an anti-discrimination policy at the corporate level,” said Rick Garcia, policy advisor for The Civil Rights Agenda. “It is one thing for a company to say they respect everyone they serve and employ, it is quite another for them to put that into their policies and demand that all employees adhere to that behavior. As we have heard from gay employees that work for Chick-fil-A, there is a culture of discrimination within the company and we would like to ensure that employees can speak out and call attention to those practices without fear of reprisal. It takes time to change the culture of any institution and steps like a corporate policy ensure that progress is made.”

Note: The following story is adapted from the September/October 2012 issue of Boston Spirit magazine.

By Scott Kearnan

It was 2004, after the Supreme Judicial Court had cleared the way for same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses in Massachusetts. Governor Mitt Romney remained a roadblock, endorsing a constitutional amendment that would ban it.

Julie Goodridge and other plaintiffs in the landmark case had written a letter to the governor, asking for a meeting. He ignored it, so they staged a press conference at his office to read the letter to the media. That, finally, got them through his door. Once inside, they were shocked.

For about 20 frustrating minutes, say those in attendance who Boston Spirit interviewed recently, they shared their stories, pled their case, and tried to explain how equal marriage would protect them and their families. Romney sat stone-faced and almost entirely silent.

“Is there anything else?” Romney asked when they finished. With that, the meeting was over.

“It was like talking to a robot. No expression, no feeling,” recalls David Wilson, one of the plaintiffs in the case who met with Romney that day. “People were sharing touching stories, stories where you’d expect recognition in the other person’s face that they at least hear what you’re saying — that there’s empathy. He didn’t even shake his head. He was completely blank.”

Occasionally Romney would say something.

“I didn’t know you had families,” remarked Romney to the group, according to Wilson.
The offhanded remark underscored that Romney, the governor of the first state prepared to grant same-sex marriage, hadn’t taken the time to look at what the landmark case was really about. By this point the plaintiff’s stories had been widely covered by national media — in particular, Julie Goodridge’s heartrending tale of how her then-partner, Hillary, was denied hospital visitation following the precarious birth of daughter Annie. It was the ignorance of these facts — and Romney’s inaccurate, insensitive answer to her parting question, that pushed Julie Goodridge to her breaking point.

Rapper and media mogul Jay-Z spoke recently about the topic of same-sex marriage and whether or not he thought that President Obama’s support of same-sex marriage will cost him votes in the upcoming election. The rapper was very clear that he is a supporter of same sex marriage as well as the President.

On the topic of same-sex marriage:

I’ve always thought of it as something that is still holding the country back. What people do in their own homes is their business, they can choose to love whoever they love. That’s their business. It’s no different then discriminating against blacks. It’s discrimination, plain and simple.

Regarding whether or not the President’s views will cost him votes in the upcoming election:

I think it’s the right thing to do, so whether or not it costs him votes … it’s really not about votes, it’s about people. So whether or not it costs him votes, it’s the right thing to do as a human being.

Any chance we can get Jay Z on the phone with Stevie Wonder????

A report released recently by the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the American Federation of Sate, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) entitled “Gay and Transgender Discrimination in the Public Sector,” reveals that LGBT people continue to experience high rates of employment discrimination and are often not afforded equal benefits on the job. In addition, it details why workforce discrimination poses significant problems for state and local governments, public sector employees and taxpayers.

According to the report;

Only 43 percent of state employees work in a state with a law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Only 31 percent work in a state with a law also prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity. This means that the majority of Americans working for state governments still do not have statutory protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. When it comes to benefits, a majority of state employees do not work for a state that offers equal partner health insurance. Only 47 percent of state employees with same-sex partners have access to equal workplace benefits, compared to 53 percent who do not.

AFSCMA claims that approximately one million LGBT employees work in the public sector for local, state or municipal government.

In a statement by Lee Saunders, president of AFSCME, “The discrimination that LGBT public sector workers still face is deplorable. While some states have passed laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, a majority of state workers can still be legally fired for being gay. No worker should be subjected to these high rates of harassment or be forced into unemployment, deprived of health insurance for themselves and for their families. This is a wrong that we need to right, right now.”

AFSCME describes itself as “the nation’s largest and fastest growing public services employees union with more than 1.6 million active and retired members.”

The Center for American Progress describers itself as “an independent nonpartisan educational institute dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action.”

A group calling itself the "Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry" has made public a letter they sent to Robert F. McDonnell, Chair, Republican National Committee Platform Committee, urging the RNC not to oppose marriage equality at Committee's meeting next week.

The letter cites Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney, among others, as part of the group's plea for equality. The authors of the letter describe themselves as "politically active young conservatives who believe strongly that support for the freedom to marry is in line with [their] core belief in limited government and individual freedom."

The full text of the letter is as follows:

August 15, 2012 The Honorable Robert F. McDonnell Chair, Republican National Committee Platform Committee Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20003

Dear Governor McDonnell:

We, the undersigned, make up the leadership committee of Young Conservatives for the
Freedom to Marry. We understand that the Platform Committee will be gathering early next week to develop and finalize the document that will be submitted to the full convention later this month. We appreciate your considering our perspective on this matter.

We are a group of politically active young conservatives who believe strongly that support for the freedom to marry is in line with our core belief in limited government and individual freedom. As President Ronald Reagan said, it is the role of government to "work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back." We feel strongly that excluding committed same-sex couples from marriage does not mesh with those principles. To quote former Vice President Dick Cheney, "freedom means freedom for everyone."

We, as conservatives, have traditionally cited the importance of marriage because it contributes to society and promotes stability and shared responsibility. Marriage makes our nation stronger socially and economically by strengthening families and communities. Committed gay and lesbian couples share with other couples the importance of family and community; worries - like making ends meet or the possibility of losing a job; and hopes and dreams - like finding that special someone to grow old with, and standing in front of friends and family to make a lifetime commitment. Same-sex couples who want to make that commitment in life before family and friends should be able to share in that commitment under law through marriage. And, if we truly
believe in family values, then we must value all families.

On this cause, attitudes have shifted rapidly, and continue to shift towards support for the freedom to marry. Nationally, multiple public polls now show there's solid majority support for the freedom to marry. A May 2012 Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that among all Americans, supporters outnumber opponents 53% to 39%. That same poll shows that, among younger Republicans, support for the freedom to marry is approaching majority, with 46% of self-identified Republicans aged 18-44 in support and 46% in opposition. And according to veteran Republican pollster Jan van Lohuizen, only 29% of Republicans oppose any legal recognition for same-sex couples. The trend lines are clear—support for marriage will continue to grow on the right, with younger Republican voters leading the way.

Over the past several years, elected Republicans have played an increasingly important role in advancing freedom to marry legislation. Last year in New York, it was a GOP-led state Senate that moved marriage equality legislation. And earlier this year in New Hampshire, the overwhelmingly GOP controlled New Hampshire House voted down a repeal of the popular freedom to marry law in that state, by a lopsided 211-116 margin, with a majority of GOP lawmakers voting against repeal. To date, 197 Republican state legislators across the nation have stood up for the freedom to marry. And of course, no one doubts the Republican credentials of former Vice President Dick Cheney, former First Lady Laura Bush, former Solicitor General Ted Olson, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman. They are all supporters of freedom to marry.

We are not new to the political process and understand there are divergent opinions on the freedom to marry within the Republican Party. Yet in this environment with rapidly changing perspectives and discussions taking place around dinner tables throughout the country, we ask that the Party respect these differences by not opposing the freedom to marry in its platform.

Giving people more personal freedom is the foundation of the Republican Party, which, as the Party of Lincoln, has a proud tradition of expanding liberties. We respectfully request that the GOP honor that tradition as it considers how to address the freedom to marry in its plank.

Sincerely,

Leadership Committee,
Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has released a Comprehensive Survey of Congressional Positions on Marriage Equality.

Among both the House and Senate, 181 members support marriage equality (34 percent). 234 have made statements against (44 percent) and 122 have an unclear or unknown position (23 percent). 36 Senators and 145 Representatives support marriage equality with 52 Senators and 182 Representatives opposed.

All 100 Senators, 431 sitting Representatives and 6 Delegates were asked whether or not they agreed with this statement: “Gay and lesbian couples should not be denied the ability to pledge their love and commitment through the civil institution of marriage. I believe that two committed adults of the same sex should be able to receive a government-issued marriage license, while religious institutions retain their right to determine which marriages they will perform.”

Among Democrats, support is at 72 percent with 9 percent opposed and 19 percent unclear or unknown. Only one Republican in Congress supports marriage equality – Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida. Support is strongest in the East (58 percent) and the West (51 percent) and weakest in the Midwest (25 percent) and the South (15 percent). In states where gay and lesbian couples can marry, 69 percent of Senators and Representatives support marriage equality while 17 percent are opposed. And in the four states facing marriage-related ballot measures in November, 56 percent of leaders are supportive of marriage equality with 21 percent opposed.

Scores for the two Senators from Massachusetts (as well as all Representatives) can be found online simply by entering your zip code. Senator John Kerry scored 100% on the survey while Senator Scott Brown came in at 33%.

The Human Rights Campaign has released a statement supporting Boston Mayor Tom Menino’s stance against fast food chain Chick-Fil-A’s anti-LGBT “practices”. Recently, Mayor Menino sent a letter to Chick-Fil-A’s President Dan Cathy. In the letter Menino calls out Cathy for his “prejudiced statements” against same-sex marriage and said that having a branch of the restaurant chain across from City Hall “would be an insult.”

HRC Vice President of Communications and Marketing Fred Sainz released the following statement:

“We applaud Mayor Menino for calling out Chick-fil-A’s anti-LGBT practices. We have been asking people to make their own decisions about whether to continue supporting Chick-fil-A based on the facts available, and Mayor Menino has done just that. Mayor Menino’s rebuke of Chick-fil-A sends a strong messages that their habit of supporting hateful organizations that demonize LGBT Americans are out-of-step with not just Bostonians, but the majority of fair-minded Americans. Chick-fil-A is on the wrong side of history, and we look forward to seeing more and more elected officials and businesses speak out against their discriminatory practices.”

The Center For American Progress recently released the results of a wide range of polls surrounding the topic of marriage equality. The results, for those who support marriage equality, are very positive.

Among the many findings are that the majority of voters polled back the freedom to marry. The range of results is as follows:

*A Gallup poll found that 50 percent of respondents supported marriage equality
*An ABC News/Washington Post poll reported support for marriage equality at 53 percent
*An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll as well as a June CNN/Opinion Research poll found support one point higher, with 54 percent

All of these polls took place in May/June 2012

Other highlights of the report that the ‘enthusiasm gap’ (defined as those who feel ‘strongly’ one way or another, has also shifted:

The ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 39 percent of voters strongly support marriage equality, while only 32 percent strongly oppose. This stands in contrast to polling from just last summer, where the same poll found that 32 percent strongly supported equality and 36 percent stood strongly opposed.

As for results by age group:

A June 2012 CNN poll found that a whopping 73 percent of 18-to-34-year-olds support allowing same-sex couples to wed, far above the average of 54 percent for all respondents. In 2009 support among young people was just 58 percent, marking a substantial shift in favor of marriage equality.

President Obama commemorated LGBT Pride at a White House event at the end of last week.

Here's the report as submitted last Friday at 5:46 p.m. by White House pool reporter Sophie Quinton of the National Journal:

The President is hosting a reception to celebrate Pride month, as he has done for the past three years. Pool was ushered into the East Room at 4:45pm.

A military band welcomed guests with some smooth jazz. Various community leaders, students, politicians, members of the armed services and-- we hear but cannot verify-- Broadway stars mingled. The place was packed; rough estimates peg the head count at around 500.

Pooler was stationed near the appetizers but was totally unable to identify most of them. Little pastry parcels much in evidence, and what appeared to be cheese puffs. There were definitely tiny cupcakes, both chocolate and vanilla. All around the room, champagne glasses clinked and people took photos of each other with their phones. Attendees favored conservative suits.

POTUS entered to deliver remarks at 5:15pm, to huge applause and many raised phones, as people took more photos and recorded the speech.

[A video of the president's remarks can be accessed here. A full released transcript his remarks is below.]

"You have every reason and right to push loudly and forcefully for equality," POTUS told the assembled LGBT advocates and allies. "But three years ago I also promised you this ... we would see progress ... we would see real and lasting change. And that's what we're witnessing."

POTUS went through the achievements of his administration, from banning health insurers from denying insurance based on sexual orientation or transgender status to repealing the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Repeal of DADT got the most applause; second runner up was the administration's decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

POTUS recognized some military service members in the audience. "We celebrate your joy at being able to come here, with your partners with your spouses to the White House," he said.

"Americans may be still evolving when it comes to marriage equality but as I've indicated, personally Michelle and I have made up our minds on this issue," POTUS said, to applause.

"As long as I have the privilege of being the president, I promise you, you won't just have a friend in the White House, you'll have a fellow advocate," POTUS said.

Pool ushered out shortly after 5:30.

There have been many articles published recently detailing the staggering amount of fundraising taking place for the upcoming presidential election. Numbers that are now being discussed in terms of 'billions.' So where does the lgbt community fall in all of this? Well, according to recent article by CNN, lgbt donors have stepped up their financial support of President Obama, and that support has not gone unnoticed.

From the article:

"A CNN analysis of President Obama's biggest fundraisers, known as bundlers, shows that at least 33 -- or about one in every 16 bundlers -- is openly gay. Together, they have raised at least $8 million for the campaign between January and the end of March."

(Photo: Boston Globe)

"Robin MacCormack had a gift for blending in. With a neat dark haircut, a winning smile, and the cachet of his Irish-Catholic surname, City Hall’s first liaison to the gay community was an ally to politicians, a buddy to police officers, and a trusted resource to the city’s gays and lesbians. His appointment was lauded in newspapers at the time as the first liaison on gay issues in any major American city - represented a dramatic shift in relations between the government and the city’s gay and lesbian population.

But just a few years after he was appointed by Mayor Kevin H. White in 1979, MacCormack melted out of public view. And on April 6, 2012, after years without contact with family or friends, he was discovered dead by police in his Dorchester apartment, he was 63." (Taken from a May 6, 2012 article in The Boston Globe)

When this article appeared, Mr. MacCormack was still in the Boston City Morgue, his remains unclaimed by his family. It would be several weeks of legal work, by Attorney Joe Donnellan and Retired Boston Police Sergeant Herb White, longtime friends of Mr. MacCormack, before his remains would be released to them and with dignity and loving care Cremated.

Since the cremation, Mr. Donnellan and Sgt. White have worked with a number of community supporters, and the Trinity Church pastoral staff together they have arranged a fitting and dignified Memorial Service for Mr. MacCormack. The memorial will be on Thursday, June 7th, at 6:00PM in the Trinity Church located in Copley Square. It is no coincidence that this service of honoring Robin takes place during the Annual Boston GLBT Pride week events.

The public and the community at large is graciously invited to attend, and we encourage all to attend, and acknowledge the contributions that Robin made in the very early days of the “Gay Liberation movement” as it was called in the 70’s. Among those attending will be several of the individuals who would later carry the banner of being “The GLBT Liaison to the City of Boston and the Community”.

In an interview with the Boston Globe in 1980, Robin is quoted as saying, “ …that his goal was to change assumptions about what it means to be a gay person. “I’m often asked how the gay community is going to react to something,’’ MacCormack said. “And I have to ask, how is the straight community going to react? And they say, you can’t say that; there are so many different people in the straight community. Well, there are, too, in the gay community.’’ But MacCormack was also a guarded person, a trait that became increasingly prominent as he grew older. “For all of his public role, Robin was extremely private,’’

What: Memorial Service in Memory of Robin MacCormick
Where: Trinity Church, Copley Square
When: Thursday, June 7th 6:00 p.m.

What a week so far. Typically most of the blog posts do their ‘week in review’ posts on a Friday but we just couldn’t wait. Here’s a little rundown of some highlights from this week so far:

Former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell supports marriage equality. Powell made the remarks in an interview taped for CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. In talking with Blitzer, Powell cited his LGBT friends and their committed relationships as a driving force in his support.

Colin Powell is the latest in a string of leaders within the African-American community to support marriage equality – joining Russell Simmons, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Jay-Z. A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll shows African-American support for marriage equality at 59 percent – an all-time high. The poll also found support for marriage equality nationwide at 53 percent – the latest in a series of national polls to show a majority of Americans supporting the right of loving and committed same-sex couples to marry.

Powell’s support also is indicative of increasing support for marriage equality among fair-minded Republicans. An NBC News/WSJ poll released yesterday showed support for marriage equality at nearly 50 percent among Republicans under the age of 35.

Moving on....

For all of you international sports fans, England cricket player Steven Davies became the first professional cricketer to come out. Davis, 24, said in a recent interview "I'm comfortable with who I am - and happy to say who I am in public." He went on to say “This is the right time for me…I feel it is right to be out in the open about my sexuality. If more people do it, the more acceptable it will become. That must be a good thing. To speak out is a massive relief for me, but if I can just help one person to deal with their sexuality then that's all I care about."

In keeping with the sports theme, Outsports.com recently attended a series of National Football League rookie events and found that a great many ‘soon to be’, current, and former NFL players would have no problem with a gay teammate. And one former professional player, Ahman Green, went so far as to open up about his gay brother and lesbian sister. It’s a very interesting article in which the common theme seemed to be ‘as long as a person can play and help the team win, that’s all that matters’

Oh, and finally, Target (yes, THAT Target, the recipient of an lgbt boycott for some questionable campaign donations) has launched an lgbt T-Shirt line, several of which were designed by rockstar Gwen Stefani.

So, what have we learned?
1. Colin Powell is in favor of marriage equality
2. England has its first publicly out professional cricket player
3. Many of the NFL’s incoming rookies would have no problem with a gay teammate, and
4. Target has launched an lgbt T-Shirt line

All in all, not a bad week

The Human Rights Campaign released the results of a new poll conducted by CBS News and the New York Times. The results of the poll are encouraging for supporters of same sex marriage...the trend continues to shift:

From the HRC:

A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows that 62 percent of Americans support recognizing same-sex relationships via either full marriage equality or civil unions. That number jumped to 70 percent when asked of those aged 18-44 across parties. Independent voters back marriage equality and civil unions by a robust 62 percent. A Gallup poll released late last week also showed that a considerable majority of independents strongly backed President Obama’s support for marriage equality.

In a recent interview with ABC News President Obama voiced his support for same sex marriage equality. Local and national reactions have been swift and divided. Locally Rebublican congressional candidate Richard Tisei was one of the first to comment on the Presidents position. Additional statements from MassEquality, GLAD, the Human Rights Campaign and many others have followed. Below is a sample of what some local organizations (and politicians) are saying.
As of this post, neither Senator Kerry nor Senator Brown have issued official statements. Senator Kerry is on record as being a staunch supporter of same sex marriage. In a recent interview with CNN Senator Brown did not offer an opinion saying only that it is ‘settled law’ in Massachusetts

Republican Congressional Candidate Richard Tisei:

“I support the evolution, as he has called it, of President Obama’s position on gay marriage. I’ve been a strong advocate for equal rights for all people in the area of marriage equality and elsewhere for years. As a country, we need to respect one another even when we sometimes don’t understand each other – especially when we don’t understand each other. In Massachusetts, I joined with other elected officials in both parties in support of these rights – not special rights, but equality.
President Obama is to be commended for changing his personal view on this matter, even as he reiterated his support for the right of states to do as they please regarding gay marriage. I would urge President Obama to work with people in both parties to lessen the fear surrounding this issue and to avoid its use for political gain. No one in either party should use this issue for political advantage. Voices need to be lowered and more tolerance needs to come into play throughout our land. When the Pilgrims came over so long ago, they didn’t agree on everything. So they focused on how they could successfully govern themselves and drew up the Mayflower Compact. They looked at what they had in common and how they could get along. We need to continually re-affirm our support for each other as Americans, even as times continue to change.”

Lee Swislow, Executive Director, GLAD:

We have just heard the exciting news that President Obama has made public his support for marriage equality.

The President has traveled a road that many Americans have traveled in recent years. He understands that gay and lesbian couples have the same love and make the same commitment as all couples, and deserve the same recognition as full citizens.

His journey has been guided by the work our community has done for decades - telling our stories, filing lawsuits, fighting ballot measures, and having conversations with our neighbors, families, co-workers and friends about our lives.

At GLAD we remember filing our marriage equality lawsuits in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut; we remember our profound emotions when Massachusetts became the first place in the nation where gay people could marry; we remember filing our DOMA lawsuits in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Our country's history is one of expanding the circle of constitutional rights and protections to include more citizens, and our nation is always the better for it. We are proud to play a role in expanding the circle.

It remains to be seen what the President's statement will mean for our causes generally, and for our DOMA lawsuits in particular.

But for today, we celebrate your work and ours and the expanding American circle of equality

MassEquality:

“As the first state to secure marriage equality for generations to come, we in Massachusetts are thrilled by the President’s announcement. It’s hard to imagine anything more significant to the marriage equality movement than the most powerful leader in the world declaring his support for the right to marry for all Americans. It’s a powerful affirmation before the country and world of the basic human dignity of same-sex couples and their families.
“The President’s evolution on marriage equality is not unlike the experience of the majority of Americans who have come to understand why marriage is so important to loving same-sex couples and their children. Listening, learning, growing, and changing is the American way, but it takes courage and leadership. We applaud President Obama for showing both today.
“We can’t help but note the irony of the President’s statement coming just one day after voters in North Carolina approved an amendment to the North Carolina state constitution that denies any form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples. Despite this setback, today marks another step forward in the unmistakable trend toward public acceptance and embrace of marriage equality. At least seven national polls have found majority support among Americans for marriage equality. These polls, and major advances on marriage equality this year in Washington and Maryland, show that the day is fast approaching when we will finally put the politics of discrimination around marriage equality behind us.
“Here in Massachusetts we have been privileged to celebrate the right to marry for just a week shy of eight years. What we’ve learned is that our communities are safer, happier, and healthier when all families are respected, supported and celebrated. As time goes on and even larger majorities of Americans come to support marriage equality, we look forward to the day when all Americans can enjoy the freedom to marry.”

Boston Pride:

Boston Pride is congratulating President Barack Obama for affirming his support for marriage equality. The President told Robin Roberts of ABC News today, “I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

As members of a community who every day face discrimination in this country and around the world, we appreciate President Obama’s willingness to take this courageous stand. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same sex marriage, and since then, we’ve only seen support for marriage equality grow. Yet even while it has grown, there are those who would continue to deny us the basic right to love, marriage, and family. As such, we thank President Obama for his public statements in support of marriage equality and we look forward to the day that all Americans have the right to marry their partner, regardless of gender or orientation.

American Civil Liberties Union:

President Obama said this afternoon in an interview with ABC News that he believes that the freedom to marry should be extended to same sex couples.
Until now, the president has only favored civil unions, although he had said his views on same-sex marriage were “constantly evolving.” While in office, President Obama and his administration have taken critical strides toward LGBT equality by refusing to defend the discriminatory and unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act in court and pushing Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and reaffirming support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
“President Obama is doing the right thing and showing leadership by recognizing that lesbians and gays should be treated as equal citizens,” said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director. “The freedom to marry whomever we love and want to share our life with is fundamental to who we are and what we stand for as a country. The fight for fairness and equal treatment under the law for all Americans took a critical step forward today.”

Human Rights Campaign:

“Today, President Obama made history by boldly stating that gay and lesbian Americans should be fully and equally part of the fabric of American society and that our families deserve nothing less than the equal respect and recognition that comes through marriage.
“His presidency has shown that our nation can move beyond its shameful history of discrimination and injustice. In him, millions of young Americans have seen that their futures will not be limited by what makes them different. In supporting marriage equality, President Obama extends that message of hope to a generation of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, helping them understand that they too can be who they are and flourish as part of the American community. And his words remind gay and lesbian families across the country, who, like their neighbors, struggle to afford healthcare and college for their kids, pay their taxes and plan for retirement –but with the added burden of discrimination— that they do not face those challenges alone and unheard.
“Americans fundamentally believe in fairness, but many, like the President, have struggled to reconcile that core belief and the question of marriage equality. The President’s words will no doubt inspire thousands more conversations around kitchen tables and in church pews. We are confident that our nation will continue to move inexorably toward equality and we thank the President for so boldly leading us in that direction.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke recently at Syracuse University. Secretary Clinton spoke on a wide range of topics including human rights in the United States and abroad, specifically targeting women’s rights and those of the LGBT community. In discussing the rights of the lgbt community Clinton highlighted the difficulties in dealing with some African and Middle Eastern nations that refuse to even acknowledge the existence of lgbt citizens.

“[The United States] believes that [countries] should not be discriminating against or permitting violence against the LGBT community. And in many places, in particularly Africa and Asia, that is just a totally foreign concept. I mean, the first response is, “We don’t have any of those here.” (Laughter.) Second response is, “If we did, we would not want to have them and would want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. And it’s your problem, United States of America, that you have so many of those people. So don’t come here and tell us to protect the rights of people we don’t have or that we don’t want.” (Laughter.)

And so, I mean, I call leaders and I say, “You’ve got a legislator who’s just introduced a bill that calls for the death penalty against LGBT people. That’s really a terrible idea.” “Well, we don’t have any of them. They’ve been imported from the West” – (laughter) – “and we don’t need them.” I said, “Well, all right. Let’s start at something very basic. Why do you have to kill them?” (Laughter.) “Well, maybe you’re right about that. We won’t impose the death penalty, but they may have to go to prison.”

Okay, that’s the kind of discussions that you have when you’re talking about human rights. And it’s not that people get up in the morning and say, “I’m against human rights.” It’s that from where they come, on women or LGBT or minority groups, you say, “You don’t treat that minority group very well.” If you’re talking in the Middle East sometimes, “Take better – be nicer to your Shia or your Sunni.” Or, “Please don’t discriminate against your Christians.” It’s a very difficult conversation because it’s just not been one that people have had up until now. I think it’s very important we do that, but I give you this sort of flavor so that you understand we can either have a conversation and try to convince people to move in a certain direction, to provide greater protection for human rights, or we can lecture at them, we can call them names, we can preach, and the lives of the people who are being discriminated against will not change.”

Clinton went on to speak about environmental issues and challenges, the reluctance of young people to get involved in politics, her career as Secretary of State and more. The full transcript of her remarks can be found HERE