Denver, CO – Colorado Governor Attempts to Support Gay Civil Rights – 5.14 Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper called lawmakers into a special legislative session to resolve a bill supporting civil unions for same-sex couples, along with several other bills. Well, that was a start at least. Hickenlooper’s announcement on the final day of the 2012 regular session was sparked by what he called an “overwhelming need” to discuss the civil unions measure. It died via legislative maneuvering from the GOP.
Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty blocked the bill before it reached the House. Democrats accused him of refusing to call civil unions for a vote, even though it had enough support to pass.
Minutes before the decision, President Barack Obama announced he now supports same-sex marriage. Obama says he has concluded that it is important for him to affirm that he thinks same-sex couples should...
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National Bews Briefs
By Dennis McMillan Published: May 3, 2012
Topeka, KS - Ex-Klansman’s Gay Son Challenges Conservative House Democrat – 4.26 Openly gay Erich Bishop, 28, told gay rights advocates that his father was a former member of the Ku Klux Klan, saying, “To call my household as a child racist and homophobic would be an understatement. My father...
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National News Briefs
By Dennis McMillan Published: April 19, 2012
Seattle, WA - Seattle Archbishop Attempts To Remove Marriage Equality – 4.15Seattle’s Archbishop J. Peter Sartain is one of the homophobes who spoke out against the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington State.
Governor Christine Gregoire, who is Catholic, signed marriage equality into law earlier this year. Now...
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National News Briefs
By Dennis McMillan Published: March 22, 2012
Salt Lake City, UT - Utah Bans Discussion of Homosexuality and Contraceptives – 3.8Utah’s legislature gave final passage with a Senate vote of 19-10 to an “abstinence only” sex education bill that also forbids discussion of homosexuality even if the student asks. After the new bill goes into effect, the...
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National News Briefs
By Dennis McMillan Published: March 8, 2012
Bent, Alaska - Episcopal Bishop of Alaska Endorses Prop 5, Anchorage Equal Rights Initiative – 3.1 The Right Rev. Mark Lattime, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska, is endorsing Proposition 5, the Anchorage Equal Rights Initiative, which will appear on the April 3 Anchorage municipal ballot. With 50 Episcopal...
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National News Briefs
Published: February 23, 2012
Seattle, WA- Washington State Legislature Passes Marriage Bill- 2.13 The Washington House of Representatives joined the state Senate in passing a freedom to marry bill that, if signed by the governor, would make Washington the seventh state to end the restriction on marriage for gay and lesbian couples and, counting...
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National News Briefs
Published: February 9, 2012
Seattle, WA- Same-Sex Marriage Bill Advances in Washington State - 2.6As expected, the House Judiciary committee in Washington state approved a measure to legalize same-sex marriage. The final public hearing resulted in a 7-5 vote this week.
Representative Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, testified in support of the bill, joined...
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National News Briefs
Published: January 26, 2012
Olympia, WA- Washington Preparing to Legalize Gay Marriage- 1.23Washington is set to become the seventh state to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. On Monday, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, said that she would cast the 25th and deciding vote in favor of the issue. In a written...
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National News Briefs
Published: January 12, 2012
Salt Lake City, UT- Advocate Names Salt Lake City the Gayest City in America- 1.9The Advocate’s third annual list of the gayest cities in America looked at the “per capita queerness of some less expected locales.” As compiler Matthew Breen wrote, “…do we really need another article telling us that...
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National News Briefs
Published: December 29, 2011
Minnesota’s LGBT Community Apologizes To Resigned Senate Majority Leader - 12.23Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch’s resignation amidst allegations she engaged in an “inappropriate relationship” with an unnamed male Senate staffer has prompted an apology from her state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
“On behalf of...
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National News Briefs
Published: December 1, 2011
Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Cops Win Legal Case over Benefits - 11.24Two Baltimore County Police officers who were denied health benefits for their same-sex spouses have won their cases before an arbitrator, the first disputes of this kind to be decided in the department. Officers Margaret Selby and Juanika Ballard...
