February 2011
You are browsing the archive for February 2011.
By Lisa Keen on February 24, 2011
Did Democrats squander an opportunity to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) last year? Should they even bother to re-introduce the bill this year? And does a bill like ENDA, focused only on workplace discrimination, still make sense?
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on February 23, 2011
The Obama administration made a blockbuster announcement Wednesday, saying it has concluded that one part of the Defense of Marriage Act will not be able to pass constitutional muster in the 2nd Circuit and that DOJ would not defend that part of the law in two pending cases in that circuit.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on February 23, 2011
Ted Olson, lead attorney for the lawsuit challenging California’s same-sex marriage ban, announced Wednesday that he is asking the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to lift a stay on a district court ruling that found Proposition 8 unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on February 23, 2011
Marriage equality and legal recognition for same-sex relationships took a few big steps forward this past week—in Maryland, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. But they took a few steps backward, too—in Indiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on February 21, 2011
The Dept. of Health and Human Services said it “strongly supports” regulations which protect the rights of health care providers from being “compelled to perform or assist in an abortion.” But what it did not say was of greater interest to the LGBT community.
Posted in Federal Courts, Health, Issues, Law, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on February 16, 2011
The road to marriage equality in California just got a little longer. The California Supreme Court said today it would make ruling on whether Yes on 8 proponents have authority, under California law, to appeal a federal court ruling that the initiative is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on February 14, 2011
A Congressman from Virginia introduced a bill last week that seeks to require all government documents describing parents to identify the parents as either “mother” or “father.”
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on February 12, 2011
Same-sex couples with adopted children living in states with anti-gay adoption laws and attitudes had more mental health issues in their first year of parenthood than couples with adopted children living in more accepting states, a new study has found.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on February 9, 2011
So much attention has been paid to the landmark challenge to California’s ban on same-sex marriage that another very important case regarding gay couples has gone almost unnoticed. And this latter case will be heard before the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on February 14.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on February 8, 2011
A film about two lesbian moms, The Kids Are All Right, is an Oscar contender this month. ABC’s Modern Family, which features two gay dads, won last year’s Best Comedy Emmy. But a series of court cases in the past two months shows that the right of lesbian and gay people to be recognized as parents is still very much open to challenge–and one legal expert says the challenges will increase.
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on February 8, 2011
Unannounced Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty underscored his right-wing credentials with Iowa Republicans Monday, February 7, assuring them that he opposes repeal of the ban on gays in the military and thinks it would be “reasonable” to rescind funding to implement repeal. He also said he believes marriage is “between a man and a woman.”
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on February 7, 2011
Marriage equality in Maryland got a boost in the past week from two prominent politicians, but a winter storm delayed a marriage equality hearing in Rhode Island. Elsewhere, conditions were variable.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on February 3, 2011
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) announced Thursday that he will be a candidate for re-election in 2012.
The announcement is unusual for its timing. It is more routine for even the most veteran elected officials to wait until just before time to announce their re-election campaign to signal their intentions to run for office again.
Posted in News Briefs
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
Immigration bill advances without provisions for same-sex couples
Leahy submits language to help bi-national same-sex couples
Delaware votes for marriage equality; becomes 11th state to make it the law
Rhode Island marriage law signed; Two more states could vote next week
President praises pro athlete Jason Collins for courage to come out