Monthly Archives: April 2011

With children in need, states struggle over gay adoptive parents

Each year, over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are waiting for adoptive homes. And over two million gay and lesbian people are interested in adopting a child. But legislative and court battles are being waged in several

Yes on 8: Gay judge’s ruling shouldn’t count

Proponents of Proposition 8 filed a motion Monday, April 25, in federal district court, seeking to vacate the August 2010 ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker that the initiative is unconstitutional, citing Walker’s recent disclosure that he is gay.

Law firm drops contract to defend DOMA

Less than a week after a law firm signed a contract to represent the U.S. House in defending DOMA in federal court, the law firm began to withdraw from the agreement.

Alleged kidnap accomplice charged

A man accused of helping former lesbian Lisa Miller leave the United States in violation of a court order that she turn over custody of her daughter to the child’s other mother was arraigned in a federal court in Vermont

Arrest made in Miller-Jenkins custody battle

A man accused of helping a former lesbian sneak a child out of the country, violating a court order that the mother turn the child over to her former same-sex partner, was arrested April 18 and will be arraigned in

Manning protest interrupts Obama fundraiser

They didn’t get a lot of publicity, but a small group of women at an Obama fundraiser in San Francisco staged a brief protest in support of Bradley Manning Thursday—through song.

HHS urges child welfare agencies to better serve LGBTQ youth

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a memo April 6 encouraging child welfare agencies to better serve the needs of “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth” in the foster care system.

Back in Congress: Bills against bullies

Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez on April 15 re-introduced legislation to address bullying and harassment of LGBT students, among others. “No student should ever be afraid to come to school because they are being intimidated by bullies,” said Rep. Sánchez. “Every

House hired gun goes to work on DOMA; HRC attacks

The U.S. House has obligated itself to pay more than $500,000 for outside attorneys to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal courts. And the House has chosen a firm which clearly prides itself on including LGBT lawyers among

4th issue erupts in Prop 8 case

The court battle over Proposition 8 has escalated yet another step—now over a First Amendment issue. Two days after attorneys for proponents of California’s ban on same-sex marriage filed a motion seeking to have a videotape of the landmark Proposition 8