Monthly Archives: July 2011

New York marriage equality spurs on other states

Just as the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969 gave a lift to the nascent movement for equal rights for gays across the country, marriage equality in the Empire State appears to be giving a boost to marriage

Triad certifies military ready to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

President Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen signed and submitted a one-page written certification to Congress Friday afternoon (July 22) that the military is ready to implement repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

DADT certifications expected Friday

The Los Angeles Times and other media reported late Thursday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen would announced Friday that the two can certify military readiness to Congress –one of the stipulations for enacting

Hearing on repeal of DOMA: It’s not just the economy

U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a legendary civil rights activist, led off Wednesday's historic hearing to discuss repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, likening it to laws decades ago that requires separate water fountains and restrooms for "whites" and "coloreds."

Senate confirms first openly gay man to federal bench

The U.S. Senate Monday evening (July 18) approved the confirmation of openly gay attorney J. Paul Oetken to serve as a U.S. district court judge.

Another California ballot battle brewing

There is another anti-gay ballot measure brewing in California--this one, for 2012, seeks to repeal a recently passed state law that requires social studies curricula in California public schools to include information about the contributions of LGBT people.

Baldwin ‘steaming toward’ 2012 Senate bid

Her campaign stationary says "Tammy Baldwin 2012." But the text of the July 13 press release walks the U.S. House’s only openly lesbian member one step closer to an historic bid for a U.S. Senate seat: "She is a likely candidate

New York Census shows 40 percent jump in same-sex couples

U.S. Census data released Thursday (July 14) shows a 40 percent jump in the number of same-sex couples in New York State between 2000 and 2010. And having released data now from a total of 18 states, the Census data

9th Circuit: DADT in place but no investigations or discharges

The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals granted an emergency order Friday night (July 15) temporarily reinstating its original stay of an order that had prohibited the government from enforcing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

GOP: lesbian would be ‘activist judge’

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn says lesbian federal court nominee Alison Nathan sounds like an "activist judge" to him, but he’s voting against her, he says, because she has lacks "substantial litigation experience."