Lisa Keen
By Lisa Keen on November 30, 2012
In a two-pronged attack against reparative therapy, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco) announced Wednesday, Nov. 28, the introduction of a resolution aimed at stopping its use on young gay people, and the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit that says a group that administers such therapy is committing fraud.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 28, 2012
Was the sweep of victories for same-sex marriage on four state ballots November 6 a reflection of American society’s evolution toward acceptance of gay citizens or a lucky convergence of strong Democratic turnout in Democratic leaning states?
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on November 18, 2012
CNN commentator on Supreme Court news Jeff Toobin said Sunday he believes the high court will take the Massachusetts case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act but that it will decline to consider Proposition 8.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 15, 2012
A first-ever openly gay person elected U.S. Senator, the largest ever number of openly LGBT people elected to Congress, two new speakers at state houses, the first-ever openly transgender person elected to a state legislature, and the first openly LGBT candidates elected in numerous states.
Posted in Congress, Election 2012, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 13, 2012
The U.S. Supreme Court indicated Tuesday that it was bumping back by 10 days the date it has scheduled for its conference on 10 cases regarding same-sex marriage.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 7, 2012
In an historic victory Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay person to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Her victory, along with the apparent wins of six out of seven openly LGBT candidates for the U.S. House, marks a new high for the number of openly LGBT members of Congress: seven.
Posted in Election 2012, House, Senate
By Lisa Keen on November 7, 2012
In the November 6 race with the greatest impact on the LGBT community, President Obama secured re-election Tuesday night, winning both the popular and electoral vote majorities.
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on November 7, 2012
Even the most jaded political pundits were stunned by the four stunning victories for marriage equality on the ballot Tuesday.
In an unprecedented vote, Minnesota became the first state to reject a proposed state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Maine became the first state to approve a pro-active measure to allow same-sex marriage. And voters in Washington State and Maryland became the first to approve bills passed in their respective legislatures to provide for marriage equality.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 6, 2012
The last polls taken before today’s voting looked mostly promising –maybe even history-making– for LGBT related issues and candidates.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 4, 2012
Karl Rove’s conservative super PAC Crossroads has poured more than $7 million into opposing U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin’s bid to become the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate.
Posted in Campaigns, Senate
By Lisa Keen on November 4, 2012
It’s a close race for the White House, a close race for Tammy Baldwin’s bid to the U.S. Senate, five unpredictable outcomes on marriage related votes, and an openly gay caucus in Congress that could total either three or six by the end of the evening.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on November 1, 2012
There are many key votes on the line next Tuesday: The first real prospect for electing an openly gay person to the U.S. Senate, the probability of winning a marriage equality vote in at least one of five states, and the possibility of the partisan majority changing hands in either the House or Senate. Altogether, they make for an edge-of-your-seat, hold-your-breath drama.
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on October 30, 2012
A new revelation surfaced about Mitt Romney October 25, revealing yet another step he took as Massachusetts governor to thwart equal treatment of gays in the state.
Posted in Marriage/Relationships
By Lisa Keen on October 18, 2012
The ruling by a Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel was not a big surprise. But the panel’s related ruling—that laws should be held to a heightened standard of review when they treat people differently because of their sexual orientation—was news.
Posted in Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on October 11, 2012
Anti-gay activists opposing marriage equality for same-sex couples are counting in fives. They’re distributing videotapes to pastors laying out a five-step plan-of-action for each church. They’re distributing another video offering five reasons voters should defeat marriage equality ballot measures at the polls. And they’ve got their eyes on five votes November 6: four statewide ballot measures and one Iowa Supreme Court justice up for a retention vote. Here’s how things are stacking up:
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on October 4, 2012
A CNN poll of 430 people who watched the first presidential debate Wednesday night found that 47 percent said the debate would not likely affect their vote. But 35 percent said the debate made them more likely to vote for Republican Mitt Romney and only 18 percent said it would make them more likely to vote for President Obama.
There was relatively little to change the minds of LGBT voters in the debate. No questions concerning LGBT issues were posed but President Obama made a direct reference to one.
Posted in News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on October 3, 2012
After trailing a popular former governor for weeks, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin has now edged into the lead for the U.S. Senate seat from Wisconsin.
Posted in Election 2012, Senate
By Lisa Keen on October 1, 2012
On its first official day of the 2012-13 session, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday did not include the Proposition 8 case on the list of cases it would or would not review.
Posted in Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on September 27, 2012
Perhaps the most historic U.S. Supreme Court session ever for the LGBT community gets underway officially October 1, with a record nine gay-related cases seeking review, all involving same-sex marriage.
Posted in A closer look
By Lisa Keen on September 12, 2012
The presidential finish line is eight weeks off, and there’s little indication that the LGBT vote in this year’s presidential election will divide up any differently than it has in the past several: 3 to 1 for the Democrat. But it is not an entirely civil divide.
Posted in Election 2012, Presidential 2012
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
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
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans