Federal judge strikes down Oregon marriage ban

U.S. District Judge Michael McShane has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in two consolidated marriage cases challenging Oregon’s ban on marriage equality, known as Measure 36. Judge McShane’s is the latest in a string of rulings striking down state laws or constitutional amendments that ban marriage for same-sex couples. The cases were both filed…

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San Diego Opera rescinds vote to close and announces 2015 season/over $2 million raised from public

SAN DIEGO – San Diego Opera’s Board of Directors voted today to rescind the decision to close the Company after nearly two months of careful analysis, deliberation and fundraising. The Company originally announced its closure and the sale of its assets on March 19, 2014. The original closure date was scheduled to occur on April…

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India’s anti-gay Hindu nationalist party voted to power

New  Delhi — India’s Hindu nationalist party, that has opposed any move to nullify the Supreme Court’s re-criminalizing of consensual same-sex relations has won the general elections dealing a huge setback to efforts to scrap a colonial-era law that made it punishable by up to life imprisonment, reports GayAsiaNews.com. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP, Indian…

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White House Office of National AIDS Policy announces series of ‘Listening Sessions’

The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) has announced that it will host a series of regional listening sessions this summer on the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). Mr. Douglas Brooks, ONAP’s newly appointed director, will lead the listening sessions, which will be part of a visit to each community that…

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Obama nominates sixth openly gay diplomat as the next ambassador to Vietnam

President Barack Obama has nominated Ted Osius as the next ambassador to Vietnam, the White House has announced. If confirmed, Osius, who is openly gay and married to Clayton Bond, an officer with the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, would replace David Shear, who has held the position since 2011. Ted Osius, a career…

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The Tel-Aviv International LGBT Film Festival celebrates ninth year: June 7-16 (VIDEO)

Now in its 9th year, the Tel-Aviv International LGBT Film Festival (TLVFest) is one of the most important cultural LGBT events in Israel and will take place from June 7-16 at the Tel-Aviv Cinematheque, coinciding with Pride week. The above promotional video  stars the famous Israeli drag queen Nona Chalant and the Israeli actress, model…

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