An appeals court in Boston ruled Thursday that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is discriminatory against same-sex couples resulting in a ruling that called the unfair law unconstitutional. The ruling said DOMA “interferes with the right of a state to define marriage and denies married gay couples federal benefits given to heterosexual married couples,…
U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken found Thursday that the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) limiting of same-sex couples’ and domestic partners’ rights to participate in a long-term care plan offered by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is unconstitutional. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District becomes the first federal court to decide a case relating DOMA…
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders called out mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio at a press conference Wednesday explaining that DeMaio “probably takes credit for my weight loss,” he said. “He probably takes credit for the weeds I pulled in the backyard last week. It’s all bulls—.” He added, “I want to be very clear that the…
The Obama Administration announced Wednesday the launch of Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama, a new grassroots initiative in support of LGBT Americans. “Gays and lesbians will have someone who will fight for equal rights for them… I’m here with you in that fight,” said Obama in his first election campaign. Today, the president continues…
Stampp Corbin, co-chair of the 2008 Obama for America campaign’s National LGBT Leadership Council responded to President Barack Obama’s historic announcement about same-sex marriage by issuing the following statement: “Today is an historic moment in the history of the United States; President Obama announced his support of same- sex marriage. In 2007, when I decided…
Congressman Bob Filner (D-California) has joined with several prominent LGBT civil rights leaders from San Diego and across the country, calling on the US Navy to name “ … the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.” The late civil rights icon, Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran who began his service during the Korean War….
Cher and Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack presented the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to advocate and film and television star Chaz Bono at Saturday’s 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. Cher’s attendance was unannounced making for a special moment between mother and son – and the adoring crowd. The Stephen F. Kolzak Award is…
President Obama announced Friday his support of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA). The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today applauded the president’s decision to help end discrimination against student LGBTs. “The President’s endorsement of the SNDA and SSIA…
Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde will return to active duty in May 2012 following his dismissal from the U.S. Air Force in 2008 under the now-defunct ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (DADT) policy – the military’s former discriminatory procedure that forbade gays and lesbians from disclosing their sexual orientation. This is the second time a service member…
Northwest Iowa is mourning the death of a 14-year-old gay Iowa teen who took his own life Monday following a series of bullying, death threats, and an online hate group where he lay subject to repeated harassment. Kenneth Weishuhn, Jr. of South O’Brien High School came out as gay earlier this year. The teen began…
