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Politics

Gay Marriage bill in Vermont

Nine years after becoming the first state to permit civil unions, Vermont moved a step toward legalizing gay marriage Friday. A bill that would allow same-sex unions was introduced in the Legislature, causing a crowd of about several hundred supporters to gather at the Statehouse in celebration. "This really is a great day and a part of moving forward to a time when all Vermont couples will be treated equally under our laws," said a sponsor, Rep. Mark Larson (picture). A similar bill is expected to be introduced later in the state Senate. The House legislation has 59 sponsors, none of them Republican, though some GOP lawmakers have said they'll vote for the bill, Larson said. Despite the enthusiasm, it's unclear if the measure will see any action this session, with lawmakers preoccupied with the state's fiscal crisis that has led to voluntary pay cuts, court closings and Gov. Jim Douglas's proposal to lay off more than 600 state workers, the AP reports.

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Politics | Gay Marriage

Politics

Sam Adams OUT's interview

Out magazine sat down with Sam Adams in his Portland City Hall office. Mayor Adams discusses his controversial relationship with a teenager that has many calling for his resignation just weeks after he was elected the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city. About gay people who are angry with him he says: "I totally understand why they’re angry. I’ve let them down. I’m very, very sorry for that. I made a bad decision. And the best thing I can do right now is to work at trying to make amends by serving the people of Portland the best I can." Read full interview here.

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Politics

Politics | Religion

Pope promotes ultra-conservative cleric

Pope Benedict has made a controversial appointment, days after revoking the excommunication of a bishop who is a Holocaust denier. He promoted ultra-conservative cleric Fr Gerhard Maria Wagner to assistant bishop of the Austrian city of Linz. Fr Wagner is notorious for his extreme views - he has accused the popular Harry Potter novels of spreading Satanism, and described Hurricane Katrina as God's punishment for the sinners of New Orleans. He wrote in a parish newsletter that the death and destruction caused by the hurricane in New Orleans was divine retribution for the city's tolerance of homosexuals and permissive sexual attitudes. The future bishop said he was glad that Katrina destroyed not only nightclubs and brothels in New Orleans, but also five of the city's abortion clinics, reports BBC News.

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Politics | Religion | Homophobia

Politics | Society

GLAAD's President Neil G. Giuliano resigns

Neil Giuliano, the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), announced his resignation to pursue personal interests while completing his forthcoming book about his public and political life. Giuliano has served as president since September 1, 2005 and will continue as president until a date to be announced later this year. Prior to GLAAD, he served for ten years as the mayor of Tempe, Arizona and had retired from a 25-year career as a university administrator and faculty associate at Arizona State University.

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Politics | Society | GLAAD

Politics | Events

Iceland gets the World's First Gay Leader

The first government collapse of the global economic crisis is about to yield the world's first openly-gay leader. Johanna Sigurdardottir, a former air hostess, is expected to be sworn in as Iceland's Prime Minister by the end of the week, reports the Independent. Sigurdardottir will take over from Geir Haarde, who left office yesterday, partly for health reasons. The 66-year-old politician lives with her partner, Jonina Leosdottir, a journalist and playwright. The couple were joined in a civil ceremony in 2002. Don't expect them to show up togetherfor photocalls, however – that's not the Icelandic way. Though she is famous across the island, having been a top politician for years, her lesbian union was no big deal in this calmly progressive nation of only 300,000 people.

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Politics | Events

Politics

NY Senator Gillibrand backs Gay Marriage

On January 23, 2009, Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed by Governor David Paterson to fill the seat in the U.S. Senate vacated by Hillary Clinton now Secretary of State in the Obama administration. At 42, Gillibrand will be the youngest member of the U.S. Senate. After a phone call from Senator Gillibrand, The Empire State Pride Agenda, the state's LGBT rights organization, said on its website: "Finally, the great state of New York has a U.S. Senator who supports marriage equality for same-sex couples." ESPA Executive Director Alan Van Capelle added that the new senator also supports the full repeal of the federal DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) law, repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and passage of legislation outlawing discrimination against transgender people.

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Hillary Clinton | Gay Marriage | Politics

TV | Religion | Politics

Jon Stewart & Bishop Gene Robinson

The Reverend Gene Robinson was Jon Stewart's guest on The Daily Show Tuesday night. The openly gay Bishop talked about his Washington experience during the Inaugural Ceremonies and also about Rick Warren. Watch a video...

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Jon Stewart | Gay Marriage | TV | Religion | Politics

TV | Religion | Politics

A Los Angeles TV Refuses Gay Family Ad

Los Angeles KABC-TV has refused to air an ad promoting gay family, during Obamas's inauguration, reports GetToKnowUsFirst.org.

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Gay Marriage | TV | Religion | Politics

Politics

Portland Gay Mayor Admits having lied

Portland Mayor Sam Adams (right picture) acknowledged Monday that he had a sexual relationship with Beau Breedlove (left picture), an 18-year-old in summer 2005 and, on the eve of his campaign for the city's highest office, lied about it and urged the young man to lie as well, reports Oregon Live. Adams said he made a mistake in not admitting the relationship when reporters first asked about it in September 2007. "I lied at the time because I was afraid that people would believe untrue rumors, being circulated by an undeclared mayoral opponent, that I had broken a law involving sexual relations with a minor. But this is not a good excuse," writes Sam Adams on his website. Adams now says that he and Breedlove dated briefly a few weeks after Breedlove turned 18. He said he would not resign. "I apologize to Beau for asking him to lie for me. I apologize to my colleagues for my poor handling of this matter. I apologize to the people of Portland for my dishonesty. I should have been truthful from the beginning," he said. Watch a KATU video...

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Politics

Politics | Events

Change has come to America

Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. His Administration has already posted the President's agenda on the White House new website. As his President-elect office's website stated, Barack Obama's plan includes to strenghten civil rights for gays :
- Expand Hate Crimes Statutes by passing the Matthew Shepard Act.
- Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage.
- Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.
- Expand Adoption Rights : For all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. Obama thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
- Fight Workplace Discrimination: Obama believes that anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell in the army.

Read the full Agenda here.

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Gay Marriage | Barack Obama | Politics | Events