Weekly Political Roundup

• Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) introduced a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) into the U.S. Senate. Co-sponsors were Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Susan Collins (R-ME).
• The American Bar Association’s House of Delegates passed a resolution calling on Congress to repeal the section of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that denies federal marital benefits and protections to legally married same-sex couples. The measure does not take a position on marriage equality directly, but merely urges the federal government to recognize marriage rights granted by states.
• Lisa Keen wraps up her three-part look at the various federal marriage equality lawsuits now in play.
• Episcopal Church leaders in Los Angeles nominated an openly gay priest and an openly lesbian priest as bishops. Church leaders in Minnesota separately nominated a lesbian priest for bishop. These are the first such nominations since a new policy opened up the ordained hierarchy to gay men and lesbians. The candidates are each competing with several others for the posts.
• Automotive Club AAA of the South will treat married same-sex couples as families when determining rates for memberships. Equality Florida led the campaign, joined by Georgia Equality.
• Lorri Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, urges people to focus across the country on the threat to marriage equality in Maine.
• Charles Pugh became the first openly gay candidate to win a major election in Detroit when he gained the most votes in a primary for City Council.
• Openly gay prosecutor Jerry Larson was named by Ohio’s governor to serve as a municipal court judge in Akron.
• Lurleen at Pam’s is keeping us up-to-date with the ongoing Referendum 71 signature-verification process in Washington state. If enough valid signatures are collected, the new domestic partnership law will be put to a vote on the November ballot.

Around the world:

• Same-sex couples in Sydney, Australia, rallied and held (non-legal) marriage ceremonies outside the Australian Labour Party’s national conference. Labour Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says his government will not legalize civil unions or marriage for same-sex couples.
• Gay men and lesbians in Burundi have felt increased discrimination after their country’s government criminalized homosexuality in April.
• The Advocate reports on the recent ruling by the Delhi High Court to decriminalize homosexuality in the region, and what LGBT activists in India are doing to maintain the victory.
• The mayor of Amsterdam married five American-Dutch same-sex couples as part of the city’s Pride festival.
• The Portuguese constitutional court upheld the ban on marriage of same-sex couples after a lesbian couple (mothers, I might add) challenged it, arguing that the constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. They plan to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.