- Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and 132 other Democrats filed an amicus brief in Massachusetts v. Dept. of Health and Human Services and Gill vs. Office of Personnel Management, asking the First Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a lower court ruling that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. Seventy Massachusetts and national employers filed a separate, similar brief, as did several other professional, labor, law, and religious organizations.
- The home of LGBT pioneer Frank Kameny, who died in October, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
- California Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani came out as gay.
- A New Jersey Superior Court judge ruled against the state’s motion to dismiss Garden State Equality v. Dow, a case arguing that civil unions do not provide same-sex couples with equality under the state constitution. (That’s not a final ruling on the case, just a ruling that it will proceed.)
Around the world:
- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) created a Unit on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex (LGBTI) Persons, “in order to strengthen its capacity to protect their rights.”
- Danish LGBT pioneer Axel Axgil, who helped his country become the first in the world to allow same-sex couples to marry, died at age 96.
- Member of the Scottish Parliament Ruth Davidson, who is an out lesbian, is the new leader of the Scottish Conservative party.
- The U.K. Home Office confirmed that religious buildings may begin to host civil partnerships by the end of 2011.