Weekly Political Roundup Archives

Weekly Political Roundup

April 6, 2012

The Defense of Marriage Act faces a federal appeals court; a pro-marriage equality initiative advances in Ohio; Chile passes an antidiscrimination measure, and more.

Weekly Political Roundup

March 16, 2012

This week’s roundup is brought to you by the letter “N,” with happenings in Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Nigeria (as well as a few non-N places).

Weekly Political Roundup

February 24, 2012

Marriage equality took center stage again this week, but that’s not all that’s happening.

— A federal district court ruled that a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)–the part that denies federal recognition to same-sex couples–is unconstitutional. But the the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group said it will appeal the ruling.
— Opponents of marriage equality have asked the full U.S. 9th Circuit court to review the recent decision of a three-judge court panel that ruled California’s Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

Weekly Political Roundup

February 3, 2012

Lots of marriage-related news this week. I do like to cover other political topics here, but this week just happens to be matrimonially inclined.

A broad coalition of civil rights, labor, progressive, faith, student, health, legal, women’s, and LGBT organizations, led by Freedom to Marry and HRC, announced support of the federal Respect for Marriage Act that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Weekly Political Roundup

January 20, 2012

A weekly summary of LGBT political news highlights for busy parents. Freedom to Marry has launched Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, a bipartisan coalition of over 80 mayors who have pledged to support marriage for same-sex couples. Indiana has begun to issue a license plate designed to raise awareness about LGBT youth issues—the first

Weekly Political Roundup

December 9, 2011

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gave a speech that focused on the human rights of LGBT people—a speech that some LGBT advocates are already calling a “landmark.” Supporters of anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people in Anchorage, Alaska, appear to have collected enough signatures to put the measure on the April city ballot. The U.S. Ninth Circuit

Weekly Political Roundup

November 18, 2011

Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), along with Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act in their respective houses. The Act would offer the same benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of federal employees as to opposite-sex married spouses. The U.S. Department of Health and

Weekly Political Roundup

November 11, 2011

First, a happy Veterans Day to all of you, including my spouse, who have served or are serving in our country’s armed forces. The observance this year is, of course, the first one at which gay and lesbian servicemembers can celebrate openly with their families. Over at the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Col. E. A.

Weekly Political Roundup

November 4, 2011

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

Weekly Political Roundup

October 21, 2011

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) became a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the anti-LGBT Defense of Marriage Act. Levin was one of the leaders in repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Michigan state Rep. Thomas McMillin (R-Rochester) introduced a bill that would eliminate LGBT people as a protected class under all local