Frank Kameny, one of the founders of the LGBT rights movement, died at the age of 86. The U.S. Senate confirmed Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, making her the second lesbian federal judge—and (fun Mombian fact!) the second lesbian mom to hold such a position. (Deborah […]
The military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is no more—but the Department of Justice argued in court this week that servicemembers who had been dismissed under the policy should receive only half of normal severance pay, as per the regulations that existed at the time of their dismissal. The audience at the Republican presidential debate
The Michigan House voted to ban benefits for domestic partners of all public employees in the state. The bill now goes to the Senate. North Carolina’s legislature approved a ballot measure to ask voters whether to ban marriage for same-sex couples under the state constitution. It is already banned by statute. I covered the story
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new guidance related to rules that protect hospital patients’ right to choose their own visitors, including a visitor who is a same-sex partner. On a related note, HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $248,000 to the Fenway Institute in Boston, Mass., to create a
Keeping it short this week, since I need to go figure out how to build an emergency shelter out of Legos before the storm hits. Hope all of you are staying safe, too. The White House and the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that same-sex spouses and partners will be considered in case-by-case reviews of
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network released a legal guide for “LGBT service members, veterans, future recruits, and their families,” with an overview of laws and policies related to military service following the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. It includes quite a bit of information related to benefits for children of servicemembers, as well as benefits
The biggest news this week? Don’t ask. No, really. President Obama has certified that the requirements for repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban on openly lesbian and gay servicemembers have been met. The ban will end September 20. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held the first-ever hearing on repeal of the Defense of Marriage
As always, parenting/youth related news will show up in my separate LGBT Parenting Roundup. Here are some of the top general LGBT news stories of the week. It’s been a period of ups and downs for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, as the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday granted an emergency order temporarily
A 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel issued an order that the Defense Department stop enforcing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). The order lifts an injunction against an earlier ruling to halt DADT. The U.S. Department of Justice made the first legal filing in the country in which they have fully argued to a court
President Obama continued to avoid answering questions about his stance on marriage equality. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to begin collecting health data on LGBT populations. Immigration officials canceled the deportation of a Venezuelan man living in New Jersey who is married to an American man. President Obama nominated Robert
