President Obama, in his State of the Union speech, said he would work with Congress and the military to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell “this year.” The Advocate rounds up some of the reactions. DC Agenda reports that “LGBT political insiders . . . believe the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is headed for almost certain defeat […]
A bit brief this week, but I’m sure you’ll be busy just keeping up with the Prop 8 trial. All the Prop 8 news that’s fit to print: Some of those covering the trial in detail are Bilerico, the Courage Campaign, Keen News Service, the San Jose Mercury News, Pam’s House Blend, and the New
The Prop 8 Case Everyone is covering the Prop 8 case. Here are a few of the sites with people on the ground at the courtroom. (As you may have heard, the U.S. Supreme Court banned videocasting of the trial. Jenny Pizer, Lambda Legal’s Marriage Project director, explains why.)j Lisa Keen has a good summary
Amanda Simpson started work as as Senior Technical Advisor in the Bureau of Industry and Security, becoming one of the first transgender people to receive a presidential appointment to an executive branch post. Dylan Orr, who began work in December as Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathleen Martinez, was the first. California Assemblyman
U.S. National News The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee marked up and passed the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, which would provide benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. While the above churns through the system, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) concluded that it does not have the legal authority to
U.S. National News Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), sponsor of a bill to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) said it wouldn’t be repealed in this Congress and that efforts next year will focus on building support for the issue. A Senate committee approved the nomination of openly lesbian law professor Chai Feldblum as a
First, the story that should be making the most headlines next week: A New Jersey Senate committee will consider a marriage equality proposal on Monday. The proposal could be posted for a full senate vote later in the week. Steven Goldstein, the indefatigable chair of Garden State Equality, has been doing a heroic job of
U.S. National News The House Oversight & Government Reform Committee approved the Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act, which would offer the same benefits, including health insurance and pensions, to same-sex partners of federal workers and to opposite-sex spouses. (This news comes via the DC Agenda, the reincarnated Washington Blade.) The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court
U.S. National News Democratic leaders said they plan to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) in next year’s defense authorization bill. The American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution calling for full repeal of DADT, saying that it “clearly has a negative impact on military healthcare, military medical providers, and our troops.” A new study
Elections As I’m sure you all know, we lost marriage equality in Maine. Everyone is writing about this. A few pieces of note are those of Jeremy at Good As You and Nan Hunter at Bilerico, who look at how the right won against a solid equality campaign; Pam on the “dying hog of homophobia”;
