House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a group of LGBT leaders that both the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and a measure to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) will get votes this year, with one happening before Memorial Day. Tomorrow marks the first annual Harvey Milk Day in California. Equality California has details on events and
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) says he will keep transgender rights in the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) even though some say that will kill the bill. House lawmakers are considering passing a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this year that wouldn’t go into effect until later. Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, chair of the Senate
From the President’s Mother’s Day proclamation (my bold): Whether adoptive, biological, or foster, mothers share an unbreakable bond with their children, and Americans of all ages and backgrounds owe them an immeasurable debt. Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by two parents, a single mother, two mothers, a step-mom, a
A U.S. District Court judge heard arguments in the first federal district court hearing to examine the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Political infighting continues in the House around Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Hawaii state representative Blake Oshiro, who brought the state’s civil union bill up for its latest vote, came out
New York’s highest court ruled this week in a custody case that gave a non-biological mom the right to seek custody and visitation of the child she and her former partner had created and raised together. Great, right? Yes, for that one mom. But the court said the non-biological mother only had that right because
As I’ve mentioned once or twice before, I’ve recently started writing for the Gay Rights section of Change.org, an “online hub for social change.” It gives me the chance to write about various LGBT issues not necessarily focused on parenting—though I may sometimes tackle parenting issues there as well. Here are a few of the
What happened to the ENDA vote Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) said would happen this week? Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) now says she hopes it will happen in the next couple of weeks. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a House committee that Congress should not pass its own repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell before he
Last week I discussed the film Mom’s Apple Pie, which documented the role of lesbian moms in the early LGBT rights movement (and is now out on home video). Now comes word of Raising Hell, a half-hour documentary by Ed Webb-Ingall that profiles the experiences of the young adult and adult children of lesbian and
(No vlog this week. Helen’s been away on a business trip, and it’s too hard to sit there talking to myself.) Faith In an essay for Commonweal magazine, an anonymous lesbian mom discusses her Catholic faith, her and her partner’s decision to send their children to Catholic school, and the welcome they received there, in
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, a case that explores whether student groups are able to exclude students based on “status or beliefs” if doing so violates the school’s anti-discrimination policy. President Obama’s administration is sending mixed messages about whether a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will happen
