Gay/Lesbian News

Six in ten Americans say the government should not regulate whether gays and lesbians can wed the persons they choose, a new survey finds.

As same-sex couples start lining up to get marriage licenses in California on June 17, the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found 63 percent of adults say same-sex marriage is "strictly a private decision" between two people. That the government has the right "to prohibit or allow" such marriages was stated by 33 percent, and 4 percent had no opinion.

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The mantra of almost all conservatives - it makes no difference what political party they belong to - is to keep government out of their lives. But, they don't mind government interference when it plays to their biases and bigotry.

For example, it's perfectly acceptable for the government to enter one's bedroom if the purpose is to ban homosexual activity and - horrors! - gay marriage. In Pennsylvania, political conservatives and religious fundamentalists thought the existing state law against same-sex marriage was vulnerable to a constitutional challenge, and wanted something more permanent - a constitutional amendment to "preserve" the sanctity of marriage.

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The mayor of a tiny Aegean Sea island was charged with breach of duty after conducting Greece's first same-sex marriage ceremonies Tuesday in defiance of a prosecutor's order calling such nuptials illegal.

Mayor Tasos Aliferis of Tilos held the civil ceremonies for two Greek gay and lesbian couples shortly after dawn, provoking the wrath of conservative church officials and the country's justice minister..

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New York State AG Andrew Cuomo said his office will defend Gov. David Paterson's order for the state to recognize gay marriages performed legally in other jurisidictions, which was challenged today in court. "It's the law," Cuomo told DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett.

Cuomo noted that he personally supports the legalization of gay marriage.

This move pits the AG against Republican state lawmakers who signed on to the Article 78 lawsuit filed today in state Supreme Court in the Bronx by the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund.

It's an interesting decision, since past AGs - including Eliot Spitzer, in the case of a legal battle between Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and then-Gov. George Pataki over budgeting power, for example - have opted out of lawsuits that pit one branch of government against another, forcing officials to rely on outside counsel at the taxpayers' expense.

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Gay actor George Takei will wed his longtime partner in September, and has chosen his Star Trek co-star Walter Koenig as his best man. more

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Recently a New York comedy group, called Rash Behaviour were invited to perform at the Charleston, S.C. Piccolo Spoleto Arts Festival, when an openly gay member of the company performed as an openly gay character in front of 3,000 people.

Some in the audience were less than welcoming to say the least, putting the group in an interesting position to decide how far they will go to stand up for themselves, for the arts, and for freedom of speech..

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WASHINGTON, DC -- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) announced today that it has awarded thirteen scholarships, totaling more than $30,000, to students across the country -- and one at a U.S. military base in Japan -- who have made significant contributions to equality in their schools and communities. This marks the fifth year that PFLAG has awarded the scholarships, which are funded by the Palmer B. Carson Trust and other private donors, including the Gay, Lesbian and Allies at Dow (GLAD) Employee Network and the New York Gay Football League.

"PFLAG is enormously proud to recognize these exceptional young leaders and to salute their hard work, academic achievement and community service," said Jody M. Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG. "Every day, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, and their allies, overcome unimaginable obstacles to succeed and prosper in our schools.

These honorees have not only fought those obstacles, but have thrived and inspired their fellow students, teachers and families."

The recipients of PFLAG's National Scholarship Program awards are: listed in full here.

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Bob Barr, the Libertarian nominee for president and the main author of the Defense of Marriage Act, says the gay marriage ban that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 has become the “tail wagging the dog. In a June 2 interview with Southern Voice, Barr delineated between two sections of DOMA: a full faith and credit clause that protects the rights of each state to implement its own definition of marriage and, a section that defines marriage to be between one man and one woman in federal law.

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WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, today pledged an initial contribution of $500,000 to Equality for All to protect marriage equality in California by defeating a proposed constitutional amendment that could possibly be on the November general election ballot in California. This is an addition to the $100,000 contribution the Human Rights Campaign made to Equality for All earlier this year.

In a landmark decision, California’s Supreme Court ruled that the prohibition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The case was argued by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, Heller Ehrman LLP, and the Law Office of David C. Codell on behalf of 14 same-sex couples and two organizations, Equality California and Our Family Coalition. However, a proposed constitutional amendment threatens to make null and void the historic ruling.

"The California Supreme Court’s decision is a victory for justice and fairness," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "But the fight for equality has just begun. With the $500,000 commitment to Equality for All today, HRC aims to ensure that California remains a state where every person has the opportunity to realize their hopes and dreams by being able to marry the person they love."

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Lynette McLean and her husband, Ken, have catered to gay visitors at their Guerneville resort for more than a decade, but never thought to offer honeymoon packages.

But now that gay and lesbian couples in the state can legally wed beginning June 17, the Highlands Resort is prepared.

Her Russian River resort is one of at least a dozen North Coast hotels, inns and spas that have quickly created wedding and honeymoon specials in hopes of cashing in on the nuptials.

"Most business owners up here are really hoping it brings in more offseason business," McLean said. "This is something we could promote all year, which is really what the river needs."

A few couples have already booked weddings at the Rio Villa Beach Resort in Monte Rio, said owner Ron Moore, 49.

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