Yearly Archives: 2011

Witt wins settlement over “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discharge

The ACLU of Washington State announced Tuesday that Air Force Reserve nurse Margaret Witt has reached a final settlement with the Department of Defense in her highly publicized litigation to avoid discharge under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” According to an ACLU

Prop 8 judge’s most personal intentions coming under scrutiny

Former U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker recently told a small group of reporters that it would be a “very slippery slope” to say that a judge's “sexuality” should prevent him or her from handling a case such as

President’s Mother’s Day proclamation honors all types of mothers

For the second time ever, a president’s annual Mother’s Day proclamation has included a specific mention of families that have two mothers. President Obama’s May 6 proclamation said in part, “Whether an adoptive mom or grandmother, mother or partner, the women

Holder issues surprise order to stop deportation

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Thursday (May 5) vacated a deportation ruling against a gay man, suggesting that his relationship with a New Jersey man might qualify him to be considered as a “spouse” under immigration laws.

New bill seeks end to adoption bias

Hundreds of thousands of children are in foster care in the United States, while discrimination prevents millions of willing LGBT people from being able to foster or adopt. U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) reintroduced a bill that aims to fix

Marriage equality: It’s up to you, New York

The openly gay sponsor of a marriage equality bill in Rhode Island has said he would push for civil unions instead. Six states are considering legislation that would ask voters to ban recognition of marriage for same-sex couples. And all

AIDS funding: caught in the crossfire of the FY 12 budget battle

Before it left on spring recess, the U.S. House passed a budget for Fiscal Year 2012 that the president called "wrong for America" and that AIDS activists have said would do "irreparable harm."

Drama in the court: Judge Walker is called to ‘answer’

The new Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco has asked former Chief Judge Vaughn Walker to come back to court. In an April 28 order, Judge James Ware instructed Walker to appear in court to answer

With children in need, states struggle over gay adoptive parents

Each year, over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are waiting for adoptive homes. And over two million gay and lesbian people are interested in adopting a child. But legislative and court battles are being waged in several

Yes on 8: Gay judge’s ruling shouldn’t count

Proponents of Proposition 8 filed a motion Monday, April 25, in federal district court, seeking to vacate the August 2010 ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker that the initiative is unconstitutional, citing Walker’s recent disclosure that he is gay.