Yearly Archives: 2011

White House pushes to end persecution of LGBT people worldwide

The White House announced Tuesday evening that President Obama and Brazilian President Rousseff have established a "special rapporteur on LGBT issues at the Organization of American States." It also drew attention to a United Nations declaration, backed by the U.S.

Senate confirmations: A partisan pelt-and-wait game

It looked like a cake-walk: President Obama nominated openly gay attorney Paul Oetken to a federal district court bench in Manhattan two months ago, and just last week, he had a confirmation hearing.

Court loss with a silver lining

Efforts to secure equal benefits for a gay federal court employee in San Francisco suffered a setback Wednesday when a federal judge dismissed the employee’s lawsuit. But Lambda Legal Defense says the dismissal has a silver lining.

Delaware Supreme Court confirms lesbian mom is a parent

The Delaware Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the right of a woman to be identified as a "de facto" parent of a child she had been raising with her former same-sex partner—a child the partner adopted but that the

DOMA repeal: All hands now on deck

When U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Respect for Marriage Act in 2009, he conceded there was little chance for passage in the 111th Congress. Clearly, something’s changed.

Cold feet: Maryland House backs off vote on marriage

Supporters of allowing same-sex couples to marry in Maryland could see the altar: passing the House and sending the bill to a governor who said he would sign it. But on March 11, the House unanimously voted to send it

Top State Dept. official resigns over impact of remarks on gay soldier’s WikiLeaks

The White House allegedly pressured the State Department’s top spokesperson to resign Sunday, over comments he made suggesting that the gay soldier arrested in the WikiLeaks scandal is being mistreated.

White House Calls for Coordinated Anti-Bullying Efforts

The White House held a high-visibility conference on bullying prevention March 10, with the President and First Lady calling on parents, teachers, students, and communities to address the problem together.

Student anti-bullying, non-discrimination bills face uncertain path

Members of Congress are introducing a flurry of bills this week designed to address bullying and harassment of students, including LGBT students, and timed to coincide with a major White House conference on bullying prevention March 10.

Marriage Equality Hanging Tough in Md., N.H.

Proponents of marriage equality are holding their own this week in two battleground states, despite tough skirmishes that threatened ground they had previously gained. But in both states--Maryland and New Hampshire--more critical battles seem almost inevitable, perhaps on the ballot