Author Archives: Lisa Keen

Speed Read: ‘Let’s not pick on people’

The U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed a pro-gay nominee to the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans postponed a vote on an openly gay nominee to a federal district court seat in Florida. A retired

Speed Read: ‘Giant leap forward’

The U.S. Department of Education clarifies that Title IX of the Civil Rights Act’s prohibition against sex discrimination “extends to claims of discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity.” Ballot battle

Speed Read: ‘Raw nerves’ over book

Openly lesbian Massachusetts attorney general candidate Maura Healey racked up a string of endorsements recently from women’s PACS: EMILY’s List, Women’s Campaign Fund, Feminist Majority, and Barbara Lee. But openly gay Republican candidate for the U.S. House out of San

Speed Read: Tennessee gets a stay

DOD adds sexual orientation to its charter of values for military personnel. The United Church of Christ has filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against a ban on same-sex marriage in North Carolina. And a federal appeals court rejected Michigan's request to

United Church of Christ lawsuit in North Carolina challenges penalty for ministers

In a first of its kind lawsuit, a group of ministers filed a complaint in federal court Monday against North Carolina’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, saying that the law’s penalties against clergy who conduct ceremonies for same-sex marriages

Speed Read: Alaska tax break

A unanimous Alaska Supreme Court ruled the state ban on marriage for same-sex couples doesn't permit the state to violate the equal protection rights of same-sex couples. A state appeals court has delayed implementation of a decision last week by

Speed Read: ‘Might have 3 votes’

Openly gay gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud has taken a dip in the polls in Maine. A Texas judge says the state "cannot discriminate against same-sex couples." And Mary Cheney is back in action this week for Republicans.

Speed Read: ‘The NAACP for gay people’

There is a potential for two ballot measures soon to repeal marriage bans in Ohio and Oregon. An effort to impeach Missouri governor for letting same-sex married couples file joint state tax returns appears to have little chance of passage.

Speed Read: NOM delay denied

A federal judge in Oregon denied the National Organization for Marriage's motion to delay hearing two lawsuits against the state's marriage ban. There's been a major pile-on of criticism for a new book out on the Proposition 8 litigation. And

Prop 8 book ‘Forcing the Spring’ triggers pile-on of criticism for ‘distortions’

There has been a dramatic pile-on of criticism around the release Tuesday of a new book about the legal case that challenged California’s Proposition 8. The book, Forcing the Spring, by New York Times writer Jo Becker, has been thoroughly