Author Archives: Lisa Keen

Nevada advances equality, with drama

The 21-member Nevada senate voted 12 to 9 Monday night (April 22) to approve a measure to amend the state constitution to remove language that currently bans recognition of marriages for same-sex couples. Because it is a state constitutional amendment,

Rhode Island marriage vote Wednesday

The Rhode Island Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday (April 24) on a marriage equality bill that, if passed, will position the state just days away from becoming the tenth state to allow same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses.

Highest-ranking gay leaves OPM post

The Obama administration’s highest ranking openly LGBT official has resigned his post, effective today (April 15). John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, announced his resignation April 11 in an email to OPM employees, just days before his four-year

Illinois, Rhode Island poised for marriage votes this month

The race to become the tenth state to provide for marriage equality just got more interesting, as both Illinois and Rhode Island legislatures are on track to take final votes this month.

Kennedy’s questions: Clouds linger over standing in DOMA and Prop 8

Now that legal activists and experts have had a chance to go back over the U.S. Supreme Court arguments in last week’s two big marriage equality cases, most are predicting victories but only incremental ones.

April Fool’s post: Wishes were ever fools

Anyone who checked for the Supreme Court orders list before 10 a.m. Monday morning knew instantly it was a prank. But a few followers appeared to believe it, at least momentarily and some didn’t seem to think it was

Political jousting over DOMA standing, but legal activists encouraged

Today’s argument in the U.S. Supreme Court over the Defense of Marriage Act sounded at times as if President Obama was on trial for enforcing the law even though he considers it unconstitutional. At other times, it sounded like Congress

Prop 8 arguments roller coaster on standing and merits of marriage ban

The U.S. Supreme Court took the marriage equality issue on a roller coaster ride Tuesday as it heard almost 90 minutes of argument in the case testing the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Marriage cases preview, Part 4: Court day guide to the arguments

Part 4: Courtside guide. The avid reader’s guide to who and what to watch for at the Supreme Court on marriage argument days. The following is the last in a four-part series to prepare readers for what to expect March 26

Marriage cases preview, Part 3: Weighing the friendly advice

When the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to tackle a major legal controversy, such as next week’s marriage equality cases, it typically invites advice from groups and legal experts. These people are not a party to the litigation itself but have