Category Archives: National Politics

Obama appoints first openly transgender people to posts

Amanda Simpson started work this week as one of the first transgender persons ever to receive a presidential appointment to an executive branch post in any administration. The honor as the first belongs to Dylan Orr, a 30-year-old law school

Best seats in the White House

At least four prominent gays were on the guest list for the Obama White House’s first State Dinner, with India, November 24. Hollywood producer David Geffen attended with his partner Jeremy Lingvall; Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg attended with his

Every child deserves a family

U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) introduced a bill October 15 seeking to end discrimination against gays in adoption proceedings. The following are some excerpts from his remarks: “Currently, over 65,000 adopted children and 14,000 “foster children are living with a gay

Gay nominee passes committee hurdle

A Senate committee Thursday approved the nomination of openly gay law professor Chai Feldblum to serve as a member of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The nomination now goes to the full Senate, where it could still face opposition.

Gay reps snub bill aimed at DADT

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) introduced an amendment this month to help combat the military’s “Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell” policy, but no openly gay member of Congress has signed on.

Scrutinizing the numbers game

When President Obama signed the Ryan White CARE Act in October, he noted that gay men comprise “two to three percent of the population,” yet account for “half of all cases” in the United States. A month later, when a

The lion’s quiet roar

The late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy was seen as one of Congress’ strongest supporters of civil rights for gays, yet in his autobiography, True Compass, he mentions almost no gay people and says almost nothing about civil rights for gays.

D.C. Council gives first nod to marriage equality bill

The City Council of Washington, D.C. voted 11 to 2 to support a bill to provide marriage licenses to same-sex couples the same as it provides to straight couples.

Clinton: U.S. must “stand against” LGBT discrimination in fight against HIV

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today the U.S. government must “stand against any efforts” to discriminate against the LGBT community worldwide.

Fed partner-benefits bill advances in House

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) attempted to gut the federal employee domestic partnership bill by proposing an amendment to stipulate the legislation would in no way affect the intent of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).