Utah gay rights bills get off to bad start
(Salt Lake City, Utah) Legislation that would allow same-sex couples to sue for wrongful death damages has been defeated in a state senate committee. It was the first of six LGBT bills filed in the legislature this session.
The committee room was packed as senators took up the death damages bill.
It …
Lawsuit: Vegan equals gay
(New York City) A Wall Street currency trader is suing his former bosses claiming he was subjected to homophobic slurs after he said he did not eat meat.
Ryan Pacifico worked in the New York office of Calyon in the Americas, a firm owned by Credit Agricole CIB of France.
According to …
Colombia high court upholds same-sex partner rights
(Bogota) Colombia’s Constitutional Court has upheld a lower court ruling that the government must provide same-sex partners with all of the rights that opposite-sex couples have.
Last year, LGBT rights groups went to court seeking health and other government benefits. Last April, a lower court ruled that same-sex couples are implicitly …
GLAAD president Giuliano resigns
(Los Angeles, California) Neil Giuliano is leaving the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Giuliano has served as president since September 1, 2005. In a statement, the former Tempe, Ariz. mayor and Arizona State University administrator said that he is resigning to give more time for a book …
Psychoanalysts call for end to military gay ban
(New York City) The American Psychoanalytic Association is calling on Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the law the bars gays from serving openly in the military.
At its convention this month in New York City, the APsaA passed a resolution opposing the ban.
“It is the position of APsaA that …
National gay rights conference opens in Denver
(Denver, Colorado) Some 2,000 LGBT civil rights activists from across the country are meeting in Denver to plan strategies on the national and local level.The Creating Change conference, sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, opened Wednesday and will run through the weekend.
Organizers said it is the nation’s …
Senate committee OKs holder for AG
(Washington) Eric Holder’s nomination as the first African-American attorney general moved to the full Senate on Wednesday with broad bipartisan support, as Republicans who earlier criticized the nominee determined he was well qualified for the job.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 to favorably recommend Holder for the post.
The only senators …
Voter initiative would allow civil partnerships in Arizona
(Phoenix, Arizona) Two gay Arizona men have begun a voter initiative to legalize civil partnerships in the state.
Gino Meriano and Philip Cotton filed notice of the proposal with the Secretary of State’s Office, the first step to begin collecting signatures to have the question put to voters in 2010.
“This was …
Wash. mulls major expansion of gay partner law
(Olympia, Washington) Legislation that would expand Washington’s 2007 Domestic Partner law to provide all of the state rights and benefits of marriage and a bill to legalize same-sex marriage have been filed in the Legislature.
Both bills are sponsored by Sen. Ed Murray and Rep. Jamie Pedersen, both Democrats and openly …
Gay foe Palin launches PAC
(New York City) Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin launched a political action committee Tuesday to help support candidates for federal and state office.
The committee, SarahPac, is dedicated to supporting “fresh ideas and candidates who share our vision for reform and innovation,” according to its Web site.
Palin catapulted to fame last year as …
