Historic Vote Makes Gay Marriage Legal in New York State

The most surprising thing about Friday’s vote by lawmakers in Albany to make New York America’s sixth and largest state where gays can marry one another is not that Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in a patient display of vote-counting that would have impressed Lyndon Johnson, peeled off enough Republican Senators to pass his bill.

Share

Catholic Church Fights Gay Marriage, Activists Regroup

When America’s Catholic bishops gather next week in Baltimore for a four-day conference, they will hear an update on the Catholic Church’s ongoing fight to convince the country that marriage as an institution should never include gay couples, and they’ll get a sneak peek at how that fight will be waged in the coming year. Videos aimed at priests and deacons are being produced in English and Spanish to give the pastors better tools to reach their parishioners, especially young people, whom the church fears need reminding about its basic teachings on marriage, love and sex.

Share

The Pioneer HARVEY MILK

After Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office in the history of the planet, thousands of astounded people wrote to him. “I thank God,” wrote a 68-year-old lesbian, “I have lived long enough to see my kind emerge from the shadows and join the human race.” Sputtered another writer: “Maybe, just maybe, some of the more hostile in the district may take some potshots at you–we hope!!!” There was a time when it was impossible for people–straight or gay–even to imagine a Harvey Milk

Share

The Gay March: Will A New Generation’s Voice Be Heard?

The march on Washington that gays staged Sunday on the National Mall drew something like 200,000 people — that’s a good guess based on conversations with many of the organizers and local authorities, although estimates of Mall crowds are notoriously unreliable. But one number you can take to the bank: the average age of those back stage who wore walkie-talkie headsets and staff badges, the men who were behind much of the organizing effort, wasn’t over 30

Share

‘Obama, I know you are listening’: Gay activists march to Capitol

Calling for an end to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and equality in marriage, thousands of gay rights supporters marched by the White House and on to the Capitol to rally. Sunday’s National Equality March coincided with National Coming Out Day, and came a day after President Obama delivered a supportive speech to the nation’s largest gay rights group

Share