California

The federal trial challenging the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, a voter approved ban on gay marriage, began Monday with an opening statement by attorney Theodore Olson, who with David Boies, is leading the legal team representing the plaintiffs in the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger.... [ Read more → ]

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily blocked a federal judge's plan to broadcast the trial over California's ban on gay marriage by posting video on YouTube. Just an hour before the trial got under way Monday, the high court Court halted for at least... [ Read more → ]

Gay marriage opponents have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step in and block video coverage a federal trial on the constitutionality California's ban on same-sex marriage. Attorneys defending Proposition 8 and its ban on same-sex marriage filed the emergency appeal Saturday, arguing that their... [ Read more → ]

An outspoken gay marriage opponent, and one of five defendants in the case challenging California's Proposition 8, has asked to be removed from the lawsuit over fear the trial publicity that would endanger him and his family. [caption id="attachment_5046" align="alignleft" width="196" caption="Tam"][/caption] Hak-Shing William Tam... [ Read more → ]

Next week's trial in San Francisco of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, won't be televised live, but it will be videotaped for delayed internet release on YouTube, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. [caption id="attachment_4780" align="alignleft" width="280" caption="Judge Vaughn R. Walker"][/caption] "This certainly... [ Read more → ]

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A Redwood City man wanted for allegedly beating up a man because of his sexual orientation turned himself in to the Sheriff's Office around noon Wednesday, reports the Mercury News. Cole White, 24, surrendered a day after a judge signed a... [ Read more → ]

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A judge signed a $50,000 arrest warrant Tuesday for a Bay Area man suspected of attacking a gay man at a downtown nightclub early Sunday because of his sexual orientation. Watch the report from KGO-TV: Cole White, 24, is wanted for... [ Read more → ]

The lesbian sister of Proposition 8 mastermind Frank Schubert has announced her candidacy for Sacramento County Superior Court judge, according to the Bay Area Reporter. [caption id="attachment_4626" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Anne Marie Schubert"][/caption] At her campaign Web site, Anne Marie Schubert, a deputy district attorney for... [ Read more → ]

On January 1, three new pieces of legislation expanding rights and resources for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community will go into effect in California, reports Equality California. Among the new laws, each sponsored by Equality California, include a bill that recognizes the... [ Read more → ]

Proposition 8 supporters this week urged a federal judge to reject a proposal to televise the upcoming trial challenging to California's ban on same-sex marriage. In a filing with U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who will preside over the case on the law's constitutionality, Proposition... [ Read more → ]

The Los Angeles Police Department's Explorers youth program will end its nearly 50-year relationship with the Boys Scouts of America, citing the organization's policy that discriminates against gays violates the city's non-discrimination policy, reports KCBS-TV. The Police Commission voted two months ago to end its... [ Read more → ]

From Reuters: The biggest U.S. gay rights battle next year is brewing in a California federal court as raucous fights over same-sex marriage in state legislatures and at state ballot boxes subside. In part, 2010 will reflect a growing move by same-sex marriage advocates to... [ Read more → ]

FRESNO -- Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno has agreed to make policy changes and conduct staff trainings to ensure that the rights of its LGBT patients and family members are properly respected, according to the ACLU. The changes are in response to a demand... [ Read more → ]

Sunday is "No H8" Day in West Hollywood. [caption id="attachment_3982" align="alignleft" width="420" caption="Adam Bouska (left) and Jeff Parshley with the West Hollywood proclamation"][/caption] The WEHO city council made the declaration on December 8 that Sunday, December 13 would be "No H8 Day" to mark the... [ Read more → ]

Gay marriage supporters challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 lost their bid Friday to see the internal communications of those who supported the initiative when an appeals court ruled that disclosure would violate the 1st Amendment, reports the LA Times. In a unanimous ruling, the... [ Read more → ]

Assemblyman John Pérez, an openly gay Latino Democrat from Los Angeles, made history Thursday when he was unanimously chosen by the California Assembly's Democratic Caucus as the lower house's leader, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. [caption id="attachment_3871" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="John Perez"][/caption] Pérez, a freshman lawmaker... [ Read more → ]

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear an appeal from a Christian student group that had been denied recognition by a public law school in California for excluding gays, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The law school, Hastings College of the Law in... [ Read more → ]

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles on Saturday elected the first openly gay bishop since the national church lifted a ban that kept gays out of its highest ordained ministry, a move that deepened divisions between liberals and conservatives in the faith, reports the LA... [ Read more → ]

[caption id="attachment_3488" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="John Perez"][/caption] Democratic Assemblyman John Perez of Los Angeles is about to become the California’s first openly gay speaker of the Assembly. The position will make Perez the highest-ranking gay politician in California history. The speaker is generally considered the second... [ Read more → ]

CAMPBELL, Calif. --Sleepy, suburban Campbell's City Council elected one of the youngest gay and youngest Asian American mayors in the country at a meeting Tuesday night, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. [caption id="attachment_3414" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="Evan Low"][/caption] The council promoted Evan Low, 26, from vice... [ Read more → ]