Betty Ford, who had won the hearts and minds of her fellow Americans and earned a special place in history for her strong opinions, brutal honesty and advocacy regarding abortion rights, sex, gay rights, marijuana and the Equal Rights Amendment, passed away Friday.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Thursday announced that, in the coming weeks, the Committee will hold the first congressional hearing on proposals to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The Pentagon has ordered a halt to all separations of gay and lesbian service members under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” complying with a ruling this week in federal court that ordered an immediate halt to the ban’s enforcement.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday morning voted in favor of an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill that prohibits the use of funds to implement training on the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law for chaplains.

The U.S. Department of Justice has withdrawn its appeal of a recent U.S. Bankruptcy Court ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted in favor of an anti-gay amendment to the defense appropriations bill that reaffirms the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as component of the Pentagon spending legislation.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the U.S. government to immediately halt enforcement of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the military ban on openly gay service members.

The Obama Administration on Friday filed a brief in federal court reiterating its position that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, calling it hostile toward gay and lesbian couples.

On this day 30 years ago -- July 3, 1981 -- under the headline "Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals," The New York Times reported:

A group of Democratic United States Senators have released their "It Gets Better" video, containing their message of hope and encouragement for LGBT youth.

Another battle which is loosening the Jenga pieces is the bigoted piece of legislation known as DOMA -- officials have canceled the deportation of a Venezuelan man in New Jersey who is married to an American man.

President Obama on Wednesday spoke to LGBT grassroots and community leaders, youth champions and advocates from around the country at a White House event observing LGBT Pride Month.

Southwest Airlines has reinstated a tenured pilot after being disciplined for making disparaging comments about gays and older flight attendants over an air-traffic control frequency.

Retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday said that repeal of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" will be certified as early as late July.

Today, June 24, 2011, New York state gay and lesbian committed couples cross a great milestone to being equal citizens by being allowed to enjoy the rights of marriage.