News

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Republican Gov. Tom Corbett’s office announced Thursday it has hired a well-known lawyer from outside the government to lead his defense of the state’s same-sex marriage ban in a federal lawsuit.

SAN FRANCISCO — The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) announced Thursday the launch of a campaign — “Stop LGBT Hate in Russia” — calling on global companies doing business in Russia to demand the repeal of new laws that target LGBT people and allies.

HONOLULU — Democrats in the Hawaii House plan to meet with Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the state attorney general on Friday to discuss a draft of gay marriage legislation as Abercrombie considers whether to call a special session on the issue.

TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona is creating four tenured professor positions to expand its transgender studies courses.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Spaced out along St. Petersburg’s main thoroughfare, about a dozen human rights activists staged individual protests to attract the attention of leaders of the world’s biggest economies to human rights violations in Russia.

SANTA FE, N.M. — A group representing New Mexico counties is asking the state’s highest court to decide whether same-sex marriage is legal.

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council has approved the LGBT-inclusive discrimination ordinance by a vote of 8-3. Developing, check back for update.

MOSCOW — A Russian lawmaker has proposed a bill that would deny gay parents custody over their children.

SAN ANTONIO — Gay rights victories in Texas haven’t come at the Capitol but at city hall. While nondiscrimination bills in the Legislature languish, Houston has a lesbian mayor and Austin offers health benefits for same-sex couples.

The owners of an Oregon bakery at the center of a complaint for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple are speaking out, and say gay rights activists used “militant” and “mean-spirited, mafia-style tactics” to shut down their business.