SAN DIEGO – A former Playgirl model has been convicted of second-degree murder in connection with the beating death of Jason “Cowboy” Huggins, a beloved figure in the San Diego LGBT community.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday included no same-sex marriage cases in its first announcement of what lower court decisions it will review during the 2012-13 session. Legal activists will almost certainly begin speculating now whether the high court is preparing to refuse to hear an appeal to preserve California’s same-sex marriage ban, Proposition 8. That action could come as early as Monday, October 1, or be pending for weeks.

WASHINGTON – The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) has launched the Transgender On-campus Nondiscrimination Information (TONI) Project, the nation’s first online hub for transgender students to share trans-affirmative college policies and practices, and exchange ideas for organizing and action.

Trying to boost his campaign to generate a voter rebellion against Democrats over the issue of marriage equality, Harry Jackson wrote in his column today that legalizing same-sex marriage would harm children.

MINNEAPOLIS — A new poll commissioned by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune shows slightly more Minnesotans favor the ballot initiative for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, but that support falls just short of the 50 percent needed to pass the measure.

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno is again threatening to block Chick-fil-A from building a restaurant in his ward after reports published on Friday signaled that promises made by Chick-fil-A executives to him and a local LGBT advocacy group (that the company was going to cease financial support of several noted anti-gay organizations) were nullified by Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy.

LOS ANGELES — Eric Stonestreet and ABC’s “Modern Family” made Emmy night look easy, capturing awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Best Comedy series, respectively, at the annual awards ceremony at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday.

On Monday the United States Supreme Court returns from its summer break. From their very first day back on the job, the justices will begin considering what is surely the largest number of LGBT equality cases that they have ever faced in a single term. And these aren’t just any cases, either. The cases on the Court’s fall docket have the potential to become watershed moments in the history of the LGBT movement…

Days after a local LGBT rights advocacy group and a Chicago alderman announced that Chick-fil-A had agreed to end donations to anti-gay organizations and end discrimination based on sexual orientation throughout the company, conservative former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced on his website Friday that those claims are not true.

“What does the Bible say about loving, same-sex relationships?” Nothing. Not a thing. And in that absence of Biblical direction of support for or condemnation of these relationships, Christians need to follow the general principles of the Bible: love, justice and kindness…

Those of you who have never had to say: “I’m gay” will never know the angst or the courage that is involved in coming out. Those of you who do know have an obligation to make the path a little easier than it was for you for the next person who garners the courage to speak their truth…

Kevin McClatchy, the former owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates and now the board chairman at the McClatchy Company newspaper chain, has come out as gay.

WASHINGTON — A group of African American clergy were joined by the Rev. Al Sharpton for a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington on Friday to voice their support for Maryland’s marriage equality law, and to dispel the myth that all black ministers are against same-sex marriage.

One vote being cast in a sea of millions may seem insignificant, but when we step back to look at the tumultuous history of voting rights in our country, the real-world effects of voting, and the current efforts to suppress certain groups of voters, it becomes clear that voting is a vital right and an act that intersects with every aspect of the issues we care about.

PORTLAND, Maine — The National Organization for Marriage on Thursday transferred $250,000 to the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, to aid in spearheading the campaign against Maine’s November ballot initiative seeking to legalize same-sex marriage.

The Boy Scouts of America has lost its largest corporate donor, Intel, which announced Friday that it will no longer support the group until it vows to stop discriminating against gay people.

A year after full DADT repeal, the government still fails to provide equal benefits to lesbian, gay, and bisexual military families, in part due to the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. And transgender women and men are still barred from serving openly. It’s time for Congress and the Defense Department to take steps to right these wrongs…

The Washington Blade has learned that Freedom to Marry has formed a political action committee that will allow it to raise money to defend Maryland’s same-sex marriage law, a change of course from earlier this year when the organization declined to join the coalition of groups defending the law.

ANNAPOLIS, Md — Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is teaming up with the Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker, Brendon Ayanbadejo, for a joint appearance next month to raise money and gain support for the state’s marriage equality law.

President Obama issued a statement commemorating the anniversary of the end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on Thursday, saying the end to the military’s gay ban “upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality.”