Colorado

DENVER — Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday told lawmakers the time has come to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions here. Hickenlooper, addressing a joint session of the Colorado General Assembly, said in his State of the State address Colorado believes in equal rights.

DENVER — When the Colorado Civil Union Act of 2012 is introduced on the first day the General Assembly convenes, it will start a journey for the LGBT community — and for politicos, alike — that no one is quite sure where it will end up.

One leading advocate called 2011 an “epic” year for marriage equality. Was it? While only one state — New York — enacted full marriage rights for same-sex couples, it was the most populous state to do so. Five other states also moved closer to marriage equality than ever before. Public opinion shifted dramatically towards supporting equality. And the Obama administration announced that it no longer considers a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act constitutional.

The move to “make it better,” just got better. One Colorado, a statewide LGBT advocacy group, has launched a new program to facilitate the creation of gay-straight alliances in Colorado schools and secure safe school environments for all students.

Save the date: Jan. 5, 2012. That’s the day the debate on civil unions here will get a whole lot more interesting. A group of Colorado conservatives are having a coming out party. Coming out for civil unions, that is.

A majority of Coloradans now support full marriage equality for same-sex couples, a poll released Friday shows. According to Public Policy Polling, 47 percent of those Coloradans polled said they believe gay and lesbian couples should have all the rights of marriage — and the name to boot.

Colorado State Sen. Kevin Lundberg is contemplating a run for Congress. Lundberg, perhaps the most conservative state senator and most definitely the most anti-gay lawmaker under the dome, tweeted he might want to advance his political career to Washington D.C.

DENVER — A San Diego gay couple returning home from celebrating Thanksgiving alleges a United Airlines agent bullied and intimidated them, called them “faggots,” and threatened with being banned from their flight, all because they complained about poor customer service from United employees.

DENVER — Democrats in the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday selected Rep. Mark Ferrandino of Denver to be their new minority leader, making him the first openly gay man in the state’s history to hold such a high leadership position in the legislature.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Two high school students in Fort Collins, Colo. — who identify as transgender — say that attitudes displayed by the school’s administrators make them feel unwelcome on campus, including being prohibited from using the same restrooms as other students.