News (USA)

With Illinois state lawmakers poised to consider a marriage equality bill in the lame duck session that begins Wednesday, Catholic bishops and other advocates of “traditional” are taking a new approach: same-sex marriage simply violates natural law.

“When the history books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year when LGBT Americans won decisively at the ballot box,” said HRC President Chad Griffin, in a statement issued on the morning of Nov. 7.

Virginia Commonwealth University has wrapped up its internal investigation into the termination of James Finley, the openly gay Women’s Volleyball Coach, and said their review found no misconduct or discrimination.

The city of Moscow, Idaho, is considering a measure to prohibit discrimination in the areas of housing and employment based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

President Obama said over the weekend during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he won’t rule out the nomination of former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel as defense secretary over anti-gay remarks he made in 1998.

The Rhode Island General Assembly kicks off its 2013 session Tuesday, and the first big debate of the year is likely to center on same-sex marriage.

As state lawmakers prepare to vote on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois, support has come in from coalitions of LGBT rights organizations, voters, hundreds of local clergy, President Obama — and now — from ABC’s Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

President Barack Obama on Saturday urged the Illinois General Assembly to vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in his home state.

On Sept. 21, 2012, the U.S. military marked the first anniversary of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and 2012 saw lesbian, gay and bisexual service members openly participating in proud military traditions, national events and LGBT pride celebrations.

PORTLAND, Maine — Same-sex couples in Maine began exchanging wedding vows shortly after midnight on Saturday as the state’s new marriage equality law took effect. Maine becomes the eighth U.S. state to legalize marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.