News (USA)

LGBT students and straight allies at Utah’s Brigham Young University on Friday released an “It Gets Better” video, adding their voice to the tens of thousands of video messages aimed at preventing depression and suicide among gay youth.

SEATTLE — The two bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle said they will call on parishioners to collect signatures in support of Referendum 74, a ballot measure aimed at overturning the recently passed marriage equality law in Washington state.

The Maine People’s Resource Center has released the results of a new public opinion poll of likely Maine 2012 voters, and shows support for marriage equality has increased to 58 percent, with opposition about 40 percent.

WAYNESVILLE, Ohio — An openly gay Ohio teen, who is suing his school after being threatened with suspension for wearing a t-shirt containing the message “Jesus is not a Homophobe,” will be allowed to wear the shirt after all — but for 1 day only, a federal judge ruled this week.

Members of the Mormon Church in Maryland are working to overturn the state’s recently passed marriage equality law, according to an email obtained by the Washington Blade.

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the anti-gay group leading efforts to oppose same-sex marriage laws, is calling for a federal investigation of the Human Rights Campaign and the IRS.

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge this week ruled that the denial of insurance coverage to the same-sex spouse of a federal court employee in San Francisco was an act of discrimination.

BOSTON — There was optimism in the air outside the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse after advocates seeking to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act emerged from the first-ever appellate hearing on the constitutionality of the law.

FULLERTON, Calif. — A school administrator has apologized to a senior at Fullerton Union High School for publicly disqualifying him from the “Mr. Fullerton” competition, an annual school event, after the student voiced his support for same-sex marriage.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Police in Manhattan Beach, Calif., have arrested 18 men for unlawful sexual activity, the result of several undercover stings involving public beach restrooms.