GLBT DIGEST January 5, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

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WashingtonPost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/04/AR2008010401279.html

Dear Carolyn:

I've recently started dating a really great girl. She's perfect for me inevery way; she has a decent job, doesn't do drugs and has a stable homelife. However, when the opportunity came for me to meet her family, shewanted to introduce me only as her "friend." Her family knows she is gay andso does mine. She and I definitely do not have a "friendly" relationship;far from it. Am I wrong to feel insulted? Should I break away from therelationship before I get too involved? I just can't see myself being withsomeone who cannot be open and honest about our relationship. I hope I'moverreacting because she really could be the one.

Insulted

Have you asked? She could just hate the terms "girlfriend," "partner" and"lover"; if so, she's got company. Or, she isn't ready to label someone shejust started dating. Another popular stance. Or, she's a player.

In other words, if you haven't asked yet, nonjudgmentally, then you areoverreacting. It may have nothing to do with shame.

Or maybe you're right, it is shame -- but reflexive, not conscious. Pointbeing: Unknowns are to be flushed out and faced, not just assumed, denouncedand dumped.

There's another possible unknown you might want to tackle first. Yourquestion is about being treated with respect -- understandably -- and yetlook at your description of "perfect for me": All it's missing is, "hasn'tkilled anyone lately." These attributes fit almost anyone who's not adelinquent, which makes them minimums, not ideals. Any reason your sightsare so low?



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/010408is.htm

Growing Number Of Israeli Cities Recognize Gay Couples

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 4, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET

(Tel Aviv, Israel) Tel Aviv is the latest Israeli city to announce it willrecognize same-sex couples, a move that has angered rabbis and the religiousparties.

The city said it will accept partnership cards issued by the New Familyorganization, a group that represents couples who are gay or are ofdifferent religious backgrounds who cannot marry in Israel.

New Family arranges for couples to exchange vows in front of an attorney andsign a register and a commitment statement. It then issues the coupleswallet sized cards saying they have been united.

Tel Aviv officials said that couples who have the cards will be recognizedin the same way legally married couples are for all municipal servicesincluded taxes.

Lod and Mevaseret Zion have already done the same, and other cities arelooking into the program.

more . . . . .



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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/lifestylechannel/health/10308health.htm

Viagra for Women?

by the Associated Press

A drug that could do for women what Viagra has done for men is being testedat the University of Virginia. The drug is a testosterone-laden ointmentcalled LibiGel and it's intended to boost the libido of women who have lostinterest in sex. It will be prescribed at UVa in coming months to women whoare suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder.

The condition is believed to affect one-third of American women.

"It is the most common sexual problem that women have," said Dr. AnitaClayton, a psychiatrist with the UVa Health System and author of the 2007ook "Satisfaction: Women, Sex and the Quest for Intimacy."

UVa joins 99 other medical institutions participating in testing the drug'sefficacy and safety.

If given the green light by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,Illinois-based BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc. hopes to offer the drug to anywoman complaining of a low sex drive.

more . . . . .



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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51436.asp

California Upholds Tax Protections for Domestic Partners

01/05/08-01/07/08

The California supreme court declined to review an appeal challenging basicproperty tax protections for domestic partners, according to a jointstatement released Thursday by advocacy groups the National Center forLesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, and Equality California. The decision is amajor victory for same-sex couples because no further appeals are possible.

"We are grateful to the board and the legislature for protecting same-sexcouples," Shannon Minter, legal director for NCLR, said in the release."Today's ruling by the supreme court ensures that this protection issecure."

"The board of equalization has the authority to grant gay and lesbiancouples the same protections in a time of grief as everyone else," BrianChase, Lambda Legal senior staff attorney, said in the statement. "No oneshould lose their home after the death of a partner."

In March 2005, Sutter and Orange counties challenged the protection in statecourt while three same-sex couples along with NCLR, Lambda Legal, EqualityCalifornia, and the law firm of Munger, Tolles, and Olson defended it.

Ultimately, Orange County dropped out while assessors from Tehama and Maderacounties joined, but in 2006, Sacramento County superior court judge JackSapunor rejected the challenge.

more . . . . .



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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51432.asp

Iowa Winners Face New Challenges in N.H.

January 04, 2008

Iowa caucus victories behind them, Republican Mike Huckabee and DemocratBarack Obama vowed to stick with their winning principles Friday in anabbreviated dash to the finish in New Hampshire's presidential primarycampaign, despite facing a different political alignment and, as Huckabeeput it, ''only a few days to close the sale.''

Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain, GOP poll leaders in New Hampshire, stoodready to try to douse Huckabee's ''prairie fire'' in a state that lacks thereligious voting bloc of Iowa and has an ornery tradition of rejectingIowa's Republican caucus winners. ''It will be a different race here,''Romney said Friday.

Obama, the Illinois senator who dashed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton'sfront-runner status in his convincing Iowa win, was rallying in Portsmouthand Concord. Clinton was being joined in Nashua by her husband, hoping tobecome the family's newest ''Comeback Kid'' in a state that revived BillClinton's run for the Democratic nomination in 1992.

Obama said he saw no reason to revamp his campaign for new realities: ''No,it's not broken, why fix it?''

Huckabee, on the morning talk shows, pitched his tax plan to antitax NewHampshire Republicans and asserted his campaign is about much more than theChristian conservatives who lifted him in Iowa. ''What we're seeing is thatthis campaign is not just about people who have religious fervor,'' he said.''It's about people who love America but want it to be better and believethat change is necessary and it's not going to happen from withinWashington.''

more . . . . .



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Advocate.com

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid51437.asp

Hate-Crime Amendment Moves to N.J. Senate, Assembly

01/05/08-01/07/08

Legislation to toughen New Jersey's hate-crime and bullying laws advanced inthe state assembly on Thursday, the Southern Voice reports.

The legislation -- which would mandate two hours of anti-bias training forpolice -- would add gender identity and national origin to the list ofclasses already protected against bias-based crimes. Currently, the state'shate-crime law provides protection based on race, color, religion, gender,handicap, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, according to the article.

After the full senate approved the bill, the assembly judiciary committeeadvanced the bill to the full assembly for consideration on Monday, the lastday of the session. Approval in the committee was followed by 45 minutes ofdebate prompted by conservatives who oppose the legislation, according tothe Voice.

The legislation also proposed requiring school districts to amend theirbullying policies and to make that information available to parents onrequest. The state would also establish a commission to evaluate theeffectiveness of anti-bullying programs in schools and train administratorson those issues. (The Advocate)



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From EuroQueer

REPORT BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
MR THOMAS HAMMARBERG
ON HIS VISIT TO UKRAINE
10 - 17 December 2006

4. LGBT

173. The Constitution of Ukraine contains a set of basicanti-discrimination provisions and everyone can appeal to a court onthe basis of the Constitution's provisions (Article 8 of Ukraine'sConstitution). The notion of "sexual orientation" is not to be foundin any Ukrainian legislation. It is essential to bear in mind that inthe Soviet Union homosexuality was regarded as a crime and a seriousmental disorder. Until 1991, Art.122 of the Criminal Code deemednon-violent homosexual sex between adults to be a crime. Ukraine wasone of the first countries to repeal the criminal responsibilityattached to homosexual sexual intercourse. A change in mentality didnot follow this piece of legislation. Labour legislation, in Art. 22of the Labour Code, lists anti-discriminatory factors, but sexualorientation is not mentioned.

174. Nash Svit/Mir, the Ukrainian gay and lesbian NGO met by theCommissioner, conducted a study and came up with the followingresults. Out of 1,200 people polled, 37% think that associations andclubs for sexual minorities should be banned, 21% disagreed entirelywith that stance and 44% had no definite opinion. Nash Svit/Miridentifies certain areas that are more problematic than others.Discrimination is present in those spheres that are most important fora normal standard of living, and especially in relation to employmentand salary, medical services and social protection. Homosexuals whoare employed often experience discrimination in the workplace. At thesame time, the most frequent instances of discrimination theyexperience relate to unequal rights to medical and social services.Among respondents who indicated sexual orientation as grounds fordiscrimination, the spheres of employment and education were named asparticularly problematic.

more....



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"Gambia: President Yahya Jammeh Affirms that Gay or
Homosexualism is Unacceptable in this Country as Long as He Lives"

Author : Gary Stuart

Comment:
I am a frequent to The Gambia and I have to say that this man (Jammeh) isheld in high contempt by both gay and straight people in the country andabroad. Gambians and the Gambian press are too frightened to say anythingabout him because of the very real danger of arrest, imprisonment and evendeath.He has also opened himself up to charges of hypocracy and ridiculesince he has claimed to be able to cure H.I.V. and A.I.D.S, and has become alaughing stock worldwide. He presents a rather pathetic figure comparable tothe worst despots and facists in history because of his absolutedetermination to rule his poverty stricken country with a fist of iron,while having the heart of a devil and hiding behind the skirts of Islam.

If only he had the intelligence to spend his country's meagre income on oads,infrastructure and health, he would be able to capitalise on the tourist industry which was once growing but is now in sad decline. Gambia andGambians are quite wonderful people and itis a crying shame that they are subject to this mans irrational andultimately irrelevant presidency. May he be booted out of office soon sothat The Gambia can get it's smile back and the people can elect a leaderwho is for them, not for himself.

Gary Stuart - London

You can see all comments on this post here:
http://gayswithoutborders.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/gambia-president-yahya-jammeh-affirms-that-gay-or-homosexualism-is-unacceptable-in-this-country-as-long-as-he-lives/#comments



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WashBlade.com

http://www.washblade.com/2008/1-4/news/national/11819.cfm

Kennedy favors '08 Senate vote on ENDA Gay
Leaked HRC memo suggests putting measure on hold until next year

LOU CHIBBARO JR
Friday, January 04, 2008

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is expected to push for a Senate vote in2008 on the same gay-only version of the Employment Non-DiscriminationAct that the House of Representatives passed in 2007, a Kennedyspokesperson said this week.

Kennedy stated on the Senate floor on Nov. 8, one day after the Housepassed ENDA by a vote of 235 to 184, that he hoped the Senate wouldfollow suit by passing the employment protection bill in the currentCongress, which lasts through 2008.

But until this week, Kennedy's office had not stated publicly whereKennedy stood on the demands by many gay and transgender organizationsthat Congress should withhold any action on ENDA unless it includesprotection for transgender persons.

"Although Sen. Kennedy strongly supports protections against jobdiscrimination for transgender workers, inaction won't advance justicefor anyone, and will just make it harder to pass any version of ENDAin 2009," said Kennedy spokesperson Melissa Wagoner.

"We will most likely work to move the House-passed bill, rather thanintroducing a separate Senate bill," Wagoner told the Blade by e-mail."Because the same legislation must pass both the House and Senate, nowthat the House has acted, the only realistic way to get a bill to thepresident's desk this Congress is to have the Senate pass the House bill."

Asked if Kennedy thought ENDA could pass the Senate in an electionyear, Wagoner said, "Yes, if enough Republicans support the bill togive us a realistic chance of breaking a filibuster."

Most political observers have predicted Republican senators opposingENDA will stage a filibuster against the legislation, which requires60 votes to break through a parliamentary move known as cloture.Kennedy and Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), who has joined Kennedy as achief sponsor of ENDA, have said they were hopeful they could line upa bipartisan "super majority" of at least 60 senators to ensure thebill's passage.

more....



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_7678.php

Valdez faces tough race for re-election

By John Wright Staff Writer
Jan 3, 2008, 22:11

Former sheriff Bowles joins Republican field of 4;3 Democrats challenging lesbian sheriff

It's unlikely Texas voters will have a say in determining the 2008Democratic and Republican presidential nominees.

But there will be some important and potentially heated local races on theballot for the March 4 primaries.

Three Democrats filed before the deadline Wednesday, Jan. 2, to run againstincumbent Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez. Four Republicans, includingformer Sheriff Jim Bowles, will be seeking the Republican nomination tobecome the county's top law enforcement officer.

Valdez, Texas' first Latina lesbian sheriff, has come under fire forrepeated failed state inspections of the jail system she oversees. But KirkMcPike, Valdez's campaign manager, said Thursday, Jan. 3, he's confident shecan win a second term.

"We're excited about the race," McPike said. "This is our opportunity totalk about the things the sheriff has accomplished in office, and we lookforward to doing that. ... Nobody wants a primary challenge, but we'recertainly happy to have the chance to start talking about the sheriff'srecord in January instead of having to wait until April."

Valdez faces Peter Schulte, Sam Allen and Roy H. Williams for the Democraticnomination. Bowles, Lowell Cannaday, Catherine Smit and Charlie Richmond arethe Republicans in the race.

Valdez defeated Allen, a veteran law enforcement officer, for the nominationin 2004. Williams is one of Valdez's deputies. Schulte, a former prosecutor,is a member of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas and has appointed openly gayformer city councilman John Loza as his campaign treasurer. Schulte said hesupported Valdez in 2004.

"If I had felt that she was doing a good job running the department, Iwouldn't be running," Schulte said. "But the Democratic Party has to put thebest candidate forward."

The Dallas County Republican Party has made the sheriff's race its No. 1priority in 2008. Republicans held the office for decades prior to Valdez'svictory, which was a precursor to the Democratic sweep of November 2006.

"After they lose all the countywide races again this year, after they losethe sheriff's election, there's going to be very little that Republicans inDallas County can run for, except the county line," McPike said.

more....



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

PageOneQ - Jan 2, 2008
http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/dnclawsuit_010208.html

DNC officials agree to be deposed in discrimination lawsuit

by Nick Langewis

According to documents obtained by PageOneQ, a series of seniorDemocratic National Committee officials have agreed to be deposed in anongoing discrimination lawsuit by former LGBT outreach director DonaldHitchcock. Those to provide sworn testimony include chairman HowardDean, openly gay treasurer Andy Tobias, and Gay and Lesbian LeadershipCouncil executive Director Brian Bond.

The suit charges that a campaign of infighting, discrimination andretaliation led to the illegal firing of Hitchcock after his partner,former Clinton appointee Paul Yandura, criticized the Party for what heclaimed was a lack of support for LGBT causes, especially on the issueof defeating anti-gay ballot measures.

Hitchcock was fired less than a week after Yandura's criticisms becamepublic. According to Hitchcock, the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council,of which he became the director in June of 2005, was createdspecifically to raise funds from LGBT supporters. The Party, he says,had no interest in being politically involved in LGBT issues otherwise.

The lawsuit charges that Hitchcock was paid less than his counterparts in comparable positions, while never receiving staff support or a budget. According to FEC records, his bi-weekly pay was $2,156, while the other directors were paid $2,508. The suit also says that Hitchcock, before his firing, was held personally responsible by Ms. Yagen for, and threatened over, Mr. Yandura's statements about the Democratic Party. Dean, Tobias and Tagen, Hitchcock charges, began spreading rumors within the Party in an attempt to discredit him, he claimed.

"The DNC does not comment on pending litigation," DNC General CounselJoe Sandler said this morning.

Hitchcock's suit called for monetary damages, leaving the amount to bedetermined by a jury, along with the retraction of public statementsmade by Dean and Tobias directly related to his firing over supposedlypoor job performance. Brian Bond, the executive director of the Gay andLesbian Leadership Council of the DNC, along with and the Council'sboard chair, Claire Lucas, were issued subpoenas at the DNC WinterMeeting last month, and are on the of those who have agreed tovoluntarily be deposed.

more....



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

http://www.lambdalegal.org

How Do Immigration Policies Affect People With or At Risk for HIV?

The national debate over immigration impacts the health of documented andundocumented people in our communities

Wednesday, January 9, 2008
6:30 - 8:30PM

LGBT Community Center - NYC
208 West 13th Street (Between 7th & 8th Avenues),
Free ~ Open to the public ~ Refreshments provided

Since the beginning of the epidemic, HIV positive immigrants have faceddaunting challenges accessing care and treatment. And HIV negativeimmigrants are at particular risk for HIV due to policies that force them toremain largely underground.

The recently revised entry ban on HIV positive travelers adds disturbing newcriteria while upholding many of the cruel provisions of the original ban -an embarrassment to the country, prohibiting the International AIDSConference from ever being held in the US. For 20 years, HIV positiveimmigrants already in the country have been barred from achieving anyrecognized legal status except in extremely limited circumstances. They'vealso been barred from coming to the US to immigrate.

Join us to discuss the challenges facing immigrants in our increasinglyisolationist country - and learn how to take action!

more....



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From long-time Ray's List subscriber M'Lynn Hartwell
Traverse City & Ann Arbor, Michigan

Warm Greetings,

I am excited about the wonderful year 2008 promises to become! I have beeninvited by Ma. Leah L. Letrero (MICAD, NEDA Regional Office VI) as anAmbassador from Michigan (and the United States), to participate in aspeaking tour in the Philippines. I will be speaking as a Human Rights andEnvironmental Advocate.

Each presentation will be targeted to a specific audience demographic(Philippine government, university, and environmental advocacyorganizations). Each presentation will focus on the impacts of "GlobalClimate Change". Each presentations will provide an overview of the growingglobal Peak Oil challenge, and how we must redefine our fuel and energyproduction options to meet the needs of the world we are living in. Mypartner and data analyst / research specialist and I have been invited toprovide presentations before three groups, as well as two televisionappearances, and the opportunity to meet and greet each of the PhilippineProvincial Mayors (If you have an interest in viewing the entire itinerary,ask, and I will email it to you).

An invitation from the Philippine government to speak before policy makersis a tremendous honor for me, and it is a deeply appreciated affirmation ofthe environmental and human rights advocacy work I have been engaged in formost of my adult life.

I believe that you will agree that it is important to make the most out ofthis opportunity, and to share all I have learned in the Philippines upon myreturn to the United States.

To accomplish this, I will need to extend my itinerary (research anddiscovery time) in the Philippines. Additional funding will be necessary inorder for us to meet this objective, and this is where your interest in thisopportunity becomes important. My goal is to privately raise an additional$7,500 in sponsorship pledges from individuals, business entities, andorganizations.

You may telephone me at (231) 943-5050 or (231) 943-4000 - email: mlynn@traversearea.com

Below you may read the introduction to the first symposium.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and consideration in supporting thisinternational exchange of information about a subject that affects us all.

All the best,
M'Lynn Hartwell

more....



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Gay & Lesbian Leadership
SmartBrier
http://www.smartbrief.com/index.jsp

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:
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All eyes on the Granite State as Dems court LGBT vote
Top Democratic candidates are fielding teams of paid staffers and volunteersto court LGBT support through small, private meetings and fundraisers; phonebanks; and extensive distribution of fliers in gay-friendly bars,restaurants and bookstores. National groups, including HRC and StonewallDemocrats, also are lending their organizational support and helping withthe LGBT get-out-the-vote effort, according to this article. Windy CityTimes (Chicago) (1/3)
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Gay-only ENDA has Kennedy's backing for vote this year
U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., this year will seek to win passage of thegay-only Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which cleared the House latelast year, according to a spokeswoman. In other ENDA-related news, a HumanRights Campaign spokesman is saying a leaked internal memo setting forth atimetable for ENDA passage in 2009 was a draft and not the organization'sfinal position on the measure. Washington Blade (1/4)
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Marriage, LGBT rights on Maryland Legislature's agenda
Maryland lawmakers' new session will include several major LGBT items,notably hot-button measures both to make legal the marriages of "two people"and to ban marriages between couples of the same-sex. Also on the agenda arebills to prohibit transgender discrimination, eliminate a real-estatetransfer tax for same-sex couples, provide partners with an exemption fromthe inheritance tax and grant partners rights for hospital visitation andmedical decisions. Washington Blade (1/4)
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Aussie gay couples who split may gain similar rights as wedded ones
Gay and unmarried straight couples in Australia could gain the same rightsas their married counterparts to use the country's Family Court to divide uptheir joint property, under a new proposal under review by the federalattorney-general. The Australian (1/3)
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Arizona governor's DP benefits plan draws mixed response
Groups are lining up in favor of and against Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano'splan to grant by executive rule change domestic-partner benefits for stateworkers. University of Arizona President Robert Shelton, the NationalOrganization for Women, Planned Parenthood and Equality Arizona are amongthose favoring the plan, which is open for public comment; the Center forArizona Policy, Alliance Defense Fund and other conservative groups opposeit, according to this article. American City Business Journals/Phoenix (1/3)
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Learn to run a winning campaign!
The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute is bringing its renowned Candidate &Campaign Training to Charlotte, NC. Join us Feb. 21 to 24 to learn how tobuild a winning campaign. Whether you're running as openly LGBT or workingon a campaign, our training will provide you with the tools you need forsuccess. Click here to learn more and apply by Jan. 28.
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Civil unions are step in right direction
While The Boston Globe still finds civil unions to be an "inadequatesubstitute" for equal marriage rights, the paper views the legalization ofcivil unions in New Hampshire and other states as a step in the rightdirection. Although no other state besides Massachusetts offers marriageequality, "it is still gratifying to see that in New England, the regionwith the most experience in granting rights to same-sex couples, anotherstate has recognized the profound unfairness in withholding those rights,"the Globe writes. The Boston Globe (1/3)
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Sullivan sees Obama's appeal despite political differences
Although the libertarianism of presidential contender Ron Paul is a morenatural fit with his views, the "urban liberal" candidacy of Barack Obamaalso appeals to Andrew Sullivan in large part because, after two terms of"big government Christianism," he says he can learn to live with "unifyingliberalism." Read more at The Daily Dish.



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To Form a More Perfect Union: Marriage Equality News

Information, news, and discussion about the legal recognition of same-sexcouples and their families, including marriages, domestic partnerships,civil unions, adoptions, foster children and similar issues.

http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:
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There is a myth that marriage has more rights than civil unions/domesticpartners. That myth is born from the fact that civil unions/domesticpartners have only been passed by states which have no power to grant the1138 federal benefits of marriage. However, a federal civil unions policywould. Senators Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Dodd & Biden support a federalcivil unions policy. 48 million votes cast in 29 states, 32 million againstsame sex marriage, we lost 2 to 1. Civil Unions are achievable, same-sexmarriage is not. Federal Civil Unions = Marriage Equality.
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Dealing a second appellate defeat to John Langan in his quest forcompensation for the loss of his partner, a five-member panel of New York'sAppellate Division, 3rd Department, based in Albany, ruled on December 27that Langan, a surviving partner of a Vermont civil union, is not a "spouse"within the meaning of the state's Workers' Compensation Law. This upheld adetermination by the Workers' Compensation Board to deny a survivor'sbenefit to Langan after the death of his spouse, Neal Conrad Spicehandler,as a result of injuries incurred on the job.



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National Gay News

http://nationalgaynews.com/

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:
--
N.H. Inns Prepare for Civil Union Guests
If the rainbow-painted deck chairs, fluttering rainbow flag and purpleshutters don't make it clear, the Highlands Inn's toll-free number,877-LES-B-INN, leaves no doubt as to whom this White Mountains resort catersto.
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Majority of Gay Men Unaware HSV-1 Can Spread
Results of a new survey released at the first-ever national GBLT healthconference, Out and Healthy, sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) provides newinsights into the HSV-1 cold sore virus, including information ontransmission awareness around the virus as well as the external triggers ofcold sore outbreaks.
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GLAF Supports Acceptance for All
This fall, Mac Chisaboon fielded an anguished e-mail sent to the Gay &Lesbian Athletics Foundation www.glaf.org. As founder of the organization,which promotes the visibility and acceptance of GLBT athletes at theprofessional, amateur, and recreational levels, he was used to queries fromcloseted players. But this was different.
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Openly Gay Houston City Council Member Voted in as Vice Mayor
Openly gay Houston city council member Sue Lovell was nominated andunanimously voted by her fellow council members to serve as Houston's vicemayor pro-tem on January 2, according to a press release from Lovell's chiefof staff.
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GLAAD Identifies Worst Anti-Gay Defamation of 2007
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today identifiedseveral of the worst anti-gay voices in 2007. GLAAD worked diligentlybehind-the-scenes and publicly to address the anti-gay rhetoric from thesepublic figures.
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Students Continue to Fight Blood Donor Ban Against Gay Men
Student groups are pressing Canadian Blood Services to end the agency'sblood donor ban on sexually active gay men, despite the agency's 2007decision to stick with the status quo.Canadian Federation of Studentsspokeswoman Amanda Aziz said the policy is outdated, discriminatory andneeds to be changed."I think that it's a form of institutionalizeddiscrimination," said Aziz, the federation's national chairperson.
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A Gay Old Time Skiing Canada
Margaret from Seattle just couldn't contain herself. The valley was deep,the mountain high, the sky blue and the powder deep. And the run was calledRhapsody. She lifted her poles and yelled "God loves gays" into the void.
Her joy was so ridiculously infectious that even nearby atheists andheterosexuals giggled wildly. The brilliant sunshine and perfect snow was agift for everyone. But the fact that it came on the last day of gay ski weekafter some patchy conditions did seem like our special bonus.
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Fired Transsexual City Manager Applies For Islamorada Job
The former Largo city manager fired after his sex change plans were madepublic wants to be Islamorada's next village manager.Susan Stanton was knownas Steve Stanton throughout her 14-year tenure as Largo's manager.


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