Tag Archives: Politics

Yesterday, the traditionally conservative but trending progressive state of Virginia got a little more progressive when a Federal judge ruled that Virginia’s marriage ban is unconstitutional.

What a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift for the thousands of LGBT couples who call Virginia home.  This was the second favorable ruling on marriage equality from a Southern state in as many days; a judge in Kentucky ruled on Wednesday that the Bluegrass state had to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.  The Virginia judge’s ruling follows similar decisions in Utah and Oklahoma federal courts.

Want to read more? Check out the Huffington Post article, here.

Not only do I think Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims is damn sexy, but I also agree with his politics – which in a strange way makes him even more sexy (incidentally didn’t even know that was possible).

So imagine my frustration when I Googled “Shirtless Brian Sims” hoping to feature him as this week’s Furry Friday (he MUST have a hairy chest) and nothing came up?!? Where is the justice?  Has Brian never been photographed without his shirt? I think Pennsylvanians should immediately pass a law mandating Brian should be photographed shirtless.  Until that time you’ll have to satisfy your more base desires with these devastatingly handsome photos of this progressive, out and proud State Rep. whom I hope we will eventually see on the national platform.

P.S. Brian… Like the song says, “Please come to Boston” or better yet, Provincetown this summah.

Scotland’s first same-sex marriages are set to take place later this year after the Scottish parliament voted to pass the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill by a margin of 105-18 earlier today.

Let’s face it men in kilts are sexy and when you have two men in kilts it is twice as sexy so it looks like marriage just got a whole lot more sexy.  Apparently, Timberlake isn’t the only one bringing sexy back. More information about Scotland’s landmark vote here.

Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) has backed off of the brief she submitted for the Sevick v. Sandoval case that is challenging Nevada’s ban on same sex marriage.  In her brief response, filed last Tuesday, the A.G. suggested that allowing gay couples to being married is tantamount to bigamy and incest.

While I firmly believe all arguments are highly suspect and hypocritical, it seems even more obscene considering Nevada’s reputation for ridiculing the institution of marriage. Perhaps the Nevada A.G. might like to consider Ms. Spear’s mockery of a marriage to Jason Alexander that lasted 50+ hours or the circus-like atmosphere perpetuated by the countless number of “wedding chapels” in Nevada before she postulates about the sanctity of marriage and the values of  Nevada residents.

You can read more about here inane comments on Towleroad here

Peter Monn and Alex Paredes are a couple who live in Indianapolis. I first chatted with them a few years ago on Twitter and check in with them via their blog Raannt.com from time to time.

Last week they wrote a post that I thought I’d share. Click the link below to Raannt.com to get the perspective of a married gay couple living in red state in the Midwest.

Dear Annie, This is How Indiana’s Gay Marriage Ban Will Affect Me.

Another red state has been told their marriage ban is unconstitutional. Yesterday,  a federal judge said the ban is  “an arbitrary, irrational exclusion of just one class of Oklahoma citizens from a governmental benefit.”

Judge Terence C. Kern of United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma said the state’s amendment, is based on “moral disapproval” and does not advance the state’s asserted interests in promoting heterosexual marriage or the welfare of children.

First Utah, now Oklahoma? These are some of the most conservative states in the US.  Those opposing marriage equality must be foaming at the mouth and I’m kind of loving it.  You can read the NYT article here.

On Wednesday this week Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s office announced the state will not recognize same-sex marriages performed in Utah since last month.  In possibly the best F.U. I’ve seen in recent memory, today the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the United States federal government WILL recognize those marriages.

“I am confirming today that, for purposes of federal law, these marriages will be recognized as lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Think elections don’t matter? I doubt a President Romney administration would have supported those LGBT couples.

Check Governor Herbert – now it is your turn and historians are recording your every move.

Has conservative US representative, Aaron Schock, had his glass closet shattered? This weekend journalist Itay Hod’s Facebook post caused quite a stir when he wrote, “here’s a hypothetical: what if you know a certain GOP congressman, let’s just say from Illinois, is gay… and you know this because one of your friends, a journalist for a reputable network, told you in no uncertain terms that he caught that GOP congressman and his male roommate in the shower… together.” You can read more on Towleroad here.

Schock has made a career of repeatedly taking aim at the gay community but does he deserve being outed? If the accusations have merit, I say without reserve – absolutely.

Thanks to a lot of work on the part of the LGBT community and their allies it became a lot harder to pass or uphold homophobic legislation in 2013.  The Human Rights Campaign has set up a rather inspiring page called Best of 2013.

I modified one HRC infographic and included it above because even though I am concerned about many issues that impact the LGBT community here in the US, marriage equality has been a rallying cry for our community ever since it was first made legal in Massachusetts in 2004. With the ten year anniversary of that landmark decision approaching this May and many other states contemplating legalizing same sex marriage no other LGBT issue will be more discussed this year.

When states like Utah start performing same sex marriages (as they did in December 2013), you know you’ve hit the tipping point. It should be interesting to see how other states with marriage bans fare in 2014 and what other strides and accomplishments will be made. I know I’m greatly encouraged by the progress, and I hope you are too.  If this sort of thing is of interest to you, be certain to check out some of the other ‘accomplishments’ on the HRC page, Best of 2013.

Happy New Year