GAY COUPLES IN TUSCANY: CELEBRATE RECOGNITION(AGI) -
Florence, Italy -
The Statute Commission of the Regional Council of Tuscany has completed two articles regulating couples which have caused celebration in the gay and lesbian communities in the region. These articles concern the safeguarding of the family values based on marriage and the recognition of other forms of living together. ArciGay Tuscany commended the statute as one worthy of being in Europe and said that their organization had made specific proposals during the preparation of the article. Today they express their complete satisfaction especially because of the ban on discrimination besides for the usual categories: gender, age, religion etc. also for 'sexual tendencies'. The note concluded: "Tuscany confirms yet again that it is a land of freedom. The organization "L'altro volto -Lucca Gay e Lesbica" also expressed satisfaction for the ban on discrimination for sexual tendencies and declared: "this puts our Region on the par with the rest of the EU which had banned discrimination against homosexuals and had recognized their rights many years ago".

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New Mexico School District To Provide Domestic Partner Benefits
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
(Albuquerque, New Mexico) Albuquerque Public Schools will offer benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian employees. The school district's policy committee voted 2-1 to back the plan.

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The gay-marriage windfall: $16.8 billion
Which industries will catch the bouquet?
By Aude Lagorce
The national debate over gay marriage is still heating up, with no resolution in sight. But one thing is abundantly clear: Legalizing same-sex marriages would mean a windfall for the wedding industry. We estimate that if the laws were changed, gay couples currently living together would collectively spend $16.8 billion to get hitched

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Ban is banding gay community
By Amanda Gontarz /
Closing the door of his Marshfield Hills home last Monday evening, George Smart follows a welcoming greeting with breaking news. "They've just passed the ban," he said, referring to the vote the state Legislature had just taken to ban gay marriage and establish civil unions. This isn't going to stop Smart and his partner of 27 years, Bruce Bell, from going to Town Hall May 17 for their marriage license. They plan to marry three days later and on that day, they will be able to take their commitment rings, which they gave each other on their 10th anniversary, from their right hands and wear them on their left ring fingers.