Seattle Judge Rules for Gay Marriages
By MELANTHIA MITCHELL
Associated Press Writer


SEATTLE -- Gay couples can be married under Washington state law, because denying their right to do so is a violation of their constitutional rights, a judge ruled Wednesday.

"The denial to the plaintiffs of the right to marry constitutes a denial of substantive due process," King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing said in his ruling.

His decision is stayed until the state Supreme Court reviews the case, meaning no marriage licenses can be issued until then, said Jennifer Pizer, lead counsel in the case for Lambda Legal Defense in the case.

"Judge Downing saw the couples in the courtroom and he's recognized that they are full and equal citizens of Washington. No more and no less," Pizer said


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Equality California: Couple help launch chapter working for same-sex marriage
By MARK HEDGES/The Daily Journal



Right now there's a war going on, but those most involved in it say it's a war about love.

The battleground of this struggle recently surfaced in the Bay Area, with the controversial decision of San Francisco's new mayor, Gavin Newsom, to allow marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex couples.

The decision triggered a shockwave throughout the Gay/Lesbian/Transgender/Bisexual community far beyond the fringe of the Bay Area.

Mendocino County had its share of couples -- self-titled "love warriors" -- making the march to get married in San Francisco, including Willits residents Theresa and Jennifer SookneMizell, who were married on Feb. 19.


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ACLU to monitor training that promotes gay tolerance
Associated Press


SUMMIT, Ky. - A civil rights advocacy group is monitoring an eastern Kentucky school system to see if students are getting anti-harrassment training.

The American Civil Liberties Union wants to ensure students at Boyd County middle and high schools are getting mandatory training under the terms of a court order, said Chris Hampton, spokeswoman for the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project.

The order was part of a February settlement of a lawsuit against the district by a gay-awareness club at Boyd County High School.

Some parents have said they will take their children out of school on the day of the training.



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a conservative slant.. but some good information


Homosexuals Debate What to Do About Transsexuals
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor


(CNSNews.com) - Transgender advocacy groups plan to demonstrate outside the Washington headquarters the Human Rights Campaign, a major homosexual advocacy organization, on Saturday.

The "Unity Rally for Transgender Rights" will protest the Human Rights Campaign's "dubious efforts on behalf of transgender inclusion in federal legislation."

Transsexual Menace, the rally organizer, said members of groups such as the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition, Pride at Work, and Parents, Friends & Families of Lesbians & Gays will take part in the transgender-rights rally.


The demonstration will take place on Saturday, Aug. 7, when the HRC board convenes to discuss a contentious issue: whether to include transgenders in federal legislation it is pushing.


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20pc of gays threatened in past year


One out of every five gay people in the Netherlands has been confronted in the past 12 months with anti-gay threats, research by the Gay Krant has indicated. Aggression against gay people predominantly occurs in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and the east of the country. Gays in The Hague and the north of the country are safe from threats. The research was conducted by Out Now Consulting on behalf of the Gay Krant (Gay Newspaper). Verbal threats were the most common complaint.


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Racist, anti-gay epithets spray-painted in Elk Grove
By Gabriel Baird -- Bee Staff Writer


Residents of an eastern Elk Grove neighborhood awoke Tuesday to homophobic and racist epithets spray-painted on their cars, garage doors and houses.

Vandals defaced the property of at least 25 victims. By the end of the day, police still did not have a breakdown of all that was damaged. Officials say at least 30 homes and vehicles were targeted.

The discriminatory graffiti - including swastikas and the letters "KKK," sprayed primarily in silver - appeared heaviest on Winding River Way, around the corner from a school, where one of the hardest-hit residences belongs to Mila Cruz.

Cruz, who moved last summer to the neighborhood where the price of houses hovers around $500,000, was so disturbed Tuesday she wanted to move back to San Jose.