Law academy supports marriage equality
PlanetOut Network


A group of the top U.S. marital law attorneys announced on Wednesday its support for marriage rights for same-sex couples, and it urged lawmakers to get on board.

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, with 1,600 members, approved two resolutions -- one endorsing marriage equality and one encouraging similar support from Congress and state legislatures -- during its annual meeting this week in Chicago.

The academy's actions stem from an internal survey in which almost 93 percent of members agreed that children of same-sex couples deserve the same protections (such as parenting, custody, support, inheritance and Social Security) as children from married couples. In addition, 83 percent said same-sex couples should be able to obtain the same legal rights and obligations as married couples.

"We believe this is a fundamental issue of equality, that the U.S. Constitution protects one's legal right to marry as a fundamental right and that there is no reason to deny same-sex families the legal rights and obligations arising from marriage," said Richard F. Barry, the academy's outgoing president.



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Singapore "facing AIDS epidemic"
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK


Singapore is facing a new AIDS epidemic, with the country's gay community being blamed by the conservative government.

According to the Reuters news agency, new cases of HIV could hit more than 1,000 a year in the very near future.

The country's Senior Minister of State for Health Balaji Sadasivan said that a rising level of casual sex is behind the increase. However, the country's government is known for its totalitarian stance on sexual diversity.

Speaking on the projected rise today, Sadasivan said the gay community needed to be checked so as to ensure future generations are aware of the risks of HIV and AIDS.


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Ministers says no more "I do's"


Louisville-- A local minister says if everyone is not able to take advantage of marriage then he will no longer marry anyone, gay or straight.

His decision comes at a time when Metro Louisville is getting ready to restart a very familiar debate in protecting gays and lesbians. The debate follows a national election where banning same sex marriage was a key in bringing out voters.


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Gay-N-C
Logan Circle voters elect a gay-majority ANC
By Will O'Bryan


With the city's heavily Democratic majority among registered voters, presidential races may not be much of a contest in the District of Columbia. Nonpartisan advisory neighborhood commission seats, however, are far less predictable. But with most of the votes counted, it's clear that Logan Circle residents have elected a gay-majority ANC.



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Solon board OKs gay material
By Deidre Bello
Iowa City Press-Citizen


SOLON -- After weeks of heated debate about use of gay-themed stories in an eighth-grade class, School Board members voted unanimously Wednesday to keep the material in the district's curriculum.

The Solon School Board voted unanimously to accept the recommendation from a materials reconsideration committee and keep the stories in eighth-grade teacher Sue Protheroe's curriculum. Board member Joel Miller was absent from the meeting. Present board members advised parents still opposed to the decision to appeal to the Iowa Board of Education.

"If your goal out there is to take your personal views and instill them in your children and also force them on all children, then the road to the state school board is open to you in Des Moines," School Board member Ben Pardini said, and suggested parents work with the district to best educate students.


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Fundamentalist Protests Greet 'Kinsey' Moviegoers  
by David Crary, Associated Press


(New York City) Indignant conservative groups are protesting the opening of the film Kinsey, denouncing it as ``propaganda'' seeking to glorify the bisexual researcher they blame for inspiring the sexual revolution.

``Alfred Kinsey is responsible in part for my generation being forced to deal face-to-face with the devastating consequences of sexually transmitted diseases, pornography and abortion,'' said Brandi Swindell, head of a college-oriented group called Generation Life that plans to picket theatres showing the film.


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Prop 2 may threaten state's plan to offer gay-partner benefits
Court may rule on deal 5 unions struck in Oct.
By Chris Andrews
Lansing State Journal


The state has agreed to offer domestic partner benefits to gay employees in new contracts with five unions, but the provision could be blocked by last week's approval of Proposal 2.

The state reached tentative pacts with the unions a week before the Nov. 2 election. The benefits would kick in Oct. 1, 2005. But on Election Day, voters approved a constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage and similar unions.

"We are concerned that this benefit negotiated in response to union demands could violate the new constitutional amendment," said David Fink, director of the Office of the State Employer.

Fink negotiated the new contracts with unions that represent nearly 38,000 state employees. The unions are holding ratification votes.