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 From: KGO-TV San Francisco – (AP) Associated Press – DUXBURY, VT — After 17 years together, Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan couldn’t wait another minute to get married.
So they didn’t: With Vermont’s new law allowing same-sex marriage only a minute old, they tied the knot in a midnight ceremony at a rustic Vermont lodge, becoming one of the first couples to legally wed under a law that took effect at midnight Tuesday.
Dressed in suits, saying their vows under a large wall-mounted moose head, the two Whitehall, N.Y., men promised their love, exchanged rings and held hands during a modest 17-minute ceremony. Moose Meadow Lodge co-owner Greg Trulson, who’s also a Justice of the Peace, presided.
“It feels wonderful,” said Slimback, 38, an out-of-work Teamster who is taking Sullivan’s last name as his own. “It’s a day I’ve been long waiting for, and a day I truly honestly thought would never come.” Continue reading Same-sex unions begin in Vermont
 From: GayRights.Change.org – by Michael A. Jones – Vermont’s legislature – despite their Republican Governor’s wishes – passed legislation earlier this year recognizing full marriage equality in the state. That law takes effect tomorrow, September 1, and to celebrate Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s is altering the name of one flavor of ice cream to show their support for same-sex marriage.
Starting tomorrow, and continuing on through the month of September, Ben & Jerry’s “Chubby Hubby” ice cream will become “Hubby Hubby” ice cream. The new recipe? It’s basically the same old recipe – vanilla malt ice cream, pretzel nuggets covered in fudge and filled with peanut butter, with fudge and peanut butter swirls throughout – except there’s a little love for the LGBT folk thrown in.
This continues Ben & Jerry’s support for equal rights. Earlier this year, as the legislature was debating the same-sex marriage bill, Ben & Jerry’s urged politicians to support marriage equality. At the time they said it was in the best interests of Vermont’s business community to take a progressive stand on same-sex marriage, in order to foster equality and attract the best and brightest employees.
 From: The Washington Blade – By LOU CHIBBARO JR – Bishop Harry Jackson, the Maryland minister leading efforts to oppose same-sex marriage in the District, has announced plans to file papers Tuesday to place a marriage initiative on the D.C. ballot in 2010.
In a statement released Monday, Jackson said he and other same-sex marriage opponents wanted get the application for a marriage initiative under way before the D.C. City Council considers a bill to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the city. The bill is expected to be introduced this fall.
Earlier this year, Jackson sought and failed to place a referendum on the D.C. ballot calling for overturning a separate law the Council passed in May that allows the city to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. Continue reading D.C. marriage initiative looms
 From: WhatIsGoingOnBlog.com – By Karen Benardello – In an effort to overturn an Iowa state Supreme Court decision earlier this year that legalized same-sex marriage, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the main supporter of California’s Proposition 8, has launched the Reclaim Iowa Project. The group hopes the project will help bring candidates who support putting the issue of gay marriage before voters to the state’s legislative office.
In support of this movement, Brian Brown, the organization’s executive director, said “Iowa is important because the Supreme Court decision was so against the will of the people of Iowa and the Legislature and Gov. (Chet) Culver showed absolutely no backbone in giving the people the right to have their voices heard.” Continue reading Organization Trying to Reverse Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa
 From: QueersUnited.blogspot.com – On October 10-11, 2009, the LGBT community and allies will gather in Washington, D.C. from all across America to let our elected leaders know that now is the time for full equal rights for LGBT people.
The demand is simple, full equal protection under the law:
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- Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) so that every marriage in every state has the same federal rights.
- Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell so that LGBT persons may serve in the military openly and with the same rights as their straight counterparts.
- An end to workplace discrimination for everyone with an Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that protects everyone.
- The right to adopt children and raise families like any other parents.
- Hate Crimes legislation that includes LGBT people and protects us like any other targeted group.
- Immigration reform that recognizes same-sex couples and ends the needless separation of families.
- A comprehensive anti-bullying policy in our schools via the Safe Schools Improvement Act.
 From: LezGetReal.com – by Paula Brooks – Saying its “marketing strategy is coming out of the closet,” Harrah’s Atlantic City New Jersey operations announced this week they are courting gay and lesbian travelers in hopes of attracting new customers to a market that has been demolished by the recession and competition from neighboring states.
Harrah’s has been catering events to gay and lesbian travelers at its Las Vegas casinos for a sometime now, but now says it will launch a similar campaign in its Atlantic City gambling operations with an event called “Out in Atlantic City” Sept. 25-27.
As a group, we gays and lesbians spend $64.5 billion annually in the U.S. travel market, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce and a study by Community Marketing Inc., a gay-market research group. Continue reading Atlantic City Casino Vies for Gay and Lesbian Dollars
 From: WHEC.com – (AP) BOSTON – For decades, Edward Kennedy was considered the most powerful voice in the Senate for gay rights as a strong supporter of HIV/AIDS funding, hate crimes legislation and same-sex marriage.
His death struck a blow to gay rights advocates, who say they’ve lost a key ally.
“Having somebody in the Senate who was never afraid to stand up and say, ’This is the right thing to do’ lifted all of our spirits and made all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people know that there was hope,” said Chuck Wolfe, president of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee.
Kennedy was an early advocate for AIDS research and treatment, securing federal funding so patients could have easier access to experimental drugs, expanded home care and outpatient mental health care. Continue reading Kennedy remembered as champion of gay rights
 From: KSDK.com – By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press – FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Texas’ liquor board fired two agents and a supervisor, disciplined two other supervisors and changed several policies in the wake of a raid at a gay bar that left a customer seriously injured and led to protests, officials announced Friday.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said agent Christopher Aller and agent trainee Jason Chapman, who participated in the June 28 raid at the Rainbow Lounge, were fired Friday. Their supervisor, Sgt. Terry Parsons, was not at the Fort Worth bar that night but also was fired, effective Sept. 2.
Aller and Chapman failed to report that they used force when arresting the customer or that he was seriously injured, according to a report on the agency’s investigation released earlier this month. They also were accused of participating in the raid without their supervisor’s approval, disrupting the business during the raid and wearing improper attire, the report states. Continue reading Texas liquor board fires 3 over raid on gay bar
 From: CrimeBlog – by Jennifer Emily – A Dallas County jury just sentenced Bobby Singleton to 75 years in prison for brutally beating and robbing another man in what prosecutors say was an anti-gay attack.
The same jury earlier this week convicted Singleton of aggravated robbery in the July 2008 attack on Jimmy Dean in Oak Lawn.
Singleton, 30, could have been sentenced to life behind bars.
Prosecutor Amy Derrick, noting that Singleton cried yesterday when his father testified, said that Singleton was crying for himself. Continue reading Jury hands down 75-year sentence in beating of gay man
 Photo by Adam Britt From: Passportmagazine.com – In March 2010, young adults from around the country and around the world will embark on the fourth annual Equality Ride, a youth bus tour visiting religious colleges and universities across the United States to challenge on-campus discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Guided by the principles of nonviolence, Equality Riders will engage in critical dialogue, direct action, and in some cases civil disobedience, to press for much-needed changes for LGBTQ students.
In the style of the Civil Rights Movement’s ‘Freedom Rides’ of the 1960s, you to can join in on the fight for GLBT equality. To fill out an application visit Equality Ride’s official website.
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From: KGO-TV San Francisco – (AP) Associated Press – DUXBURY, VT — After 17 years together, Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan couldn’t wait another minute to get married.
