From Rex Wockner's weekly syndicated international LGBT news column via the Bay Windows:Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly voted 39-20 to legalize same-sex marriage Dec. 21... Federal benefits, such as pension, inheritance and social-security rights, will remain off-limits to married gay couples without changes in federal law to recognize the Mexico City marriages.The bill, which also grants gay couples the right to adopt, is expected to be signed into law by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard in the following few days. The first marriages are expected to take place in January. ...

Yesterday I highlighted a couple of interviews that journalist Rex Wockner did during his stay in New York in October. I'd helped to transcribe those interviews from the original recordings and noted that there was a third interview that might or might not see the light of day - and that I'd make note of it if and when it was published.Well, Rex just posted his interview with Scott Long tonight on his blog and it's truly worth a read. Scott is the Director of the LGBT Division at Human Rights Watch and, in it, he speaks ...

Others have posted excerpts from these posts already but I wanted to bring attention to a couple of interviews that my friend Rex Wockner did during a rare stay in New York in late October. While in the city, he took an opportunity to interview two of my favorite bloggers: Andy Towle who runs Towleroad and Joe Jervis who blogs at Joe.My.God.Both Andy and Joe have been more than generous in picking up on the stuff I write about here on Blabbeando and I haven't always acknowledged it or thanked them for it. This gives me a ...

D.C. Council votes to legalize same-sex marriage. One more round of votes to go. The GLBT Historical Society of Northern California in cooperation with the Bay Area Reporter has created this searchable database of all obituaries that have appeared in the Bay Area Reporter since it began publishing them in 1979. A Voice For The Fallen One man’s quest to memorialize the 4,600 gay men who died of AIDS in Philadelphia. Gay marriage ‘likely’ in Portugal Uganda Govt Hits Back Over Gay Criticism. With more of the same hatred. How To Get ENDA Moving Again. Rex Wockner also ...

    ::: Portugal’s new Socialist government of Prime Minister José Sócrates may pass full marriage equality or civil partnership into law as soon as early in the New Year, BBC News reports. Sócrates is forming a new government following September elections where the Socialists captured 97 of Parliament’s 230 seats. Rex Wockner reported in his Nov. 5 international news digest, that Sócrates “said Oct. 23 that legalizing same-sex marriage will be one of the new team’s first actions.” Wockner notes that Portugal has had a “de facto unions” law for opposite- and same-sex couples since 2001. It ...

A little insight into the creation of this blog here. ...

7:21PM: Cautious optimism in the Maine party room. Bloggers a'bloggin'. Staffers a nail-bitin'. Jeremy on first glass of Merlot. 7:36PM: Rex Wockner has a shot of the bloggers table, as well as his own live coverage. 7:44PM: Bangor Daily News has us up. Oh, but only after 51 votes have been counted: 8:04PM: Allow me to say that Jenna Lowenstein from National Stonewall Democrats rocks my socks. One to watch, folks. 8:14PM: Bob McDonnell wins in Virginia. New Jersey limited to Corzine/Christie, but too close to call. Nothing here in Maine except nerves. 8:23PM: The band's certainly festive: 8:32PM: Live ...

Protect Maine Equality has released its final ad before the election on Tuesday. Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP... The AP's David Sharp looks at the race thus far: "The polls have been difficult to interpret. But both sides say the contest will be extremely close and will hinge on turnout, particularly among the 18-to-25-year-olds who went to the polls in great numbers last year to elect President Barack Obama. 'There's a knot in my stomach,' said Steve Ryan of Buxton, who operates a property management business with his partner of 34 years, Jim Bishop. 'We're very encouraged, and we're very worried at the ...

The leaf-strewn winds of October have brought me to Portland, Maine. I've been here less than 48 hours and I've already had my first Maine lobster and checked out both of the local gay bars, Blackstones and Styxx. Yes! Styxx! Like the 80's band. I almost have gotten the hang of the city's layout and, though it's been mostly grey and rainy since I arrived, the temperatures have been rather mild for this time of year. With some luck, I'll get time to visit some of the local federal parklands as well.What brings me, here, mostly, is my friendship ...

Rex Wockner: 8,000 volunteers working in Maine, and more needed... Mario tries to find the right shade.Joe Jackson on the King of Pop: "He's worth more dead than he was alive."Schwarzenegger says "fuck you" letter was a complete (8 billion to one) coincidence.Damn: Elton John is spry. Gay City News interviews Kirsten Gillibrand: "a new advocate emerges..."32 LGBT organizations issue joint statement on hate crimes passage: "This week, we call upon lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, families and allies to take this opportunity of increased ...

On Sept. 11, Hillary Clinton received the Roosevelt Institute’s Four Freedoms Award. The annual awards are “presented each year to men and women whose achievements have demonstrated a commitment to those principles which President Roosevelt proclaimed in his historic speech to Congress on January 6, 1941 as essential to democracy: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear.” In her acceptance speech, Clinton said that that the United States will fight anti-LGBT violence whereever it occurs: (We) must condemn violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In country after country after country, ...