There’s a bit of a meme going about some conservative sites that express confusion over how Obama can be against same-sex marriage, yet against amending the constitution to prevent same sex marriage. (For fun extra credit, visit the comments where they call Obama ‘Mr. Messiah’). Yet this is not, really, a difficult position to hold. Now, I can’t read Obama’s mind so this is pure speculation on my part, but it’s not a reach to think that Obama’s opposition to Same-Sex marriage is a personal belief and that he believes, in a free society, that just because he has a ...

Gay Australian Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, who came out last month, doesn’t appreciate Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s exclusive marital politics: [Mitcham] certainly bears the markings of a good gay role model: he’s successful, attractive and he’s not shy about speaking up on queer issues. When asked for his view on same-sex marriage, for instance, he has no compunction slamming Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. “I’m not happy with Kevin Rudd,” he says, bluntly. “Kevin Rudd’s opinion of marriage as something that’s only between a man and a woman is quite narrow-minded. During the election campaign he was all about appearing young and ...

“William Bolthouse has just donated $100,000 dollars to the ballot initiative to amend California’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage. He owns 43% of Bolthouse Farms, a company famous for its juice.” [Bilerico] ...

Gay rights moved to the forefront of the presidential campaign today after Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's announcement that he opposes a November ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California. In a letter to San Francisco's Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club, the presumptive presidential nominee said he opposed "the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution" and similar efforts in other states. Obama's position on Prop. 8, announced at a club event Sunday and reported in news accounts today, came after Arizona Sen. John McCain, the expected GOP standard-bearer in November, last ...

Here’s a happy story, thats kinda reminds me of the San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders’ reversal on gay rights. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) has reversed his stance on gay marriage, after his step-daughter came out to him as a lesbian. Rothman then joined the House’s GLBT Caucus. Congressman Steve Rothman says a member of his own family persuaded him to change his position on same-sex marriage. The Bergen County Democrat says he now supports gay and lesbian couples’ right to marry, and has become a member of the House Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Caucus. Rothman said his 19-year-old stepdaughter, who ...

Rita Boyadjian wishes she were in a better mood to celebrate the weddings of fellow gay friends after California began legally marrying same-sex couples last month. But her partner of six years is a German woman whose U.S. student visa runs out soon. Even if they were to legally marry in California, Margot (not her real name) could not stay in the United States because the federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage for immigration purposes. This month the well-to-do couple and their nine-month-old baby will move to Germany so they can stay together. "It's a little bittersweet, I ...

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who famously - and illegally - began issuing same-sex marriage licenses back in 2004, has launched an exploratory bid for California’s gubernatorial seat. “His move placed the 40-year-old, two-term mayor out in front of a large Democratic field eyeing the race to succeed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is barred by term limits from running again in 2010. Newsom said he expected to decide by year’s end whether to proceed with a full-fledged candidacy.” [LA Times] ...

The gays have loads of reasons to hate on President George W. Bush. He and his cronies did, after all, use us for political gain and continue to poo-poo on the idea of same-sex marriage. Despite all that, however, Bush does deserve some lavender love, says activist David Benkof: It is unquestionable that George W. Bush has done more to fight HIV/AIDS than any president in American history, including Clinton. The people pushing Bush to fight the epidemic at home and abroad are overwhelmingly conservative Christians — the same people we keep hearing gay leaders tar as narrow-minded and ...

Gay rights lawyers say signers of the petition for the initiative were misled. Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown urges the California high court to reject that argument. SAN FRANCISCO -- When voters were asked to sign petitions for a November initiative to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, they were told the measure would not change state law, which at the time banned same-sex marriage. But then, after the signatures were gathered, the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples were entitled to wed. Now supporters of gay marriage are asking the state high court to take the initiative off the ...

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Gavin Newsom took his first public step toward seeking higher office Tuesday, filing papers to form an exploratory committee for a potential gubernatorial bid in 2010. Newsom, a Democrat best known for challenging California's ban on same-sex marriage in 2004, is six months into his second and final term, which expires in 2011. Speculation over whether he would run to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has pursued him since before his re-election, but the mayor always deflected it by saying his attention remained fixed on the city. The establishment of an exploratory committee ...

Without the aid of lawyers, advocates or lawmakers, a Virginia couple almost succeeded in getting around the state's same-sex marriage ban. Almost. But instead of enjoying wedded bliss, Justin (pronounced "juh-STEEN") L. McCain, 18, and Antonio E. Blount, 31, had been awaiting a decision on whether they would be charged in Newport News with providing false information when applying for their marriage license. Yesterday, city Commonwealth's Attorney Howard E. Gwynn announced that he had concluded his investigation and that there would be no charges. "They swore an oath when they made the application, but 'bride' and 'groom' are not ...

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has previously insisted he supports California’s Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Then, last week, conservative group Protect Marriage said that McCain backed their unholy mission: passing an amendment again restricting nuptials to one man, one woman. McCain’s camp didn’t reply to those allegations, but the homo-politicos over at Log Cabin Republicans dug into the candidate and confirmed the flip-flop. Let the political expediency begin! From wonder woman Kerry Eleveld: A statement released Tuesday by the Log Cabin Republicans read: “Late last week, the group pushing California’s anti-marriage constitutional amendment released ...

In New South Wales, the ALP State Government has just engaged in an unprecedented attack on human rights, civil liberties and free speech. Why? Is it an international terrorist threat against a sensitive international target? Well, no. It’s July’s Catholic World Youth Day, due to be held in Sydney soon. Sometimes, I wonder if LGBT New Zealanders don’t have an overly romanticised view of our continental neighbour. True, Mardi Gras is a fabulous party, and Melbourne’s DNA is a highly informative and readable magazine. However, in terms of actual legislative progress, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory all have ...

SACRAMENTO - Backers of Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would amend California's constitution to ban same-sex marriage, had, as of last week, raised nearly $2.3 million while foes had raised about $1.3 million. Fund-raising for the campaigns is only now beginning in earnest, and consultants predict that by the time voters go to the polls, each side will have raised as much as $15 million. "In many people's minds, it is the civil rights issue of the day, if not the decade," said Steve Smith, the main consultant seeking to kill the initiative and keep same-sex marriage ...

Speaking on the subject of a federal constitutional marriage amendment that he's championing, One News Now quotes Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker as saying: "Frankly, the American people are so overwhelmingly in support of a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage that I think it draws a clear distinction in an election year between two basic worldviews," ... "And I think it's an appropriate thing to introduce, if for no other reason than to have a national debate." ... "This concept that constitutions are living, breathing documents which change as popular sentiment changes over time -- that's not my interpretation of the Constitution" We reply: Wait a ...

he same-sex marriage ceremonies that took place starting last week in California attracted widespread mainstream media attention, with newspapers and cable news shows carrying images of couples exchanging vows. The images were sharply different from those broadcast in 2004, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom began marrying gay couples. Back then, the weddings sometimes looked more like an impromptu protest than a dignified ceremony. This time, however, the media feasted on images of celebrity and longtime activist couples in dignified settings, often featuring children. This, of course, was no accident. Managing a media tsunami ...

On yesterday's edition of "Meet The Press," California Gov. Arnold Scharzenegger reiterated his opposition to a proposed gay marriage ban. Asked if he supports the measure by interim anchor Tom Brokaw, the GOP governor replied: "No, not at all. As a matter of fact, I think the Supreme Court made a decision there. It was apparently unconstitutional to stop anyone from getting married. It's like 1948, the interracial marriage, when the Supreme Court of California has, you know, decided it was unconstitutional and then later on the Supreme Court of the United States followed, I think 10 or 12 ...

“Backers of Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would amend California’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage, had, as of last week, raised nearly $2.3 million while foes had raised about $1.3 million. Fund-raising for the campaigns is only now beginning in earnest, and consultants predict that by the time voters go to the polls, each side will have raised as much as $15 million.” [Boston Globe] ...

As predicted, the Arizona Senate voted 16 to 4 late Friday in favor of putting a proposed statewide gay-marriage ban to the ballot in John McCain's home state this November. Senate President Tim Bee cast the deciding vote even though he "chastised groups lobbying for the issue for threats and coercive tactics." Same-sex marriage is already illegal in the state. The measure is intended to codify the one-man/one-woman law into the state constitution in order to protect the institution from activist judges. You know, like the conservative ones who made same-sex marriage legal in California. Speaking of ...

SACRAMENTO -- Since June 16, Californians have been bombarded with images of gay marriage: men kissing men, women embracing women, with friends and family celebrating alongside. Now both backers and foes of Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would amend California's Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, are employing those images and others in their fundraising strategies. As of Friday, the initiative's supporters had raised nearly $2.3 million, its foes about $1.3 million. Consultants predict that by the time voters go to the polls 4 1/2 months from now, each side will have raised $15 million or more. "In ...