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Costa Rica celebrates marriage equality
As of midnight on May 26, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America ( and the 28th United Nations member state ) to legalize same-sex marriage after a groundbreaking court ruling came into effect. ...
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VIEWS LGBTQ discrimination is a disgrace
Named plaintiff in landmark Supreme Court gay marriage case talks cases now before court
Re the New York Times article, "Aimee Stephens, 59, Plaintiff in Transgender Rights Case" ( obituary, May 14 ): Our world has long been gripped by questions of mortality and legacy, perhaps more than ever in ...
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WORLD Marriage in Mexico, European report, arrests in journalist's murder
The Congress in the Mexican state of Sonora is now getting pressure from federal legislators to approve a measure allowing for same-sex marriages, Fronteras reported. More than six months have passed since that measure was introduced ...
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Yarbrough officiates special Valentine's Day wedding
On Valentine's Day, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough officiated the wedding of Bronzeville couple Ivan Bujan, 34, and Charles Long, 40, in the Cook County Clerk's Vital Records Bureau office downtown. Their marriage date fells on ...
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WORLD Swiss vote, Northern Ireland wedding, Tanzania report, bishops convene
In Switzerland, voters backed a referendum to extending anti-racism legislation to cover sexual orientation—defying critics who had claimed such a move would be an infringement of free speech, The Guardian reported. Unlike many of its western ...
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Talks on Feb. 16, March 1 about issues in 'The Cake'
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents The Cake, written by Bekah Brunstetter and directed by Steve Scott, now through Sunday, March 1, in the Playhouse Theatre at the McAninch Arts Center ( MAC ), 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen ...
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Judge rules for same-sex partners in Social Security case
On Jan. 31, federal magistrate judge recommended striking down as unconstitutional the U.S. Social Security Administration's ( SSA's ) denial of survivor's benefits to surviving same-sex partners who were barred from marrying due to discriminatory state ...
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Federal court ruling benefits same-sex couples
A federal appeals panel of Republican appointees ruled Jan. 17 that the state of Indiana must treat same-sex married couples the same as male-female married couples when determining who to list on a child's birth certificate. ...
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Indiana same-sex parents can list both names on children's birth certificates
On Jan. 17—after more than two and a half years—the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that married same-sex couples in Indiana can list both parents on their children's birth certificates, CNN.com reported. In so ...
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2019 global roundup, from Toronto to Taiwan
There was no shortage of the good, the bad and ugly regarding global LGBTQ developments. Below are just a few of media reports ( highlights and lowlights ): —Bus attack: In London in late May, a ...
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NATIONAL Anti-LGBTQ crimes, Richard Grenell, two-spirit marriage, Adam Rippon
A transgender man driving a taxi in McAlester, Oklahoma, was fatally shot early New Year's Day, Advocate.com reported. Dustin Parker, 25, leaves a wife, Regina, and four children, was a founding member of the McAlester chapter ...
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UMC may split over same-sex marriage, inclusion
A schism is expected within the United Methodist Church ( UMC ) over same-sex marriage and LGBTQ inclusion, media outlets reported. UMC leaders signed a proposal that outlines the separation, and this could be approved at ...
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WORLD Marriage status in Cuba, Shigella outbreak, anti-LGBTQ crime
Cuba Justice Minister Oscar Silvera Martinez announced the Family Code—the law that could establish marriage equality in the country—will not be introduced in the National Assembly until December 2021, when one of the parliamentary commissions will ...
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Memoir profiles lesser-known sides of Edie Windsor
Mention the name Edie Windsor, and many LGBT residents would correctly associate her with the landmark litigation that ultimately paved the way for the United States Supreme Court declaring marriage equality to be the law of ...
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WORLD Marriages in Brazil, chemsex, couple attacked, Gus Kenworthy
The state Institute Brazilian Geography and Statistics said that same-sex marriages in Brazil grew 61.7 percent in 2018—a trend that grew from October, after President Jair Bolsonaro's victory in the last elections, Vanugardia reported. At the ...
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Cook County Clerk's office celebrates marriage equality milestones
To commemorate the upcoming 15,000th marriage license for same-sex couples in Cook County—and the sixth anniversary of then Gov. Pat Quinn signing marriage equality into law—Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough hosted an event Nov. 19 at ...
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Same-sex marriage overturned in Caymans
The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has ruled in favor of the government, overturning Chief Justice Anthony Smellie's previous ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Compass reported. However, the court simultaneously ...
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WORLD Marriage news, Oscar Wilde, Ugandan activist dies, Iris Prize
People of the same sex are now allowed to get married in Northern Ireland, the BBC reported. It's been legal in England, Wales and Scotland since 2014; now the rules have changed for Northern Ireland, too. ...
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NATIONAL Marriage advocate divorcing, Black gay couple, trans death
A Utah state lawmaker who filed a lawsuit that successfully overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage is separating from his husband, U.S. News & World Report noted. State Sen. Derek Kitchen announced in an Instagram ...
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Kol Hadash Congregation embraces LGBTQ inclusivity
Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation, which is housed inside North Shore Unitarian Church in Deerfield, has been a leader in LGBTQ-inclusivity since its founding in 2001. The congregation emerged from the now-defunct Congregation Beth Or and celebrates ...
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WORLD Japanese case, Jamaica event canceled, Putin's law
A Japanese court awarded damages to a woman who broke up with her same-sex partner because of infidelity—recognizing their common-law partnership despite same-sex marriage not being legal in the country, Kyodo News reported. After acquiring a ...
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WORLD Gay leaders, Mexican trans women, Czech marriage bill
In a notable meeting between two out heads of government, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg hosted his counterpart from Serbia, Ana Brnabic, and discussed the possibility of Serbia joining the European Union, along with other ...
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Arizona Supreme Court grants Phoenix stationary shop license to discriminate
(Phoenix, AZ, September 16, 2019) — The Arizona Supreme Court today issued a 4-3 decision reversing a lower court ruling that had denied a Phoenix business owners' request that they be exempt from the City of ...
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Same-sex couple sues State Dept. for treating daughter as born out of wedlock
BALTIMORE, MD—Today, Immigration Equality, Lambda Legal, and pro bono counsel Morgan Lewis filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Maryland against the U.S. Department of State for refusing to recognize the citizenship of Kessem ...
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WORLD Bermuda Pride, Russian bakery, marriage in Oaxaca
Organizers of the first Bermuda Pride parade, which took place Aug. 31, said they were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support, The Royal Gazette reported. The response was a huge surprise to, among others, Roderick Ferguson—whose ...
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WORLD South African judge, China on marriage, teens plead not guilty
In South Africa, after 25 years in the judicial arena, Edwin Cameron has retired as a Constitutional Court judge, TheSouthAfrican.com reported. According to the article, Cameron—who is openly gay and HIV-positive—will forever be remembered for his ...
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WORLD Fleeing Russia, Cuban activist, UNAIDS, Magnum ad
Gay married couple Andrei Vaganov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were forced to flee Russia over concerns their adopted children could be taken away, NewNowNext.com reported. The couple married in Denmark in 2016, and Vaganov adopted the couple's ...
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NATIONAL Trans death, ACA, 1957 gay wedding, serial killer
Several bridges and the city hall building in Houston were lit in transgender flag colors to honor the memory of Tracy Single, 22—a Black transgender woman who was found dead in a possible homicide in July, ...
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WORLD Beijing couple, Dutch man attacked, Ecuador murder
A same-sex couple in Beijing have become the first in the city to complete the process of being named as each other's legal guardian in what is being seen as a major step forward in the ...
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WORLD Librarian's death, Baja OKs marriage equality, parade news
The National Human Rights Commission of Myanmar will investigate the death of gay librarian Kyaw Zin Win, Gay Star News noted. The librarian, 26, shared details of homophobic bullying from colleagues in a Facebook post before ...
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WORLD Mexican marriage bill, Sir Elton John, global Pride events
In Mexico, Sinaloa lawmakers voted against a measure that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the state, with 20 votes against and 18 in favor, Mexico News Daily reported. Most of the "yes" votes came from ...
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Ecuador approves same-sex marriage
By a vote of five to four, Ecuador's highest court approved same-sex marriage in a landmark ruling in the small and traditionally Catholic country on June 12, AlJazeera.com reported. Pro-LGBTQ activists celebrated the decision in the ...
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WORLD Filipino survey, Eurovision remarks, North Macedonian march
The Philippines House of Representatives is conducting an online survey on same-sex unions, CNN Philippines noted. The poll, posted on the chamber's website, asked whether the respondents are in favor, against, or undecided about the proposal ...
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Taiwan becomes first Asian country to OK same-sex marriage
On May 17, Taiwan's legislature became the first in Asia ( by a vote of 66 to 27 ) to fully legalize same-sex unions. The law—which allows for same-sex couples to apply for "marriage registration" as ...
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Majority of Public Favors Same-Sex Marriage, Divisions Persist
WASHINGTON, D.C. ( May 14, 2019 ) — After years of generally steady increases, opinions about same-sex marriage are mostly unchanged since 2017. Today, a majority of Americans ( 61% ) favor allowing gays and lesbians ...
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WORLD Extremists charged, Virgin Mary controversy, Taiwan marriage bill
Eight Islamist extremists from a banned group were charged by Bangladesh police for the 2016 murders of two prominent gay-rights activists, AFP reported. Dhaka police's counterterrorism unit filed the charge sheet against the eight men, saying ...
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WORLD Trans woman threatened, Ecuador marriage bill, equality coin
Armenia's first registered transgender woman, Lilit Martirosyan, has received death threats after making a historic speech in her country's national assembly, The Guardian reported. After speaking out against discrimination at a session of its committee on ...
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WORLD Taiwan marriages, Indian prince, gay Mexican candidate
A total of 157 same-sex couples in Taiwan plan to register to get married at household registration offices on May 24—the day that the Constitutional Court set for same-sex marriages to be legalized, Central News Agency ...
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WORLD Mexican marriage bill, Luxembourg PM, China watching Buttigieg
In a secret ballot, the plenary of the Yucatan state congress in Mexico voted against a marriage-equality bill that was forwarded by a committee, YucatanExpatLife.com reported. Fifteen lawmakers voted against the measure, with nine in favor ...
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Cayman Islands court blocks marriage equality
Days after Cayman Islands Chief Justice Anthony Smellie allowed a same-sex wedding to take place, the Court of Appeal blocked Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden-Bush from getting married, on April 10, Cayman 27 reported. The appeal ...
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New alderperson Maria Hadden weds
Newly elected Chicago Ald. Maria Hadden wed partner Natalia Vera on March 18. Hadden told Windy City Times that the ceremony took place "on our eighth anniversary in a private ceremony. We are so excited to ...
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WORLD Elton John, Caymans OK marriage, Grindr
Elton John supported George Clooney's call for people to boycott a string of the world's most luxurious hotels following Brunei's new laws over gay sex, Business Insider noted. From April 3, Brunei is bringing in new ...
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Pritzker officiates Huberman wedding
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker officiated the wedding of friends Ron Huberman and Darren DeJong on March 23, Politico noted. Huberman is the former chief of staff to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and held jobs at ...
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New Landmark Survey of 50 States Finds Broad Support for LGBT Rights
WASHINGTON — A landmark national survey of over 40,000 Americans, including results for all 50 states, released today by PRRI finds approximately seven in 10 ( 69 percent ) Americans support nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people ...
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Marriage Equality around the world
The world is changing for the better! Since Marriage Equality officially became the law of the land in 2015, other nations have followed suit, granting marriage rights to their LGBTQ citizens. Here are a few of ...
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Donald Strzepek on jewelry business,
early Lgbtq activism
Lifelong Chicagoan Donald Strzepek has been in the jewelry business for more than 30 years and is currently the owner of Tucker Inc., in the heart of Jeweler's Row in the Loop. "I grew up on ...
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Happy anniversaries, some marriages older than marriage itself
Even before gay marriage became official, some couples did it anyway. One couple celebrates a marriage older than gay marriage itself. The path toward marriage equality was unpredictable at times, frustrating at others. As policy shifted ...
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Hiring a Wedding Consultant/Coordinator/Planner:
How it all works
By Frank J. Andonoplas, MWP, Frank Event Design
Many couples know that hiring a wedding consultant is the right thing for them from the very start. Other couples think this is an unnecessary expense and that they can do it all on their own. ...
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Wedding photos
David Parker and Dale Roberson were married on August 11, 2018. The ceremony took place on the terrace overlooking the Chicago River cityscape of the Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront Hotel. The weather was perfect and the ...
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Methodists retain ban on pro-LGBT measures
During a special session of its General Conference on Feb. 26, leaders of the United Methodist Church rejected the One Church Plan—a measure that would have eased restrictions on gay and lesbian clergy as well as ...
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After landmark decision, ABA issues guidance for judges performing same-sex marriages
CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2019 — The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released today a formal opinion giving judges guidance related to their options for performing same-sex marriages under the Model Code ...
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Gay couple talk relationship, new Oak Park bookstore
When gay couple Bill Fletcher and Don Moss moved from suburban Seattle to a 100-plus-year-old house in Oak Park, Illinois, six months ago, they brought thousands of books with them. There were so many books the ...
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Chicago Sky players wed
Chicago Sky teammates Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley got married in Seattle Dec. 27, according to the women's basketball website SwishAppeal.com. Seattle is just north of Vandersloot's hometown of Kent, Washington. This past season, the WNBA's ...
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Lambda Sues Social Security for Same-Sex Widower Denied Survivor's Benefits
( Las Cruces, NM, December 13, 2018 ) — Lambda Legal today filed a motion on behalf of a 63-year-old gay man arguing that the Social Security Administration's denial of spousal survivor's benefits to him, on ...
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WORLD Marriage news, HIV prosecution, Cuba travel
The president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, on Dec. 5, reiterated her support of marriage rights for same-sex couples, The Washington Blade noted. "There's only one race in the world and that's the human ...
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Biden Foundation shares stories of acceptance, rejection by families of LGBTQ youth
Launches "As You Are" story map
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Biden Foundation today announced it has collected almost 500 stories of family and community acceptance and rejection as part of its "As You Are" campaign, many of which can now be read on a ...
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David Orr reflects on four decades of politics
Outgoing Cook County Clerk David Orr, whose last day on the job will be Nov. 30, admitted that he couldn't help but be bittersweet about stepping down from the office he's worked in since 1990. "I ...
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Marriage equality remains in Bermuda, falls in Taiwan
It was a mixed weekend for same-sex marriage advocates as they won a legal battle in Bermuda Nov. 23 after the country's government attempted to have the Court of Appeal define marriage as between a man ...
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Illinois marks five years of marriage equality
Five years ago—on Nov. 20, 2013—Illinois became the 16th state to legalize same-sex marriage when marriage equality legislation was signed into law. The U.S. Supreme Court issued its historic ruling requiring all states to issue same-sex ...
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Marriage equality remains in Bermuda
ame-sex marriage advocates won a legal battle in Bermuda Nov. 23 after the country's government attempted to have the Court of Appeal define marriage as between a man and a woman only, The Royal Gazette reported. ...
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Illinois marks five years of marriage equality Tuesday
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois became the 16th state to legalize same-sex marriage when marriage equality legislation was signed into law five years ago on Nov. 20, 2013. Illinois was ahead of the nation in the fight for ...
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WORLD Taiwan marriage, Tanzania's loss, queer rap group, rugby player
In the lead-up to Nov. 24 referendums in Taiwan in which marriage equality and inclusion of LGBTQ issues in school curricula are on the ballot, 27 Taiwanese and multinational companies operating in Taiwan released a statement ...
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PFLAG's Northern Illinois chapter holds 'Positivity' conference
PFLAG Northern Illinois held its fall conference, "Power of Positivity: Time to Thrive," Nov. 10 at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights. Among the events of this day-long conference were remarks by Diversity and Inclusion Consultant ...
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CELEBRATIONS Wanda B, Stephanie Green renew vows after 25 years
On Oct. 12, Wanda B—found of the social club Stud ( "Solidarity, Trustworthiness, Understanding and Dependability" ) 4 Life—and wife/First Lady Stephanie Green renewed their vows after being together for 25 years. The event took place ...
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WORLD Another bakery case, Austrian marriage, Mapplethorpe situation
Britain's highest court ruled that a Northern Irish bakery's refusal to make a cake bearing a pro-gay slogan was not discriminatory in a ruling condemned by the customer, a gay-rights activist, but hailed by the province's ...
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WORLD Tokyo tackles bias, ex-Vietnam ambassador, confab shut down
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government passed a bill to tackle discrimination against the LGBTI community ahead of the Olympics in 2020, Gay Star News noted. "This act upholds the goal of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to make ...
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LGBT HISTORY MONTH: LDS ancestry database to add same-sex families
During Pride Month in June, LGBT people interested in family history received interesting news: beginning next year, the world's largest genealogy organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( LDS ), will release a ...
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WORLD Hong Kong, Theresa May, concentration camp
The Hong Kong government conceded that seven local laws targeting sexual activities involving gay men were inconsistent with the city's mini-constitution that provides that all residents are equal before the law, The South China Morning Post ...
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Federal Court in Michigan Allows Challenge to Discriminatory Adoption to Continue
DETROIT — A federal district court in Michigan ruled today that a challenge to the state of Michigan's practice of allowing discrimination against same-sex couples in the public foster care system can move forward. The American ...
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Kavanaugh refuses to confirm Obergefell correctly decided
NCLR Statement by Legal Director Shannon Minter, who was on the team of attorneys to win Obergefell: WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last night, President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, declined to answer U.S. Senator Kamala Harris ( ...
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India court rules gay sex not a crime
On Sept. 6, India's supreme court unanimously struck down a colonial-era law that made same-sex acts punishable by up to 10 years in prison—a landmark victory for gay rights in this country. The five justices ruled ...
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NATIONAL Calif. bill, gay child dies, electoral news, marriage ruling
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 2719, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin ( D-Thousand Oaks ) and co-sponsored by Equality California ( EQCA ) and SAGE, according to a joint press release from Irwin's office as ...
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WORLD Report on LGBTQ groups, Costa Rica marriage, Kenyan HIV lab
A report has found that nearly half of the world's countries do not allow LGBTQ groups to organize without threat of arrest or state violence, NewNowNext.com noted. Only 56 percent of countries—109 out of 194—freely allow ...
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Local women arrange Italy LGBTQ adventures
Chicago's Lesley Pritkin and Rosanne Cofoid are offering LGBTQ-specific adventures in Italy with unique venues for same-sex wedding celebrations and honeymoons that cater to all tastes and budgets. Said venues include tiny secluded towns, sprawling olive ...
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Julie Goodridge talks investing, historic marriage-equality case
Throughout most of her working life, Julie Goodridge has been interested in socially responsible investing ( SRI ). That, and her desire to start her own company, led Goodridge to form NorthStar Asset Management ( NorthStar ...
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