Lisa Murkowski, the Senior United States Senator from Alaska, made history today as the 3rd Republican U.S. Senator to publicly announce her support for marriage equality. Murkowski is considered a somewhat moderate member of her caucus, and is also the first Republican female Senator to endorse marriage equality. The other two Republican senators who support full marriage rights for same-sex couples are Mark Kirk of Illinois (2nd Republican Senator to do so) and Rob Portman of Ohio (first Republican to do so, in response to his son's coming out as gay). Here is an ...

With the addition of Tom Carper of Delaware, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) now sports the public support of 51 Senators, a clear majority of the United States Senate. However, in order to become law, the measure will almost certainly need to clear a Republican filibuster, so the real level of support necessary for passage of this key legislative priority is 60 votes. Astonishingly, ENDA has bipartisan support with moderate Republicans (Yes, Virginia, they do exist!) Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine supporting S. 815. However, there are still 5 members of the Democratic caucus who have ...

Next week the Lords will be discussing marriage equality in the (full house) committee stage of the bills progression through the House of Lords. A few of the proposed amendments have now been published and I find them quite revealing in their prejudices. Here are a couple just to give you a flavour (full listings here and here) After Clause 1 LORD DEAR Insert the following new Clause— “Protecting belief in traditional marriage: public authorities (1) A public authority, or any person exercising a public function, shall have regard to the following— (a) that prior to the coming into force of this Act, marriage was ...

The Illinois Family Institute continues to be the top group standing in the way of equality in the Land of Lincoln. The IFI also continues to show that its true agenda goes far beyond our ring fingers: [IFI] Hey, Illinois lawmakers: They want to "cure" us! This is the extreme, outrageous, and scientifically-discredited viewpoint with which some of you chose to side rather than to support basic civil freedoms for your tax-paying constituents. By standing with the IFI rather than with civil marriage rights, feet-dragging lawmakers are sending the truly dangerous message that LGBT people have "disorders" that can ...

An edited version of this piece appeared in the June 13, 2013 edition of the SF Bay Times. Next week is our anniversary. That is, one of our anniversaries. I’ve joked that one of the rare upsides to the lack of marriage equality is that unlike our opposite-sex counterparts, for whom the wedding anniversary is the focus for commemorating the relationship, same-sex couples can celebrate a number of mini anniversaries. For example, Jeff and I mark, to varying degrees, the dates of registering our domestic partnership, of becoming engaged, and of our commitment ceremony, among other milestones. But next week’s anniversary is ...

Every now and then, the National Organization For Marriage will support a random fringe Democrat who vehemently opposes equality. Don't be fooled. This organization, which supported Romney, which backs any number of GOP candidates and interests, which presents at right-wing events like CPAC and the Values Voter Summit, and whose president runs a partisan operation called ActRight is, in actuality, a far-right Republican organization. Here's the latest example in the form a photo meme telling supporters to refuse to be "intimidated by the Left": For us, marriage is not partisan, even if the political support still breaks down the way ...

It's not just about marriage for them. It never is. Here's the man who is leading the fight to stop marriage equality in Illinois: [Americans For Truth Hour] Soon enough, the marriage bill will come up again in Illinois. Lawmakers should know that they are not stuck with this kind of denigration of the state's population. They can change it. ...