Politics

Joe Biden calls gay marriage the 'issue of our day'

Vice President Joe Biden has reiterated his support for gay marriage.

Sep 16, 2013

Illinois veto session looms as marriage organizers push for last votes

Zero. That is the number of on-record "yes" votes for marriage equality added since May 31.

Sep 10, 2013

Hawaii governor calls special session on marriage equality

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday called a special session of the Hawaii legislature to consider marriage equality legislation.

Sep 10, 2013

Minneapolis mayor launches campaign for Chicago same-sex couples to marry in Minnesota

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was in Chicago Thursday to unveil a new digital and print campaign designed to draw same-sex couples from Chicago to Minneapolis where they can get legally married.

Sep 5, 2013

Activists mark Labor Day weekend, call for law to protect LGBT workers

Americans for Workplace Opportunity is marking Labor Day weekend with another call to Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexual or

Sep 2, 2013

Former Illinois GOP chairman joins ACLU to lobby for marriage equality

Pat Brady, the former chairman of the state Republican Party, announced Tuesday that he was joining the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois to lobby for the passage of same-sex marriage legislation in Illin

Aug 28, 2013

Equality Illinois condemns Kirk Dillard for running against LGBT Illinoisans

Equality Illinois today blasted state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Republican candidate for governor, who wants to repeal the state's civil union law.

Aug 23, 2013

Eli Lilly: Proposed Indiana gay marriage ban would hurt business

Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company on Wednesday endorsed a nascent campaign to defeat a proposed gay marriage ban in Indiana.

Aug 22, 2013

Chris Christie signs bill banning 'ex-gay' therapy to minors

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Monday signed a bill banning "ex-gay" therapy to minors, making New Jersey the second state after California to prohibit so-called conversion therapy that attempts to turn gay teens

Aug 20, 2013

Eric Alva, Marine who lost a leg in Iraq, booed for supporting gay rights bill

Eric Alva, a gay Marine veteran who lost a leg during combat in the Iraq War, was booed last week as he testified in support of a gay-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance in San Antonio, Texas.

Aug 19, 2013

Governor Quinn signs Sexual Health Education bill

Governor Quinn has today signed The Sexual Health Education bill (HB 2675) into law.

Aug 16, 2013

Department of Defense extends benefits to same-sex spouses

Aug 15, 2013

California marriage now safe, Prop 8 dead

The California Supreme Court this afternoon essentially ended all attempts by anti-gay marriage groups to revive Proposition 8, the voter passed law of 2008 which outlawed same-sex marriage but was deemed unconstitutiona

Aug 14, 2013

Dick Mell aide to succeed Rep. Deb Mell

Jaime Andrade, a longtime aide to former Chicago Ald. Richard Mell, was selected by Democratic leaders on Monday to succeed out lesbian state Rep. Deb Mell in the Illinois House.

Aug 13, 2013

LAGBAC, Quigley invite couples for Market Days 'marriages'

The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC) will participate in the Northalsted Market Days street festival Aug. 10-11. During the event, LAGBAC will invite couples — both same-sex and opposite sex — to unite

Aug 9, 2013

Rep. Schneider helps introduce bill to end LGBT discrimination in Social Security

U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) today helped introduced the Social Security Equality Act, which would guarantee that same-sex couples are not denied the Social Security benefits to which they are entitled. The bil

Aug 2, 2013

Quigley continues leading efforts to revise discriminatory blood donation policy

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL), U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS

Aug 2, 2013

March on Springfield launches website, fundraising

Organizers of the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality have launched a new website and an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for March promotion and logistics.

Aug 2, 2013

Immigration groups backing equal marriage lose Catholic funding

Chicago's archbishop has drawn a line in the sand for immigrant rights groups supporting equal marriage in Illinois.

Aug 1, 2013

Equality Illinois calls on Chicago to end relationship with Moscow

Equality Illinois today urged the City of Chicago to suspend its sister city relationship with Moscow as part of a concerted effort to protest Russia's criminalization of gay rights activism.

Jul 30, 2013

Illinois Unites for Marriage reports on Fall veto session strategies

The numbers facing Illinois Unites for Marriage activists at first seem daunting. Two million dollars needs to be raised. Four hundred thousand phone calls need to be made. And 71 legislative votes need to be gathered.

Jul 30, 2013

Deb Mell replaces dad as alderman, becomes first out lesbian on council

Former state Rep. Deb Mell was officially sworn in as Alderman of Chicago's 33rd Ward on Wednesday.

Jul 24, 2013

Judge orders Ohio officials to recognize gay couple's marriage

A federal judge on Monday ordered state officials to recognize the recent marriage of an Ohio gay couple.

Jul 23, 2013

NOM's Maggie Gallagher defends 'ex-gay' therapy; calls it 'help'

Maggie Gallagher, a co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), has come to the defense of providers of "ex-gay" therapy.

Jul 17, 2013