Lesbian News Executive Editor Zoe Edgerton has recently been awarded an Emmy for editing on the daytime drama, The Bold and the Beautiful. This award is in addition to the first Emmy she won as an editor on the daytime drama The Young and the Restless in 2002.   Congratulations, Zoe!!    

PHOENIX — Women's basketball stars Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson are engaged. Griner proposed to Johnson and both posted it on social media, with Griner showing a photo of her on one knee with a ring in her hand in front of Johnson on her Instagram account. Griner plays for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and Johnson for the Tulsa Shock. In the post, Griner wrote: "Last Night was a Night to Remember(,) I became the happiest person on this earth! (almost pass out but when that one word came out I came back to life) Me and my baby @missvol25 are in it for Life!" Johnson also had a photo on her Instagram account of Griner lying in bed with an engagement ring resting on her shoulder. Griner has embraced her role as a prominent gay athlete since finishing a record-breaking career at Baylor. She came out last year and wrote a candid memoir, "In My Skin," that was critical of college coach Kim Mulkey. The 6-foot-8 center, drafted first overall by Phoenix last year, has helped

Facebook made a $10,000 donation in May to the reelection campaign of Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, who has received national attention for fighting a court ruling that would make gay marriage legal in the state. The donation, first reported by QSaltLake, is listed in a filing for Reyes' 2014 primary campaign on the State of Utah Financial Disclosures website. Here's a screenshot of the filing: And closer up: In an email to The Huffington Post, a Facebook spokesperson offered a statement on the donation: Facebook has a strong record on LGBT issues and that will not change, but we make decisions about which candidates to support based on the entire portfolio of issues important to our business, not just one. A contribution to a candidate does not mean that we agree with every policy or position that candidate takes. We made this donation for the same reason we’ve donated to Attorneys General on the opposite side of this issue -- because they are committed to fostering innovation and an

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has denied a request to delay its ruling striking down Virginia's same-sex marriage ban. A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Wednesday denied the request by a county court clerk in northern Virginia to stay the decision while it is appealed to the Supreme Court. That means that without intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, same-sex couples could begin marrying and have their out-of-state marriages recognized by next Wednesday. Late last month, the court ruled that Virginia's gay marriage ban approved by voters in 2006 is unconstitutional. Representatives for the defendants didn't immediately comment. (Courtesy of HuffPost.com)

Robin Williams, the beloved actor who died of an apparent suicide Monday, posted a touching photograph on Instagram two weeks earlier that showed him holding his daughter, Zelda Rae Williams, when she was a young child:   Williams, who was 63 years old, is survived by three children: Zachary, 31; Zelda, 25, and Cody, 22. Zelda is also an actress. His wife, graphic designer Susan Schneider, with whom he lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, said in a statement Monday that she was "utterly heartbroken." "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings," she added. "As he is remembered, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin's death but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions." Fans took to Williams' Instagram page to express their own grief, and dozens of celebrities paid tribute on Twitter. In earlier Instagram posts, Zelda Williams shared

The news of Robin Williams' death has conjured a bounty of memories regarding the beloved actor's life. One of his crowning moments came in 1998, when he collected the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his turn as psychotherapist Sean Maguire in "Good Will Hunting." He'd been nominated three times previously, for "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987), "Dead Poets Society" (1989) and "The Fisher King" (1991). His acceptance speech was peppered with grace and humor, insisting that he "still want[s] to see some I.D." for the movie's then-young screenwriters, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and thanking the "Mishpucka Weinstein." His embrace with host and old friend Billy Crystal after the speech remains one of the most touching moments from that year's Oscars. Relive Williams' glorious moment below. (Courtesy of HuffPost.com)  

Even though they scored a key victory in federal appellate court, attorneys for three Utah gay and lesbian couples said Thursday they plan to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take Utah's appeal of a favorable gay marriage ruling. It is vital that justices weigh in about whether state same-sex marriage bans violate the Constitution to settle the matter for a nation that needs an answer, said Kate Kendell, executive director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The group is representing the couples alongside private attorneys in Utah. "Because we understand the tremendous importance of this issue, and that the ultimate question can only be finally resolved at the Supreme Court, we agree with attorneys for the state of Utah that the court should take the case and provide a final resolution," Kendell said. Utah filed its request this week for the justices to hear an appeal of a June ruling from the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said he will ask the Supreme Court to review a decision that struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, although he supports the lower court's decision. The Democrat has chosen not to defend the state's law, but has also asked for 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay its decision because he believes there could be unintended consequences. Herring's office said it planned to make its filing seeking a Supreme Court review on Friday. "I believe the district and appeals courts ruled correctly in striking down Virginia's discriminatory marriage ban, but it has long been clear that the Supreme Court will likely have the final word. I want that decision to come as soon as possible and I want the voices of Virginians to be heard," Herring said in a statement. On Monday, the plaintiffs in the case challenging Virginia's same-sex marriage ban said they wanted a federal appeals court to allow

CINCINNATI — The broadest attack yet on states' gay marriage bans will be Wednesday in a packed courtroom in downtown Cincinnati, where lawyers challenging four states' prohibitions will stand shoulder to shoulder in hopes of convincing a three-judge panel that the bans are unconstitutional. The states – Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee – have so far waged their battles separately, fighting to uphold the bans that voters years ago embraced. Each state faces slightly different challenges filed by same-sex couples, including the right to adopt children as a couple, to have their names placed on a partner's death certificate and to have their marriages – performed legally elsewhere – recognized in the states they call home, where same-sex marriage is illegal. Despite the variations in the attacks, make no mistake: The ultimate targets are the bans, and the real goal is the right to marry, adopt children and enjoy the same rights that opposite-sex couples have when they exchange vows. "Putting all of

[caption id="attachment_2043" align="aligncenter" width="1245"] Kim Hackford-Peer (L) marries her partner Ruth Hackford-Peer (R) as Ruth holds their son Casey, 7, at the Salt Lake County office building in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 20, 2013. Jim Urquhart/Reuters[/caption] Though diametrically opposed on the merits of marriage equality, both challengers and defenders of laws standing in the way can usually come together on one point: their shared conviction that the matter will soon be decided by the nation’s highest court. And yet, despite a growing chain of judicial triumphs for gay and lesbian couples – each ruling now an almost routine, predictable event – there are still no sure things, and those betting on when or which case could go before the justices, as well as the outcome, may regret putting money down. True, no ban on same-sex nuptials has survived at the federal district level since the Supreme Court invalidated a key portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) last year. That trend

NAIROBI, Kenya — A Ugandan court struck down a punitive anti-gay law on Friday that has strained Uganda’s relations with the West, but the court ruled on narrow technical grounds, preserving the possibility that the measure could be revived. In front of an overflowing courtroom in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, a panel of five judges announced that the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which punishes some homosexual behavior with life in prison, was invalid because it had been passed by Parliament without a proper quorum. “We’re very happy,” said Sylvia Tamale, a Ugandan law professor who has supported gay rights despite persistent [caption id="attachment_2048" align="alignright" width="300"] Gay rights activists celebrated on Friday in Kampala, Uganda, after a five-judge panel announced that a punitive anti-gay law was invalid. Credit Isaac Kasamani/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images[/caption] threats and harassment. “But it’s unfortunate that the court did not deal with the substantive issues that violate our rights.” Uganda’s government, which is tightly controlled by President Yoweri Museveni, a former guerrilla fighter who

“[I]nertia and apprehension are not legitimate bases for denying same-sex couples due process and equal protection of the laws.” WASHINGTON — The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held Monday that Virginia’s ban on same-sex couples’ marriages is unconstitutional. On a 2-1 vote, the appeals court joined the wave of court decisions declaring such bans unconstitutional. The decision, by Judge Henry Floyd acknowledged both the debate over such laws and, in the court’s view, the clear constitutional impediment to laws banning same-sex couples from marrying. “We recognize that same-sex marriage makes some people deeply uncomfortable,” he wrote. “However, inertia and apprehension are not legitimate bases for denying same-sex couples due process and equal protection of the laws.” In considering the matter, Floyd, joined by Judge Roger Gregory, ruled, “The Virginia Marriage Laws … impede the right to marry by preventing same-sex couples from marrying and nullifying the legal import of their out-of-state marriages. Strict scrutiny therefore applies in this case.” Judge Paul Niemeyer dissented from the

Today U.S. District Judge Raymond P. Moore ruled against Colorado’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality.  In Burns v. Hickenlooper, attorneys with Kilmer, Lane and Newman, LLP sued the state on behalf of six same-sex couples who argue that Colorado’s ban on marriage equality violates the U.S. Constitution. Judge Moore stayed his ruling until August 25 to allow the state time to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which has already struck down bans on marriage equality in Utah and Oklahoma. “Today’s ruling from Judge Moore provides even further confirmation that Colorado’s ban on marriage equality is unconstitutional,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow.  “Through civil unions, Colorado has already recognized the need for same-sex couples to have equal access to the benefits and obligations of marriage. Now it's time for the state to stop its appeal and allow these families the dignity that comes with full marriage equality.” Last month clerks in Boulder, Denver, and Pueblo counties began issuing marriage

HRC released a video ad featuring legendary actress Susan Sarandon for HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign.  In the video, the Oscar winner states, “While marriage might not be my thing, if it’s your thing you damn well ought to be able to have it equally and unequivocally.” “Like most Americans, Susan Sarandon knows that all families deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and equality under the law,” said HRC’s Charles Joughin.  “We are incredibly grateful to Susan for speaking out in favor of marriage equality, and for lending her powerful voice to HRC’s fight for fairness nationwide.” Susan Sarandon’s celebrated acting career has spanned more than four decades, earning her dozens of award nominations and wins, including the 1995 Best Actress Academy Award for Dead Man Walking.  Sarandon has used her fame and success for good, supporting numerous charities and goodwill efforts around the globe.  She has been honored for her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, as an advocate for victims of

Today, July 17, a judge in state court struck down Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, marking the 25th consecutive ruling in favor of the freedom to marry (with no rulings against) since June 2013. Chief Circuit Judge Luis Garcia ordered the Monroe County Clerk to stop enforcing Florida's anti-marriage constitutional amendment, saying that marriage licenses should begin being issued in Monroe County on July 22. For now, the ruling only applies to Monroe County. The ruling does not require the state of Florida to respect the marriages of same-sex couples legally performed in other states. The ruling is in Huntsman v. Heavilin, a case brought in Monroe County court in April 2014 by private counsel from Restivo, Reilly & Vigil-Fariñas LLC on behalf of Aaron Huntsman and Lee Jones, a same-sex couple together for more than a decade in Key West, FL. The couple spoke with Freedom to Marry and Equality Florida earlier this month. Read their story HERE.  Judge Garcia writes in his

Two countries (Argentina & Germany) with female leaders will battle it out for the World Cup; in a host country (Brazil) with a female leader.  [caption id="attachment_1969" align="aligncenter" width="750"] German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Left) and Argentina President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (Right)[/caption] Perhaps a global teaching moment?  

Several major gay rights groups withdrew support Tuesday for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would bolster gay and transgender rights in the workplace, saying they fear that broad religious exemptions included in the current bill might compel private companies to begin citing objections similar to those that prevailed in a U.S. Supreme Court case last week. The gay community is a key constituency and source of campaign donations for Democrats, and calls to rewrite the most significant gay rights legislation considered in recent years is a major setback for the White House, which had used passage of the legislation last fall as a way to draw a contrast with House Republicans, who have refused to vote on the measure. But the groups said they can no longer back ENDA as currently written in light of the Supreme Court’s decision last week to strike down a key part of President Obama’s health-care law. The court ruled that family-owned businesses do not have to offer

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the Justice Department released a report detailing the Obama administration’s broad implementation of the Supreme Court’s United States v. Windsor decision, which struck down key components of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) last year.  Under the leadership of President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, the breadth with which this administration has implemented the Windsor decision constitutes the single largest conferral of rights to LGBT people in history. “President Obama’s advocacy on behalf of LGBT people is nothing less than historic,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin.  “We are incredibly grateful to both the president and Attorney General Eric Holder for keeping their promise of fighting to wipe out anti-LGBT discrimination at the federal level.  There is no question that the lives of LGBT people today are immeasurably better today than they were before this president took office. “The administration's sweeping interpretation and implementation of the Windsor decision has led to greatest conferral of equal rights, benefits and obligations to LGBT people in our nation's history. In record time, Attorney General

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has directed his staff to draft an executive order that would ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors, a White House official told The Huffington Post. The move is the clearest indication to date that the administration is prepared to take action on LGBT rights where Congress has fallen short. Notably, the official would not say whether the president will sign the order into law on Monday -- suggesting the White House is leaking the news to warn lawmakers that they have a limited window to pass more sweeping workplace discrimination legislation before he acts without them. "The president’s intentions are clear," the official said, when asked whether Obama would sign the order. "We will keep you posted." Obama’s plan to draft an executive order comes after years of inaction on this front. The administration has been calling on Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal for

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton engaged in an awkward exchange with NPR's Terry Gross on Thursday when the radio host pushed her on her evolving stance on gay marriage. When Clinton ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2008, she, like then-candidate Barack Obama, opposed gay marriage. Since then, both Clinton and Obama have both publicly switched their stance on the issue. Gross attempted to clarify whether Clinton's initial opposition was a "political calculation." During their conversation, Clinton responded vaguely to Gross' attempts to clarify whether the likely 2016 candidate's position on gay marriage changed at any point, making general points like "just because you’re a politician doesn’t mean you’re not a thinking human being," and "I think I’m an American, I think that we have all evolved." Gross continued to reframe her question, asking whether Clinton, at any point, changed her mind about gay marriage, or whether she supported it personally all along. "You know, I really — I have to

“For the United States to hold true to our commitment to defending the human rights of all people around the world, we must stand with the LGBT community in their struggle for recognition and equality everywhere.” [caption id="attachment_1892" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Gary Cameron / Reuters[/caption] A special envoy for LGBT rights would be created under legislation to be unveiled later today by Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey. The bill, titled “The International Human Rights Defense Act,” was formally introduced in the Senate on Thursday along with more than 20 co-sponsors, all Democrats. “For the United States to hold true to our commitment to defending the human rights of all people around the world, we must stand with the LGBT community in their struggle for recognition and equality everywhere,” Markey said in a statement to BuzzFeed. “By fostering a coordinated effort across the federal government and relevant agencies, we can meet the enormous challenge before us and work to ensure equality for all people around the

Nabisco has made another incredible public display of support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community through their Honey Maid Graham Cracker advertising campaigns, with the latest coming just in time for Pride Month! The snack company tweeted out this gif last Thursday, declaring their support for the LGBT community through social media with a clever play on the viral equality symbol. The company also sent out this tweet on Monday: In March, Nabisco released a powerful pro-LGBT family ad that that drew criticism from a number of conservatives. In response, the company released another pro-queer ad in which two artists turned all of the negative feedback on social media into an incredible "Love" art installation. Thanks for your continued support, Nabisco! (Courtesy of HuffPost.com)

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Seven couples filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging the constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage in North Dakota, making it the last state in the country with a ban to be sued by gay couples seeking the right to marry in their home state. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Fargo, challenges both North Dakota's ban on gay marriage and its refusal to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who legally wed in other states. That means cases are currently pending in all 31 states with gay marriage bans. Judges have overturned several of the bans since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last year. A federal judge also struck down Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage on Friday, ruling it unconstitutional. North Dakota's attorney general's office said it had not yet seen the suit and thus could not comment on the specifics. "Ultimately, only the Supreme Court can determine whether North

Nate Phelps grew up in a physically and mentally abusive household headed by Fred Phelps, the founder of the hate group known as the Westboro Baptist Church. Since escaping the toxic environment of the 'church' known for its trademark slogan of "God Hates Fags," Phelps has devoted his life to being an advocate for LGBT acceptance. The upcoming documentary "Not My Father's Son" will give unique insight into the inside workings of the WBC, chronicling Phelps' journey from his abusive childhood to his eventual departure which cut him off from his family. In the trailer for the film, Phelps matter-of-factly provides a chilling voiceover that explains what his childhood was like: So, my father used what was called a "mattock handle." It was a large piece of wood about four-and-a-half feet long and it had about a thirteen, fourteen-inch circumference. And he would swing that like a baseball bat when he was beating one of the kids. And he did it such that he would

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) plaintiff Edie Windsor dropped by HuffPost Live this week, speaking at length about her history-making legal victory as well as her plans for the future. See the VIDEO HERE. In the wake of U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 ruling, Windsor and her attorney Roberta Kaplan said they'll now focus their efforts on homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. “A lot of them are kids who came out with joy, with everybody else coming out, and they were thrown out of their homes,” Windsor said. Added Kaplan: “We won an important battle. But we now have to turn our attention to the people in our community who are needy and do not have the resources that we have here in New York City … it’s time, long overdue, to direct the attention of our community to those people.” On June 2, Windsor appeared at a rally in support of homeless LGBT youth at Washington Square Park in Manhattan. That event was organized by New

With Federal Court Ruling, Wisconsin’s Marriage Ban Becomes the Latest to Fall [caption id="attachment_1823" align="aligncenter" width="534"] Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's ban on gay marriage appear during a press conference at the Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wis. in November, 2013.(Photo: Pool photo, AP)[/caption] Today U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled against Wisconsin’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality, making Wisconsin the twelfth state to see such a ban struck down in federal court since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its historic marriage rulings last June.  In Wolf v. Walker, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Wisconsin and the law firm of Mayer Brown LLP sued the state on behalf of four couples seeking to marry, arguing that the Wisconsin’s ban on marriage equality violates the couples’ due process and equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Recently Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker began distancing himself from the state’s marriage ban, saying he didn't know if it violated

A draft of the Texas Republican Party's new platform embraces gay conversion therapy, arguing that it is a viable option for "patients who are seeking escape from the homosexual lifestyle." The Texas GOP convention kicks off Thursday, and one of the tasks of delegates is rewriting the party's platform. The current document, adopted in 2012, sharply condemns equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. There are multiple sections dealing with the issue, including language that reads: "We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country's founders, and shared by the majority of Texans." According to a draft of the new platform obtained by the San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle, that language is gone. It still, however, contains a section criticizing homosexuality: Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, in public policy, nor should family be

[caption id="attachment_1776" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Governor Tom Corbett salutes as a Boy Scout raises the American flag while the National Anthem is played on Monday, May 26, 2014. Nabil K. Mark/Centre Daily Times / MCT[/caption] NEW YORK CITY — While Republicans aren’t likely to join the fight for marriage equality en masse, the past week has shown that a growing core of the party is done fighting. Since Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced last Thursday that he would not be appealing a ruling striking down his state’s ban on same-sex couples’ marriages, two key Republican voices have signaled that Corbett is right and the fight is over. The next day, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker — one of the Republicans often discussed as a potential 2016 presidential nominee — essentially ceded the issue to federal judges. “Any federal judge has got to look at that law not only with respect to the state’s constitution but what it means in terms of the U.S. Constitution, as well. Again, I’m

Today, loving, committed same-sex couples all across Illinois are able to legally wed. Several county clerks will offer special hours today for couples to obtain their marriage licenses. Governor Pat Quinn signed marriage equality into law in November, making Illinois at the time the seventeenth state to provide for same-sex couples to marry. The marriage equality landscape is rapidly changing as federal courts continue to rule in favor of the rights of same-sex couples. Currently, marriage equality is the law of the land in 19 states and Washington, DC. (Courtesy of HRC.org)  

PORTLAND, Ore. — A federal judge on Monday struck down Oregon's voter-approved ban on gay marriage, saying it is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane said the ban unconstitutionally discriminates against same-sex couples and ordered the state not to enforce it. State officials earlier refused to defend the constitutional ban in court. McShane joined judges in seven other states who have struck down gay marriage bans, though appeals are underway. Oregon state officials have said they'd be prepared to carry out same-sex marriages almost immediately, and couples lined up outside the county clerk's office in Portland in anticipation of McShane's decision. Laurie Brown and Julie Engbloom arrived early Monday at the Multnomah County Building to form the line for marriage licenses. The two have been a couple for 10 years. Engbloom proposed in April, when they celebrated their anniversary by climbing Smith Rock in Central Oregon. "We always knew we wanted to spend our whole life together," Brown said. "This opportunity has come, it feels