"Our commitment doesn't change, but we will have a burden lifted off our shoulders. Loving and committed couples need legal protections." Anna Simon, who with her partner, Fran Simon, was the first to receive a Colorado civil union certificate, at 12:02 a.m. today, Denver time, one minute after the law took effect. (Associated Press)   ... [Read]

"The truth is we don't have enough openly gay and lesbian MPs being selected for parliament; just as we don't have enough black and minority ethnic MPs and we don't have enough women MPs. Parliament ought to represent the country -- it ought to look like the country that we stand for and represent." -- Shadow Home Secretary and ... [Read]

"When visitors or residents are subjected to discrimination, they suffer the sting of indignity, humiliation and outrage, but we are all demeaned and our society diminished by unlawful discrimination." William Hoshijo, executive director of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, commenting on the case of a California couple who sued a Hawaiian bed and breakfast for denying them a room ... [Read]

"Parliament is due to pass legislation shortly to allow for the first child of Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge to rule as monarch regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl. Now Labour MP Paul Flynn is gathering support for an amendment that will extend the protection to include the ... [Read]

ABC reports that Charlie Rogers, a lesbian and former basketball player, is being accused by police in Lincoln, Nebraska of falsely reporting a hate crime. According to the report, Rogers has been arrested and charged. Jim Peschong, the Lincoln Police Chief, is quoted as saying about gloves found at the scene and homphobic words allegedly cut into Rogers' skin by ... [Read]

Three important state legislators helped to rally support for Maryland's same-sex marriage bill on Sunday, Jan. 29, at a church in the city of Frederick. Delegate Galen Clagett, Senator Ron Young, and Senator Rob Garagiola (all Democrats) were joined by Attorney General Doug Gansler. Together they addressed a capacity crowd of 200, most of whom were there to represent a ... [Read]

''I think I might throw up. I might even turn this into a fart joke -- there might be some gastrointestinal distress.... There reaches a time in everybody's life -- you know, I've always been a very private person... I've always been an outspoken supporter of gay rights. I've reached my tipping to point to say, 'I'm a gay ... [Read]

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petition: PORTIA DE ROSSI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Portia de Rossi Proposed name: Portia Lee James DeGeneres From a Los Angeles, CA Superior Court document that shows that actress Portia de Rossi is going to take on the surname of her wife, Ellen ... [Read]

''The complainant hit the defendant with a handheld laundry iron about the head several times. The defendant pulled out her service revolver, which was loaded, and she shot twice.'' David Smith, District Attorney for NY, telling the New York Post about a violent altercation between Ekeythia Dunston and Erica Legall, a lesbian couple that allegedly got in an argument ... [Read]

''[Queen Latifah] is clearly enjoying her time in France, happy to share a hug with her friend and fitness trainer Jeanette Jenkins on the deck of a luxury yacht in the Med.... Queen and her female companion had travelled to Corsica last week for the wedding of singer Alicia Keys to her long time boyfriend music producer Swizz Beatz.'' From ... [Read]

''I think that you have to be married to know how different it is than just being together with someone.... It feels like a very relaxing, calming thing.... Because of that commitment, I just feel like we're more of a team. More kind of working for the common goal of us.... No of course the word [marriage] is not ... [Read]

''I believe the people of the diocese, by the grace and power and influence of the Holy Spirit, went beneath skin deep, went beneath the superficial characteristics and boxes into which we put people to really look at individual people.'' Mary D. Glasspool, 55, who has just been elected by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. She is the first ... [Read]

''I got involved with someone I never expected to get involved with, and it was that kind of awakening. I never fought it because it was like, oh, I understand why I had the issues I had early in life. I had a great deal of difficulty connecting with men in relationships.... It never occurred to me to think, ... [Read]

''We are very upset and saddened by their conclusion,” the Durkins said. “We have borne an extraordinary amount of pain over the past nine months, compounded by a protracted and at times ambiguous investigation. We now need time and privacy to grieve, and let our Ciara finally rest in peace.'' Portion of a statement from the family of Ciara ... [Read]

"Around midnight, they poured kerosene on their body and set themselves on fire. They appear to have hugged each other during the final moments of their life." An investigating officer relaying information in the deaths of two married women, Christy Jayanthi Malar, 38, and Rukmani, 40, who's families berated and physically abused them for their long-running relationship, much of ... [Read]

"Yesterday, if you haven't heard, the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on gay marriage. So, I would like to say right now, for the first time, I am announcing, I am getting married.... I'll tell you who the lucky guy is soon.... I'm so excited. If I'm this emotional now just saying it, I can't imagine how that's ... [Read]