The Supreme Court took no action on Friday on several cases regarding marriage equality petitioned for review by the court.

The high court's nine justices met in conference on Friday to discuss whether the court would hear arguments on multiple challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act and to California's Proposition 8. Shortly after 3:30 p.m. an order posted on the Supreme Court's website announced they would take up two unrelated cases, but made no mention of the DOMA and Proposition 8 cases. Action was also not taken on a case challenging an Arizona law halting domestic-partner benefits for same-sex couples who are state employees.

On Monday, Dec. 3, at 9:30 a.m., the Supreme Court will issue its next list of orders and could take action on some of these marriage-equality cases before the court. Although, as SCOTUSBlog reports, there is no indication action will be taken on Monday. Indeed, the court could delay until Dec. 7, when the justices hold their next conference.

"It is not uncommon, in cases that have some complexity, for the Court to require more than one Conference sitting to decide how to proceed," writes Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSBlog.

It still remains very likely that the court will take up at least one challenge to DOMA and issue a ruling sometime toward the end of the term in June 2013.

Today's delay was one of a series that have seen action on the multiple marriage cases pushed into the fall. The Supreme Court took no action on the cases at the beginning of the term on Oct. 1 and delayed consideration until after Election Day.

[Photo: The Supreme Court justices (Courtesy of the U.S. Supreme Court).]

A federal court ruled Thursday against the right of same-sex couples to marry in a decision that said Nevada can legally limit marriage to between a man and a woman.

The 41-page ruling in Sevcik v. Sandoval comes after Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund filed the lawsuit in April seeking marriage rights for eight same-sex couples in the state. Nevada District Court Judge Robert C. Jones states in his ruling that denying marriage rights to same-sex couples does not violate the Equal Protection Clause.

Citing a 1972 case that challenged equal protection on the basis of gender and was dismissed, Jones, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President George W. Bush, wrote that the "protection of the traditional institution of marriage, which is a conceivable basis for the distinction drawn in this case, is a legitimate state interest."

Jones states that "heightened scrutiny" should not be applied in the case because gay people have not faced the same level of discrimination as other minorities in the past.

"Homosexuals have not historically been denied the right to vote, the right to serve on juries, or the right to own property," Jones wrote, adding that four recent wins for marriage equality at the ballot box in Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota demonstrate the political power of gay Americans.

"The States are currently in the midst of an intense democratic debate about the novel concept of same-sex marriage, and homosexuals have meaningful political power to protect their interests," Jones continued. "It simply cannot be seriously maintained, in light of these and other recent democratic victories, that homosexuals do not have the ability to protect themselves from discrimination through democratic processes such that extraordinary protection from majoritarian processes is appropriate."

The ruling comes as the Supreme Court's nine justices meet in conference Friday morning to consider a number of cases regarding marriage equality, including several challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce as early as Friday afternoon or as late as Dec. 3 which cases surrounding marriage equality the high court will hear arguments on in the coming term.

The Nevada ruling is expected to be appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that struck down Proposition 8 before it was petitioned for review by the Supreme Court.

READ the full ruling here:

Sevcik v. Sandoval Ruling

As the White House and Congress continue to engage in heated battle over budget cuts and tax rates, activists warn that going over the "fiscal cliff" would result in a series of cuts to federal programs that support LGBT Americans.

In a new report published by the Center for American Progress and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the authors warn that if Congress cannot reach a deal before the end of the lame duck session, cuts to the LGBT community will be severe and may include a depletion in funds for investigating hate crimes as well as an estimated 10,000 low-income people losing access to medicine under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. 

Known as sequestration, going off the fiscal cliff would cause cuts to federal spending and increases to taxes to automatically go into effect on Jan. 2, 2013.

Specifically, the report details which programs could be affected the most by across-the-board cuts and how those cuts would negatively affect LGBT Americans. The report states:

• Sequestration would hurt gay and transgender workers and threaten their employment security because federal agencies would have fewer resources to investigate claims of employment discrimination.
• Sequestration would compromise gay and transgender health by reducing programmatic funding used to address the health care needs of gay and transgender Americans.
• Sequestration would remove critical resources from government agencies currently working to combat bullying and school violence against gay and transgender youth.
• Sequestration would limit the federal government’s ability to address the high rates of homelessness among gay and transgender youth.
• Sequestration would limit the government’s capacity to prevent discrimination in housing against gay and transgender renters, tenants and potential homeowners.
• Sequestration would hamper the government’s efforts to prevent violent crime against gay and transgender people through enforcement of hate-crimes legislation and other similar federal initiatives aimed at preventing violence in this community.

Twenty-three other organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, joined in issuing the report and calling on lawmakers for action. In a forward to the report, HRC President Chad Griffin writes that cuts from sequestration would "pull the safety net out from under" vulnerable Americans.

"As this report lays out in detail, we cannot afford for Congress to sit idly by while programs that provide a lifeline to vulnerable gay and transgender people are gutted by avoidable cuts," Griffin writes. "There's no doubt that tough choices need to be made, but we urge Congress to make cuts thoughtfully. Now is not the time to abandon the programs so vital to vulnerable Americans, including gay and transgender people. Now is the time to work together to achieve a balanced, fair approach for everyone."

The White House and leaders on Capitol Hill continue to search for a compromise on key issues of the budget. President Barack Obama has urged the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to approve a plan that extends the Bush-era tax cuts for middle-class families, but lets the top tax rate rise from 35 percent to 39.6 percent.

Although some Republicans have signaled flexibility in allowing tax rates to increase for the wealthiest Americans, they stipulate such a deal can only be reached if considerable cuts to spending are made as well.

On Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said "no substantive progress" had been made in attempts to reach a deal with the White House and Democrats, adding that "the White House has to get serious."

At a press briefing following Boehner's remarks, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reaffirmed the president's opposition to signing any legislation that extends Bush-era tax cuts for top earners.

"This should not be news to anyone on Capitol Hill," Carney said. "It is certainly not news to anyone in America who was not in a coma during the campaign season, because this was an explicit, repeated and high-profile debate throughout the campaign."

Obama and Boehner spoke by phone last night about ongoing negotiations. The call lasted 28 minutes and, according to Carney, was “frank and direct and a good conversation.”

READ the full report here:

LGBT Fiscal Cliff Report

The Obama administration marked the upcoming World AIDS Day by releasing plans for combating and defeating AIDS around the world.

During an appearance at the State Department this morning, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton unveiled a strategy titled "The President"s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Blueprint: Creating an AIDS-free Generation."

The 54-page blueprint comes two days before World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, and envisions a world where virtually no children are born with HIV. Although Clinton warned that HIV infections may continue, AIDS need not.

"Now, make no mistake about it: HIV may well be with us into the future. But the disease that it causes need not be," Clinton said. "We can reach a point where virtually no children are born with the virus, and as these children become teenagers and adults, they are at a far lower risk of becoming infected than they are today. And if they do acquire HIV, they have access to treatment that helps prevent them not only from developing AIDS, but from passing the virus on to others."

According to a State Department release, PEPFAR based its blueprint on the following principles:

• Make strategic, scientifically sound investments to rapidly scale-up core HIV prevention, treatment and care interventions and maximize impact.
• Work with partner countries, donor nations, civil society, people living with HIV, faith-based organizations, the private sector, foundations and multilateral institutions to effectively mobilize, coordinate and efficiently utilize resources to expand high-impact strategies, saving more lives sooner. 
• Focus on women and girls to increase gender equality in HIV services.
• End stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and key populations, improving their access to, and uptake of, comprehensive HIV services.
• Set benchmarks for outcomes and programmatic efficiencies through regularly assessed planning and reporting processes to ensure goals are being met.

The release comes a year after Clinton said in November 2011 that an end to AIDS was in sight. During her remarks today, Clinton said the blueprint laid out a strategy for future American leaders to build on and encouraged other countries to draft their own plans.

"I urge other countries to develop their own blueprints," Clinton said, "because to reach and AIDS-free generation, we have to keep moving forward."

PEPFAR was first established as a $15 billion commitment to fighting AIDS over five years made by former President George W. Bush that has continued under President Barack Obama.

In a statement released by the White House, Obama marked World AIDS Day by noting strides made domestically are around the world.

According to Obama, 5 million people are being treated for AIDS today, which is up from 1.7 million in 2008. By the end 2013, 6 million people are expected to be undergoing treatment. Moreover, 700,000 HIV-positive pregnant women have been treated with antiretroviral drugs to prevent them from passing the virus to their children. 

"Here in the United States we are implementing a National HIV/AIDS Strategy and concentrating our efforts in communities where HIV rates are highest, including among gay men, Latinos, and African Americans," Obama stated, adding that investments continue to be made in HIV prevention and care.

"As we continue this important work with our partners around the world and here at home, let us remember the lives we have lost to AIDS, celebrate the progress we have made, and, together, recommit to ourselves to achieving our shared vision of an AIDS-free generation," Obama said.

READ the full PEPFAR blueprint here:

PEPFAR Blueprint

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed her commitment to increasing acceptance of LGBT people around the world during a speech at the State Department today, but remained silent on concerns that continue to mount regarding an anti-gay bill in Uganda.

Addressing a group of about 200 people celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA), Clinton said achieving equality for LGBT people in the U.S. and abroad was a mission she gladly assumed.

"We have to set the example and we have to live up to our own values," Clinton said. 

"When anyone is persecuted anywhere, and that includes when LGBT people are persecuted or kept from fully participating in their societies, they suffer, but so do we," Clinton stated. "We're not only robbed of their talents and ideas, we are diminished because our commitment to the human rights of all people has to be a continuing obligation and mission of everyone who serves in the government of the United States."

The event marked the anniversary of GLIFAA's founding in 1992 in order to challenge a security-clearance process that discriminated against LGBT people serving in U.S. foreign affairs agencies.

In her speech, Clinton alluded to the struggles endured by countless diplomats in the years before a nondiscriminatory policy was issued in 1994, stating that the example set by American diplomats is a model for countries around the world.

"Remind yourself, as I do every day, what it must be like for a young boy or a young girl in some other part of the world who can literally be killed, and often has been and still will be, who will be shunned, who will be put in danger every day of his or her life," Clinton told the audience.

Clinton has made LGBT equality a priority of American foreign policy since becoming secretary of state, arguing that such policies are "integral to who we are and what we stand for."

However, left unmentioned by Clinton was continuing concerns over an anti-gay bill making its way through the Ugandan Parliament. Commonly known as the "kill the gays" bill, if passed in its original form the legislation could, among other things, force parents and teachers to report LGBT children to authorities and permit the death penalty for homosexual acts.

First introduced in 2009, the bill has faced widespread international criticism. Conflicting reports coming out of the African nation suggest the bill has not yet come out of committee, but could be approved as early as this week. There have also been reports that the death penalty provision has been dropped, but because no updated text of the bill has been released, many say such rumors could simply be an attempt by the bill's supporters to squelch international criticism.

LGBT advocates have called on the international community to condemn Uganda's actions, with some urging sanctions. Although Britain has threatened to cut aid to Uganda, the U.S. has made no such threats. President Barack Obama has condemned the bill in the past, but the White House has made no statement regarding recent movement on the bill.

Asked Nov. 26 whether the U.S. would cut foreign aid to Uganda if the bill is passed, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland refused to engage in hypothetical situations.

"Our focus now is on raising awareness of the concerns within Uganda about this bill so that we don’t get to that stage," Nuland said at a press briefing.

Yesterday, Nuland followed up on her statement, saying the State Department does not believe the bill has been passed by the committee and that the U.S. is engaged in talks with Uganda's leaders over their concerns. Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, traveled to Uganda over the weekend.

"Our understanding is that President [Yoweri] Museveni certainly took onboard the fact that this could have a serious impact on the way Uganda is perceived, the way Uganda is supported in the international community," Nuland said. "There are many hoops for this thing to go through, as you know."

Although it remains unclear where exactly the bill stands, many believe it would pass a vote on the floor of the Ugandan Parliament. And while Museveni could veto the bill, Parliament could also override his veto.

Activists appear to be preparing for the worst. In an email obtained by Metro Weekly, LGBT-rights advocates in Uganda warned that with the bill expected to be passed as early as Friday, preparations are being made by gay Ugandans to seek refuge in foreign countries. The email states some fear mob violence may erupt upon the bill's passage.

[Photo: Hillary Clinton addresses GLIFAA anniversary celebration (Credit: Justin Snow).]

Following a series of challenges to "ex-gay" reparative therapy practices across the country, Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier (Calif.) introduced a resolution this morning urging Congress to condemn what has been characterized as junk science by the mainstream medical community.

At her Nov. 28 press conference on Capitol Hill, Speier announced the resolution, calling on states to follow California's lead, which recently outlawed so-called conversion therapy for minors at the hands of licensed therapists. Titled "Stop Harming Our Kids" (SHOK), the resolution seeks to protect minors from "these snake-oil salesmen" who attempt to alter sexual orientation or gender identity.

The resolution states that "sexual orientation and gender identity or expression change efforts directed at minors are discredited and ineffective, have no legitimate therapeutic purpose, and are dangerous and harmful." Largely symbolic in nature, the resolution will face a committee vote, but could go straight to the floor of the House of Representatives if there is a suspension of the rules calling for a vote.

"Gay conversion has become a multimillion dollar industry," Speier said. "So called therapists around the country prey on fearful parents who are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to make their children conform to heterosexual norms and expectations."

Speier also said she has begun to investigate whether federal funds have gone toward the practice of conversion therapy in the form of Medicaid and TRICARE. 

"We all know that Marcus Bachmann received nearly $140,000 in annual Medicaid payments for his clinic. But who else has?" Speier asked, invoking the husband of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). Despite reports to the contrary, Marcus Bachmann, a licensed therapist, has denied his clinic engages in "pray away the gay"type therapy.

According to Speier, her cursory investigation has already found two instances where conversion therapists appear eligible for federal dollars, including a licensed counselor in Keller, Texas, and a social worker in Bloomingdale, Ill. This morning, Speier also sent letters to Medicaid and TRICARE to inquire whether those instances "reflect systemic weaknesses that allow federal tax dollars to go to harmful, illegitimate medical practices." 

Speier, who encouraged former conversion therapy patients across the country to contact her office, was joined by several activists at the press conference, including representatives from the Human Rights Campaign, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. 

Two gay men who were described as "survivors" of conversion therapy also attended the press conference, including Sheldon Bruck, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed yesterday in New Jersey against Jews Offering New Alternative for Healing (JONAH).

Bruck, who grew up in a highly religious Orthodox Jewish family, paid for conversion therapy that he says caused psychological harm and alienated him from his family.

"In conversion therapy I was told that I was sick. I was told that I needed to be fixed. I was told I had to snap myself with a rubber band every time I had a same-sex attraction," Bruck said, adding that his sexual orientation was blamed on his close relationship with his mother.

SPLC is among those representing Bruck and three other former patients and two of their mothers in the suit against JONAH. Filed in New Jersey's Superior Court Nov. 27, the plaintiffs argue that by claiming to be able to "cure" gay people of their homosexuality, JONAH violated New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act. Although neither JONAH founder Arthur Goldberg nor his "life coaches" are licensed therapists, as a company that based its product on what they described as scientific fact, the plaintiffs argue JONAH committed fraud. Indeed, many medical and psychiatric organizations have deemed conversion therapy to be ineffective and harmful.

Although California recently banned conversion therapy for youth administered by licensed therapists, the ban does not affect unlicensed therapists. The lawsuit against JONAH appears to be an attempt to target unlicensed therapists who are not subject to censure by medical associations. 

"As it relates to anything that is put in the marketplace, whether it be goods or services, there’s an expectation from the American public that it is safe and effective," Speier said, adding that it is important to shine a spotlight on services where there is the potential for fraud.

[Photo: Rep. Jackie Speier speaks to reporters at Wednesday's press conference (Credit: Justin Snow).]

READ the full resolution here:

SHOK Speier Resolution

The same woman who made history earlier this month as the first out transgender person ever elected as a state legislator will step down amid questions over her legal past.

According to Nashau Patch, New Hampshire State Representative-Elect Stacie Laughton will resign her seat after it was revealed she served more than four months in prison in 2008 for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud.

Although New Hampshire allows convicted felons to run for office and vote after fulfilling the terms of their sentence, Nashau Patch reports that questions were raised with the New Hampshire Attorney General's office as to whether she would be allowed to serve due to the open status of two convictions that were suspended pending 10 years of good behavior.

First reported by The Laconia Daily Sun last week, Laughton would have been ineligible to take office next week because of her felony conviction. Laughton would have had to wait more than six years before she could assume office.

Laughton had faced pressure to step down following the revelation.

In an interview on November 24 with Nashau Patch, Laughton said she had expected the conviction, which occurred before Laughton transitioned, to come to be revealed.

"I didn't feel it was necessary to tell [constituents], but I felt like if it came to light – which it has – I was going to be honest. I was prepared for it to come out during the campaign," Laughton said.

Laughton decided to resign her seat after conferring with state Democratic Party leaders and her lawyer. She is reportedly drafting a formal resignation letter to the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

[Photo: Stacie Laughton (Courtesy of YouTube).]

The fight against "ex-gay" conversion therapy continued in New Jersey today, where former patients of a group that promised to convert people from gay to straight filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey.

Four young men and two of their parents filed the lawsuit against the founder of Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), Arthur Goldberg, and a counselor for the group, Alan Downing, alleging that the group violated New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act by claiming that they could "cure" gay people of their homosexuality.

Represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, and Lite DePalma Greenberg, the plaintiffs' lawsuit is the first to sue a practitioner of conversion therapy on the grounds of providing fraudulent services.

The complaint alleges that, among other things, the plaintiffs were lured into believing "reparative therapy" could make them straight, spending thousands of dollars in the process while enduring abusive practices at the hands of Goldberg and Downing. Such practices have long been discredited by therapists as amounting to abuse.

Specifically, the complaint says that the plaintiffs were instructed to remove their clothing during individual and group therapy sessions. They were also instructed to cuddle with other same-sex patients and counselors as well as go to gyms and bath houses in order to be nude around father figures. Subjected to verbal abuse that included being called names like "faggots" and "homos" during mock locker room scenarios, some were also told to beat effigies of their mothers with tennis rackets.

According to Benjamin Unger, one of the plantiffs in the case, counselors convinced him his mother was responsible for making him gay.

"During my time with JONAH, they told me constantly that my mom had made me gay," Unger said in a statement. "I was so convinced that I refused to have any contact with her for several months, which caused a great deal of damage to our relationship."

"JONAH profits off of shameful and dangerous attempts to fix something that isn’t broken," said Christine Sun, SPLC deputy legal director, in a statement. "Despite the consensus of mainstream professional organizations that conversion therapy doesn't work, this racket continues to scam vulnerable gay men and lesbians out of thousands of dollars and inflicts significant harm on them."

According to SPLC, JONAH was originally known as Jews Offering New Alternatives for Homosexuality. Its founder, Arthur Goldberg, is a former Wall Street executive and attorney and was disbarred after being convicted of three counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the federal government. After being released from prison, he founded JONAH in 1999.

JONAH's website describes the organization as a "non-profit international organization dedicated to educating the world-wide Jewish community about the social, cultural and emotional factors which lead to same-sex attractions." Moreover, they claim that through "psychological and spiritual counseling, peer support, and self-empowerment, JONAH seeks to reunify families, to heal the wounds surrounding homosexuality, and to provide hope."

The New York Times reports that neither Goldberg nor Downing are subject to censure from medicial associations because they are not licensed therapists.

The lawsuit against JONAH comes after California became the first state in the nation to ban conversion therapy for youth at the hands of licensed therapists in September. The California law is facing legal challenges from conservative groups, including the Liberty Counsel. In October, SPLC also filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation against Paul McNulty, a state licensed clinical social worker who practices reparative therapy.

READ the full complaint here:

Ferguson v. JONAH - Complaint

One of the country's most acclaimed actors is lending his voice to the fight for marriage equality in a new ad produced by the Human Rights Campaign.

Morgan Freeman narrates the 30-second ad, which began airing on Sunday. Invoking the women's suffrage movement and the civil rights movement, the ad asserts that the fight for the right of same-sex couples to marry is the next battle for equality.

Entitled "Dawn of a New Day," Freeman's unmistakable voice narrates an ad with images of the nation's historic landmarks and images of same-sex couples. "America stands at the dawn of a new day," Freeman begins.

Freedom, justice and human dignity have always guided our journey toward a more perfect union. Now across our country, we are standing together for the right of gay and lesbian Americans to marry the person they love. And with historic victories for marriage, we've delivered a mandate for full equality. The wind is at our back. But our journey has just begun. Join us.

HRC director of communications, Michael Cole-Schwartz, told Metro Weekly that Freeman donated his services after being contacted by the country's largest LGBT-rights organization. HRC paid $250,000 for the ad to run on cable news shows as well as the Sunday news shows in D.C., New York and Los Angeles from Nov. 25 through Dec. 2. According to Cole-Schwartz, the buy was done to "focus on the quality of the viewership as opposed to gross rating points."

In a statement released Sunday, HRC President Chad Griffin said sweeping wins for marriage equality at the ballot box on Election Day "proved to be a pivotal turning point in the movement for marriage equality."

"As we continue the march toward full equality in legislatures and the courts, it is crystal clear that the prospect of an equal future is no longer up for debate; the question now is how soon it will arrive," Griffin said. "While we celebrate today, we will keep fighting until full equality has reached every single person in every corner of this vast country."

The new ad comes as HRC begins to focus its efforts on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which remains stalled in Congress, and continues to press for an executive order from the White House that would forbid federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Cases surrounding marriage equality, in the form of several challenges to the discriminatory 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and the challenge to California's Proposition 8, also await review by the Supreme Court.

WATCH the ad here:

[Editor's note: This post has been updated to incorporate statements from an HRC spokesman.]

Activists and LGBT leaders across the globe are marking the 14th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance today as a means to raise awareness of the violent hate crimes perpetrated against transgender people and to remember those lost over the past year.

Held every year on Nov. 20, the vigil was founded by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith to honor Rita Hester after her murder in Massachusetts on Nov. 28, 1998. Hester's case, like many other incidents of violence against transgender people, remains unsolved. Studies consistently show violence against transgender people remains at staggeringly high levels. According to a 2011 report by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Program, 40 percent of murders against members of the LGBT community were against transgender women, particularly women of color.

The Trans Murder Monitoring Project reports that at least 265 transgender people have been murdered around the world since last Nov. 20, with 13 killed in the United States.

With vigils being held in hundreds of cities across the world, leaders from several LGBT-rights organizations have issued statements marking the important event.

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice."

— Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Transgender Day of Remembrance founder

"Today we commemorate our transgender brothers and sisters we’ve lost, and stand in solidarity against hate-based violence. Transgender people face violence at unfathomable rates and we must keep all those affected by these crimes in our memory so that we can see an end to this brutality.”

— Chad Griffin, Human Rights Campaign president

"With anti-transgender violence on the rise, we remember our colleagues, friends and family whose lives were taken simply because of who they are. We must stand together to end the violence, working every day to spread awareness and acceptance of transgender people."

— Herndon Graddick, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation president

"The Task Force family joins in the somber commemoration of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. We hold in our hearts and thoughts those lost to anti-transgender hate violence. Let us all use this day to not only remember, but to rededicate ourselves to bringing an end to discrimination and violence against transgender people. As our national study shows, discrimination is pervasive and severe toward transgender and gender non-conforming people. The alarming personal stories and stats show that transgender people face injustice everywhere and in many ways. They fear for their livelihood, their safety, their ability to feed their families and have a roof over their heads. This is simply unacceptable. We must continue working toward a culture that affirms the dignity and worth of all people. Until no more of our transgender friends and family are lost to senseless hate violence, we must not rest."

— Rea Carey, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director

“On this solemn day, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission mourns the loss of our transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short by ignorance and hate. We call upon governments everywhere to eliminate discriminatory laws that encourage transphobic violence and to conduct popular education to respect the safety and dignity of all people, regardless of gender identity or expression.”

—Jessica Stern, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission executive director

"Today, NCTE is in solemn vigil for the transgender people we've lost to senseless anti-transgender violence. Transgender Day of Remembrance is a chilling reminder that the work we all do too often comes too late for many in our community. So, today, we reflect on the people we've lost. And tomorrow, we renew our commitment to ending the discrimination and violence that keeps many more of us imprisoned with fear."

—Mara Keisling, National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director

[Photo via Facebook courtesy of Transgender Day of Remembrance.]

In a column published by The Hill this afternoon, California Rep. Mike Honda (D) called on his fellow lawmakers to pass broad immigration reform that incorporates same-sex couples.

According to Honda, the need for comprehensive and bipartisan immigration reform is now, but such reform must be inclusive to the continued struggles that same-sex couples face.

Following President Barack Obama's re-election earlier this month, which saw 71 percent of Hispanic voters cast their ballots for Obama rather than Mitt Romney, Republicans have sought to reevaluate their relationship with growing minority populations. Honda argues that these numbers demonstrate the need to prioritize immigration reform.

"In addition to unjust family separation, our broken immigration system does not extend immigrant rights to same-sex partners, and LGBT families are left out of the immigration system," Honda wrote. "The LGBT community’s triumph on Tuesday represents progress for immigrant rights."

Honda introduced the Reuniting Families Act in May 2011, which, among other things, would grant binational same-sex couples the same rights enjoyed by straight couples, including the ability for gay Americans to sponsor their partners for citizenship. According to Honda, his legislation would reduce "the backlog of families trying to reunite with their loved ones by classifying lawful permanent resident spouses, including LBGT partners and children, as 'immediate relatives.'" 

In his column, Honda continued: 

As we move forward to advance LGBT rights, including overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, we must illuminate the realities of same-sex, immigrant partnerships. No one should have to choose between their spouse and their country, and U.S. citizens should not be separated from their loved ones.

The comprehensive and inclusive Reuniting Families Act will ensure that same sex-partners and families are treated equitably in the immigration system. When we recognize the intersections in the experiences and struggles of immigrant and LGBT communities, we can work together to oppose repressive legislation, fix systems, and support policies that protect rights and promote inclusivity.

According to a study by the Williams Institute, there are about 28,500 binational same-sex couples in the U.S. today. Including the nearly 11,500 same-sex couples in which neither partner is an American citizen, they are raising about 25,000 children. Current immigration policies threaten to tear many of these families apart because of a same-sex partner's inability to apply for permanent residency.

[Photo: Mike Honda (Courtesy of the House of Representatives).]

Oregon became the first state to elect an out lesbian speaker of a state legislature on Thursday in what was another victory for LGBT candidates on the state level.

State Rep. Tina Kotek was elected by her fellow Democrats as speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives yesterday. Although Kotek's election must be formally ratified when the Legislature convenes in January, the Democratic majority all but guarantees Kotek will find herself as the first out lesbian to ever lead a chamber of a state legislature in the country.

As the second most powerful Democratic leader in the House after Republicans lost their majority in 2011, many suspected she would ascend to speaker.

According to the Associated Press, Kotek said her goal was not to make history, but that she appreciates the leadership role she now plays in the LGBT community.

"We all look for people out there who look like us," she told the AP. "I have had emails and text messages from people who are very excited."

First elected to the House in 2006, Kotek lives with her partner, Aimee Wilson, in Portland.

Kotek's election is part of a broader series of victories that saw more than 110 LGBT candidates win at the state and local level. Like many of those candidates, Kotek was backed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

[Photo: Tina Kotek (Courtesy of the Oregon House of Representatives).]

President Barack Obama nominated seven judges to the federal bench today, including the president's first out African-American nominee. 

Judge William L. Thomas was nominated by Obama on Wednesday to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

In a statement, Obama called on the Senate to promptly consider his nominees as too many courtroom benches remain unfilled.

"These individuals have demonstrated the talent, expertise, and fair-mindedness Americans expect and deserve from their judicial system," Obama said. "They also represent my continued commitment to ensure that the judiciary resembles the nation it serves. I am grateful for their willingness to serve and confident that they will apply the law with the utmost impartiality and integrity."

According to the White House, Thomas has served as a circuit judge in Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit since 2005, presiding over civil and criminal cases. Prior to that, he spent seven years as an assistant federal public defender in the Southern District of Florida and as an assistant public defender in Miami-Dade County.

A 1994 graduate of the Temple University School of Law, Thomas's nomination marks the seventh out gay person nominated to the federal bench by Obama. Of the previous six nominated, three have been confirmed by the Senate and one — Edward DuMont — withdrew his nomination last November after waiting 18 months to receive his first committee hearing on his nomination. 

Denis Dison, vice president of communications for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, told Metro Weekly that Thomas received the stamp of approval from the group's Presidential Appointments Project.

In a statement released after Thomas's nomination was announced, Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the nomination coming the same week the Senate is back in session is a reminder of the "judicial vacancy crisis" that has left more than 100 judgeships vacant nationwide.

"Today's announcement also reflects the President's historic commitment to advancing a diverse judiciary that looks like America," Zirkin said in a statement. "If confirmed, these nominees would bring more women, minorities, and openly gay judges to courts to better reflect the nation they serve."

In August, Obama also nominated out federal prosecutor Pamela Chen to the federal bench in the Eastern District of New York. Chen’s Senate hearing was held in September.

If confirmed, Thomas would become only the second out LGBT African-American to serve as a federal judge. The first, Deborah Batts, was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

[Photo: Judge William Thomas (Courtesy of Washington & Jefferson College).]

Proponents of marriage equailty are facing another delay as the Supreme Court pushed back when it will consider which cases related to same-sex marriage the high court will hear.

Although many same-sex-marriage supporters had their sights set on Nov. 20, when the nine Supreme Court justices were originally scheduled to meet in conference to decide whether to take up the case challenging California's Proposition 8 as well as several challenges to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, those cases will now be considered on Nov. 30.

The Washington Post's Robert Barnes first reported the rescheduled conference date on Nov. 11.

At the start of the high court's new term in October, the justices held over the Proposition 8 case until after Election Day, most likely so they could consider it along with the several DOMA cases petitioned for review by the court.

Many legal scholars expect the court to hear arguments on at least one of the challenges to Section 3 of DOMA, although a ruling on the 1996 law, which forbids federal recognition of same-sex unions, is unlikely to come until June 2013.

It remains to be seen if the court will consider the Proposition 8 case, which could have the most immediate impact. If the court announces it will not hear Hollingsworth v. Perry, then the decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against Proposition 8 will stand and same-sex marriages could resume in California within a day.

Proposition 8 was approved by California voters in 2008 and amended the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriages after the state had already granted that right to gay couples.

Plaintiffs in the case have asked the high court not to hear the case, partly on the basis that each day gay Californians' right to marry is denied "is a day that can never be returned to them — a wrong that can never be remedied."

Under that reasoning, the court's delay is another 10 days the right to marry is denied to California same-sex couples.

Krysten Sinema was declared the winner in the House race for Arizona's 9th Congressional District on Monday.

According to the Associated Press, Sinema, who will become the first out bisexual member of Congress, won her race against Republican Vernon Parker. The Arizona Democrat will represent a new Phoenix-area district created after the 2010 Census.

The race had been too close to call for almost a week after Election Day, Nov. 6. Although Sinema held a slight lead over Parker on election night, she now leads Parker by nearly 6,000 votes, a margin the AP predicts Parker will not be able to makeup.

After Sinema is sworn in this January, she will become only the second out woman to serve in Congress, the first being Sen.-elect Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who previously served in the House.

The number of out members of Congress will reach historic levels during the 113th Congress, with a total of seven LGB lawmakers serving in the House of Representatives and the Senate. During the last Congress, four out members served in the House. Of the eight out candidates to run for Congress this election, only Massachusetts Republican Richard Tisei was defeated.

[Photo: Kysten Sinema (Courtesy of Sinema for Congress).]

The president of the anti-gay Family Research Council is predicting "revolution" following a clean sweep of historic victories for the LGBT-rights movement on Election Day. 

Tony Perkins, who has long railed against the rights of LGBT Americans and helped draft the Republican Party's anti-gay national party platform, has taken to the airwaves with rhetoric apocalyptic in tone following the re-election of President Barack Obama and the victories for supporters of marriage equality in four different states Tuesday. 

Appearing on the American Family Association Channel, Perkins declared statements by activists that Tuesday's sweep of victories were a watershed moment for the LGBT-rights movement to be unfounded. According to Perkins, any ruling by the Supreme Court that declares the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, which could be influenced by Tuesday's victories, would leave Americans as divided as after the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

"I think if the court steps in at this moment and says, 'We're redefining marriage, same-sex marriage will be the law in every land,' I'll tell you what, I think you will create a firestorm of opposition," Perkins said.

Noting continued divisions over abortion four decades after the Supreme Court upheld a woman's right to choose, Perkins continued: "When you look at a nation that is so divided along these moral and cultural issues, that you could have, I hate to use the word, but a revolt, a revolution. I think you could see Americans saying, 'You know what, enough of this,' and I think it could explode and just break this nation apart."

In a separate appearance with Perkins after the election, FRC Vice President Tom McClusky invoked "civil disobedience" as a term that will come up often over the next four years.

While Perkins and other opponents continue to justify Tuesday's defeats as merely a setback, Republicans, stunned by Mitt Romney's defeat on Tuesday as well as defeats in numerous Senate races, are re-evaluating how they connect with voters. 

"We have a period of reflection and recalibration ahead for the Republican Party," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in a statement released after the election was called on Tuesday. 

According to exit polls, 71 percent of Hispanic voters, a demographic that continues to grow and a majority of which now support marriage equality, went for Obama. In 2008, 67 percent voted for the president.

Although Perkins and other opponents continue to insist otherwise, many party faithful have argued Republicans have some soul-searching to do.

WATCH Perkins's comments here via RightWingWatch.org:

Election Day ushered in what many leaders are describing as a new era for the LGBT-rights movement, with historic victories that nearly doubled the number of out legislators on Capitol Hill and legalized same-sex marriage in three new states.

While historic in scope, overshadowed by many of those victories were wins for more than 110 LGBT candidates at the state and local level.

According to Denis Dison, vice president of communications for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which seeks to increase LGBT representation on both sides of the aisle, the number of state legislatures with no out LGBT members went from 17 to 10, with states like West Virginia electing Stephen Skinner as their first out state lawmaker ever.

Democrat Stacie Laughton beat two Republican challengers on Tuesday to become New Hampshire’s first out transgender legislator. Her win in New Hampshire not only made history in the state, but for the broader trans movement as Laughton became the first out trans person ever elected to a seat in a state legislature.

"We are people, too, who still have talents and ideas," Laughton told the Nashau Telegraph. "And I hope that people won't be afraid to get into politics, or any other position, for that matter. I want the community to feel inspired." 

Laughton wasn't the only one to make history this week.

In Colorado, Mark Ferrandino brought LGBT leadership to new levels in the state. Although Ferrandino has served in the Colorado House of Representatives since 2007, his fellow Democrats nominated him for speaker of the House on Thursday, marking the first time an out gay person has presided over the chamber.

Ferrandino will not officially assume the position until an official vote in early January, but his election is all but assured by the Democratic majority. When he does become speaker, Colorado will join California and Rhode Island as the three states to have an out speaker.

Adding to the excitement in Colorado, which banned same-sex marriage in 2006, out state Sen. Pat Steadman is expected to run for President of the Colorado Senate. If Steadman is successful, as many suspect he will be, it would mark the first time both chambers of a state legislature have gay leaders.

In Oregon, control of the House of Representatives flipped from Republican to Democrat. Democratic Leader Tina Kotek is expected to become speaker of the House, and with it the first lesbian speaker in American history.

Ohio Republican Tim Brown also won election on Tuesday to the state House of Representatives, becoming the only out Republican state legislator in the nation. 

A younger generation of LGBT leaders also won their races on Tuesday, including Craig Cassey, who won election to D.C.'s Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC). At 20-years-old, Cassey is the youngest out gay person ever elected to office, according to Dison.

In Maine, 21-year-old Justin Chenette was also elected to Maine's House of Representatives, becoming the youngest state legislator in the nation.

[Photo: Screenshot from Stacie Laughton campaign video (Courtesy of Stacie Laughton for State Rep 2012).]

With the re-election of President Barack Obama, gains in LGBT representation in Congress, and four victories for marriage equality at the ballot box, advocates are declaring Election 2012 to be a watershed moment for the LGBT-rights movement.

The victories from Maryland to Wisconsin and Washington were so decisive and so expansive many are speculating whether the game has changed entirely for the fight for full equality.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said Nov. 6, 2012 will "prove to be a turning-point election in the history of the LGBT movement."

"The momentum is on our side on all fronts for the first time, our opposition is on the defensive on all fronts, and we intend to keep them just there," Griffin said, declaring Tuesday's victories to be a "landslide for equality." 

Indeed, nearly two years after HRC began planning its 2012 election strategy and after the largest effort to mobilize the LGBT community ever, exit polls indicate LGB Americans remain a voting block to be reckoned with. 

According to national exit-poll data, turnout by voters who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual increased by 4 percent in 2008 to 5 percent in 2012. Of those voters, 76 percent cast their ballots for Obama, a 6 percent increase over 2008. Voters were not asked if they identify as transgender.

Griffin was euphoric over the wave of good news following yesterday's election, the most recent coming just this afternoon when activists declared victory for marriage equality in Washington.

"We have run the numbers every which way, and we can now confidently say that we have won," said Washington United for Marriage campaign manager Zach Silk in a statement released shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The approval of marriage equality in Maryland, Maine and Washington as well as the defeat of a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota has left Griffin and HRC energized.

Never before has marriage equality won at the ballot box, a fact opponents like the National Organization for Marriage have long pointed out. Not anymore, said Griffin.

"Winning one of these would have been historic," Griffin said. "We would have halted our opposition's argument that this issue cannot win at the ballot box."

To win all four, however, is powerful in a way that may take time to truly realize.

Despite victories across the country last night, opponents of equality remain. In a statement, NOM President Brian Brown credited the four marriage-equality victories to the liberal demographics of the states.

"Though we are disappointed over these losses, we remain faithful to our mission and committed to the cause of preserving marriage as God designed it," Brown stated. "Marriage is a true and just cause, and we will never abandon the field of battle just because we experienced a setback."

Looking forward, Griffin said HRC will continue to press Obama on workplace protections for LGBT Americans, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which remains stalled in Congress. Moreover, the president has yet to expand an executive order to ban federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, which Griffin says HRC plans to continue to push for during Obama's second term.

They will also focus their efforts in states that have not yet passed marriage-equality legislation, although Griffin would not go into specifics about any particular campaigns.

Said Griffin, "When we have this momentum it is not the time when we slow down, it is the time when we double down."

[Photo: Chad Griffin (Courtesy of HRC).]

Marriage equality appears to be safe from repeal in Iowa as Democrats maintained a majority in the state Senate on Tuesday.

The Democratic majority in the Senate, which stands at 26 to 23 Republicans, likely means that attempts by conservatives in the state to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage will be unsuccessful for at least another two years.

Iowa has recognized same-sex couples’ right to marry since April 2009 when the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of a lawsuit first brought against the state by six same-sex couples in 2005.

One of the seven judges who ruled unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs was Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins, who successfully defeated a campaign to recall him from the bench.

According to the Des Moines Register, Wiggins won 54 percent of the vote with 83 percent of Iowa's precincts reporting.

The National Organization for Marriage had sought to recall Wiggins from the bench, much as they had the other justices. After a $600,000 campaign to unseat them, three of the judges were recalled in 2010. The remaing three who ruled in favor of marriage equality will face their retention votes in 2016.

Wiggins's successful defeat of efforts to unseat him was just one of several Election Day failures by NOM. 

According to the Human Rights Campaign, NOM and Iowans for Freedom spent more that $465,000 in their efforts to unseat Wiggins. HRC contributed $145,000 to the retention campaign

HRC President Chad Griffin called the successful campaign waged by Wiggins as a testament to the value of an independent judiciary.

"Iowans have made a strong statement for judicial independence and refused to let politics get in the way of judges doing their duty to uphold the law," Griffin said in a statement.  "Right-wing groups trying to exact political retribution on judges should learn their lesson."

[Photo: Campaign ad from Vote YES on Retention (Courtesy of YesOnRetention.com).]

The number of out members of Congress is set to increase to historic levels following a series of wins during the Nov. 6 election.

When the 113th Congress convenes in January 2013, Democrats Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Sean Patrick Maloney of New York will become the latest LGBT Americans to serve in Congress. California Democrat Mark Takano, who would become the first out person of color elected to Congress, is also expected to win his House race. Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.) both won re-election Tuesday, bringing the number of LGBT people in the House to at least four.

A winner has yet to be called in the House race for Arizona Democrat Krysten Sinema, who would become the first out bisexual person elected to Congress. Latest results show her with a slight lead.

Perhaps most historic of all, Tammy Baldwin, who is vacating the House seat that will be occupied by Pocan, will become the first out person to ever serve in the Senate and Wisconsin's first woman senator.

Baldwin faced a tough battle against Republican Tommy Thompson, a former governor of Wisconsin and member of President George W. Bush's administration.

However, after polling slightly ahead of Thompson throughout the final weeks of the campaign, Baldwin secured her Senate seat, breaking one of the final barriers for LGBT politicians.

"I am well aware that I will be the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate," Baldwin said to a roar of cheers from supporters at her victory party Tuesday night. "But I didn't run to make history. I ran to make a difference."

It was a theme echoed throughout the campaign, which saw little emphasis from either side on Baldwin's sexual orientation.

For Pocan, who also replaced Baldwin in the Wisconsin State Legislature after her departure in 1998, replacing Baldwin in the House will mark the first time two out members of Congress have consecutively occupied the same seat.

Baldwin's election was also a major win for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed her candidacy after first helping her become the first lesbian elected to the House of Representatives in 1999.

In a statement released by Victory Fund president and CEO Chuck Wolfe, Baldwin's win "will go down in history."

"This is a historic victory not only for the people of Wisconsin, but for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans across the country who have finally gained an authentic and powerful voice in Congress' upper chamber," Wolfe said. "Tonight Tammy shattered a glass ceiling that has existed for more than two centuries, and we could not be more thrilled."

Baldwin's decisive victory also received praise from Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, who noted she ran a campaign focused on the issues that matter most to Wisconsin voters.

"As the first openly gay person elected to the United States Senate, she is a role model for LGBT youth and all young women across the country," Griffin said in a statement.

The number of out members of Congress stood at an all-time high of four this past session. Following the announcement by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) that he would retire at the end of his term and Baldwin's decision to run for Senate, some feared that number would dwindle. However, if Sinema wins her House race, that number will increase to seven.

Out Massachusetts Republican Richard Tisei was the only gay congressional candidate to lose his election in one of the country's most expensive congressional races. In a tight race against pro-gay Democratic Rep. John Tierney, Tisei was defeated 48.25 to 47.25 percent, despite securing support from many in the Republican establishment.

According to Denis Dison, vice president of communications for Victory Fund, which endorsed Tisei, it appears strong turnout from supporters of Democrat Elizabeth Warren may have swamped Tisei in the traditionally Democratic state. Warren, who supports marriage equality, defeated Republican Sen. Scott Brown and reclaimed the seat once held by Ted Kennedy for the Democrats.

Warren was part of a series of pro-LGBT candidates to win election on Tuesday night, helping to maintain and increase by one a Democratic majority in the Senate. Although Republicans maintained control of the House, they lost two seats.

[Photo: Tammy Baldwin (Courtesy of Tammy Baldwin for Senate).]

In what was a series of decisive victories for LGBT Americans on Election Day, President Barack Obama won re-election shortly after polls closed on the West Coast Nov. 6, securing wins in key battleground states and defeating Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

At 11:18 p.m., CNN projected Obama would win Ohio, pushing him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency and sparking celebrations across the country.

Although Romney did not officially concede the race until 1 a.m., Obama continued to rack up 303 electoral votes and 50 percent of the popular vote before Romney formally admitted defeat. 

During his victory speech in Chicago shortly after 1:30 a.m. Eastern time, Obama expressed gratitude for his supporters and hinted at the theme of hope that branded much of his first campaign.

"For the United States of America, the best is yet to come," Obama said to cheers from supporters.

LGBT-rights activists immediately praised Obama’s re-election as continuing the momentum of his first term, during which Obama became the first sitting president to openly endorse marriage equality. 

Calling Obama the "Ally-in-Chief," Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin described the LGBT community as “elated” to send the president back to the White House for a second term.

"There is no doubt that we will continue to see tremendous progress toward full equality like we've made during his first four years," Griffin said in a statement. "His reelection after expressing support for marriage equality is further proof that the momentum is on the side of marriage for all families."

Griffin’s praise of Obama was echoed by Evan Wolfson, president and founder of Freedom to Marry, who credited Obama's support for marriage equality for galvanizing his base and independents.

"In reelecting President Obama, the American people chose a candidate who strongly and explicitly supports the freedom to marry – and rejected a challenger who had opposed the freedom to marry and criticized every step the president has taken to end discrimination against loving and committed gay couples and their families," Wolfson said in a statement. "The president's reelection further reflects and accelerates the momentum for marriage, which Freedom to Marry will transform into more victories in 2013."

Despite the praise lavished on Obama's success, some LGBT advocates indicated that work remains in Obama’s second term. 

OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson, who was named the first transgender head of a major LGBT-rights organization late last month, said Obama knows that the successful repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was the beginning of a larger struggle. 

"Now is the time to step on the gas to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and ensure that all service members and their families are treated equally by our military," Robinson said in a statement. "And now is the time to say once and for all that any qualified American who wants to serve our country in uniform should not face discrimination or harassment because of sexual orientation or gender identity." 

DOMA, which is currently facing review by the Supreme Court, prevents same-sex military couples from receiving federal benefits. And despite the repeal of DADT, transgender Americas are still barred from serving in the military.

Despite Obama's record as the most gay-friendly president in American history, not all were pleased with Tuesday’s election results, including the LGBT conservative group GOProud, which endorsed Romney.

"We congratulate Barack Obama on his win. The President performed a spectacular political sleight of hand in this election," said Jimmy LaSalvia, GOProud Executive Director, in a statement. "Instead of this election being a referendum on his failed record on jobs and the economy, Obama and his campaign successfully made this about side-show issues and the culture wars."

WATCH Obama's full victory speech here:

All eyes will be on the presidential race when the first polls close on the East Coast. But while the contest between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will garner much of the attention tonight, several key congressional and state ballot measures will be key for LGBT voters. From Maryland to Wisconsin, these are the races to watch:

Baldwin vs. Thompson

In Wisconsin, out Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D) is engaged in a heated race against former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) for the Senate. Polls are tight in the race, with Baldwin showing a slight lead over Thompson. If Baldwin wins, she would become the first out member of the Senate. With Republicans hoping to win control of the Senate, maintaining a Democratic majority could come down to Wisconsin.

Tierney vs. Tisei

Pro-gay Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney (D) is fighting for the seat in the House of Representatives he has held since 1997 against out Republican Richard Tisei. Tisei, who served 26 years in the Massachusetts State Legislature. Tisei is pro-choice and supports marriage equality and would become the first out Republican elected to the House as a non-incumbent.

Cicilline vs. Doherty

Out Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline (D) has served only one term in the House of Representatives but is facing a close race against Republican Brendan Doherty. Cicilline, the former mayor of Providence, has faced criticism for painting a rosier picture of the city’s budget situation than was actually true.

Polis vs. Lundberg

In Colorado, out Rep. Jared Polis (D) is facing a challenge from Republican Kevin Lundberg for the House seat he has held since 2008. Polis is expected to be easily re-elected.

Parker vs. Sinema

In Arizona, Democratic state Sen. Krysten Sinema is hoping to unseat Rep. Vernon Parker (R). If successful, Sinema would become the first openly bisexual person elected to Congress and the only out woman serving in the House.

Pocan vs. Lee

Democrat Marc Pocan is expected to easily be elected to the House seat being vacated by Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin. Facing off against Republican Christopher Lee in the liberal district, Pocan also replaced Baldwin in the Wisconsin State Legislature after she was first elected to Congress in 1998.

Hayworth vs. Maloney

In New York, out Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney is hoping to replace Republican Rep. Nan Hayworth. Although Maloney is gay, Hayworth has received support from gay conservatives, including Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud, for pro-gay stances.

Takano vs. Tavaglione

California Democrat Mark Takano is in a closer race against Republican John Tavaglione and if successful would become the first out person of color elected to Congress.

***

In four states, voters will cast their ballots on marriage equality. For supporters of same-sex marriage, the ballot measures in Maryland, Washington, Maine and Minnesota, provide an opportunity to change the discussion over marriage equality.

Never before have marriage-equality supporters won at the polls, although they have secured legislative and judicial victories. Supporters, like the Human Rights Campaign, and opponents, like the National Organization for Marriage, have poured millions of dollars into the four states. Successful passage in any of the four ballot measure states could be a game-changer for the LGBT-rights movement.

Maryland Referendum

In the Free State, Maryland voters will vote on Question 6 and decide whether marriage equality legislation passed by the State Legislature in February will go into effect early next year. Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley, who many speculate will run for president in 2016, has attached himself closely to the campaign.

Washington Referendum

Voters in Washington state will vote on Referendum 74 and decide whether that state will also put marriage equality legislation into effect, which was passed by the State Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire earlier this year.

Maine Ballot Initiative

Maine voters will vote on Question 1, which, unlike in Maryland and Washington, does not revolve around legislation. Instead, Maine will be the first state to vote on marriage equality petitioned for approval only by voters.

Minnesota Constitutional Amendment

Minnesota voters will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in the state.

[Photo: U.S. Capitol Building (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).]

Montgomery County residents flowed steadily in and out of the voting precinct at Bethesda's Walter Johnson High School this morning, with wait times running anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes, according to elections officials and those who said they had cast their ballots and had not experienced any problems.

Several voters said they were excited about today's election because the number of hotly contested ballot initiatives – including Question 6, which would allow gay and lesbian couples access to civil marriage licenses – gave people a chance to influence a close election in their reliably blue state, which is expected to vote for President Obama and congressional Democrats by wide margins. 

"This is what democracy looks like!" Debbie Mazia, a union member, said exuberantly as she exited the polling place with a wide smile across her face. "I'm so excited. This is wonderful. And every vote counts."

Mazia said the ballot, which was stacked with seven different statewide referendums as well as countywide ballot initiatives, wasn't too cumbersome, though she did call it “the longest ballot I've seen.”

Asked about Question 6, Mazia said, "I'm for marriage equality. And I think it'll do fine. I think everyone has a right to that, and I see it as a civil rights issue." 

Mazia said she also voted for casino gaming in Prince George's County and for Maryland's version of the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented students who graduate from Maryland high schools and whose parents have paid taxes to receive in-state tuition rates at local institutions of higher learning. 

Nicole Gabrielle Boucher Commodore, a recent transplant from Chicago, said she had to do a lot of research to prepare for the various ballot initiatives and local elections. Commodore said she voted against Question 7, to expand gambling at National Harbor, largely because friends of hers who live in that area didn't want a casino in their neighborhood. 

But even though Commodore said she saw a lot of advertising that linked Question 7 with Question 6, particularly from religious groups, she voted in favor of marriage equality. Commodore said she has friends and acquaintances who are LGBT, which helped influence her vote. 

Marsha G., who asked that her last name not be used, told Metro Weekly that Question 6 was among one of her top priorities on the ballot, which she announced almost immediately after leaving the polling place. 

"I've always thought that anyone who wants to marry whoever they want to, that's so important," she said, noting that she has an LGBT co-worker with a partner. "They're in love, they care about each other. It's about caring. And why shouldn't they be allowed to do any of that? I mean, it's crazy for people to say they don't want that. Well, let them live their own lives!”

"I hope people are intelligent enough," Marsha said when asked if Question 6 would pass in Montgomery County. "It comes down to intelligence. And if it's going to pass anywhere, it should pass here."

But Marsha also said that many of the referendums contained confusing wording, including Questions 4, 6 and 7.

"You read it and you don't always know what they're asking," she said.

It's Election Day in America and with millions heading to the polls to cast their ballot for president it's worth taking a look at where President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stand on LGBT issues. Here's an excerpt from our presidential voter guide.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Obama: First president to openly endorse the right to marry for same-sex couples. Endorses marriage-equality ballot measures in Maryland, Maine and Washington. Opposes proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

Romney: Believes marriage should be between a man and a woman. Fought against marriage equality as governor of Massachusetts.

DADT REPEAL

Obama: Repealed the military's 16-year-old ban on out service by gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Has not indicated if he supports an end to the ban on transgender servicemembers.

Romney: Opposed the repeal of DADT. Has not indicated if he would work to overturn the repeal as president.

FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

Obama: Opposes amending the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Romney: Supports amending the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

ENDA

Obama: Supports and would sign the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which, in its latest iteration, would forbid employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of either their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Romney: Supported ENDA in 1994, but now says ENDA would hurt employers. Says workplace nondiscrimination laws should be instituted at the state level.

DOMA

Obama: Declared the federal ban on recognizing same-sex marriages unconstitutional and ordered the Justice Department to stop defending the law in court.

Romney: Supports the Defense of Marriage Act.

READ our full presidential voter guide here.

A right-wing organization with ties to a Texas-based tea party group is training its volunteer poll workers with literature that, among other things, depicts a man in a dress as an example of "voter fraud," prompting the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) to speak out against the stereotype.

Mara Keisling, executive director of NCTE, told Metro Weekly that True the Vote, a vote-monitoring organization with roots to the King Street Patriots, a tea party group active in Texas, has been training voters using literature implying that transgender voters are illegitimate. 

Keisling said that True the Vote poll watchers are being trained to challenge the signatures of voters, thereby forcing poll workers to ask for identification in the hopes of forcing “questionable” voters, including minorities and transgender people, to be forced to cast a provisional ballot, which is often not counted, and would also require the voter to come back after Election Day to prove their identity.

True the Vote claims to be nonpartisan, but largely focuses on fraud allegedly committed by Democrats and liberals. On the organization’s website, the group admits that its efforts "began out of experiences during the 2008 election cycle" in Harris County, Texas. In 2008, due to high minority turnout, President Barack Obama was able to win Harris County, 50 percent to 49 percent, over John McCain, even as he lost Texas by 11 points.

True the Vote says it has successfully trained 1,000 poll workers to observe the election process in Harris County during the 2010 elections and plans to have more volunteers around the country observing the polls during this year’s elections.

"True the Vote’s whole purpose is to suppress voters who they think will not support their chosen candidates," she told Metro Weekly. "It’s a big scare, it’s un-American and it’s disgraceful."

Citing a study by the Williams Institute that determined that up to 20,000 transgender people could be denied their right to vote, particularly in states that have passed more restrictive laws around voter identification, Keisling said that NCTE has set up a website, votingwhiletrans.org, to help educate transgender voters about the identification they may need to prove their identity.

The Voting While Trans website includes a checklist that voters can use to determine what identification – and often supporting documents, such as a utility bill – to bring to the polls. It also includes a back page designed to educate poll workers and election officials about the rights of transgender voters to vote and to express their gender identity.

NCTE has also released several Web-video public service announcements talking about transgender people’s right to participate in the political process and has been sharing them on Facebook and Twitter to educate voters in the run up to Election Day.

"We always assumed we would just be collateral damage," Keisling said. "But now we’re the targets."

For more information about resources available to transgender voters, or what to do if your voter registration is challenged, visit votingwhiletrans.org or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).

[Photo: Keisling, taken from National Center for Transgender Equality's website.] 

Polls show President Barack Obama heading into Election Day with an advantage in several key swing states, but still engaged in a tight race with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Although national polls continue to show a neck-in-neck race – with Romney in some polls slightly leading Obama – state polling, which is often more accurate than broader national polls, paints a different picture.

Numbers-cruncher Nate Silver of The New York Times posted a final update to his blog, FiveThirtyEight, giving Obama an 86 percent chance of winning tomorrow's presidential election. According to Silver, Romney has a 13 percent chance.

Moreover, Silver's forecast predicts Obama securing 307 electoral votes, pushing him over the 270 needed to win the presidency. Silver's methodology shows Romney winning 230 electoral voters.

Silver is not alone in his predictions. RealClearPolitics.com, a bipartisan website that collects polling data from numerous polling agencies, forecasts Obama winning 303 electoral voters and Romney winning 235.

A graphic released by The New York Times on Monday also shows Obama's strategic advantage. Considering the nine battleground states, Obama has 431 different ways to win the election. On the other hand, Romney has just 76 ways to win.

Romney's success depends heavily on winning Florida, where he is polling ahead of Obama. If Romney loses Florida, he would need to win in every other battleground state, which appears nearly impossible.

Obama's success depends heavily on Ohio, where he is polling ahead of Romney. Although Romney could win the presidency without carrying Ohio, it would also be a struggle. No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

With just hours to go until the first polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday, both campaigns are engaged in a mad dash to the finish line. 

This afternoon Obama traveled to Wisconsin and Ohio, and made his final campaign stop in Iowa, where he was joined by rocker Bruce Springsteen. Over the weekend, Obama also held a rally in New Hampshire that attracted 14,000 people, according to local officials.

Vice President Joe Biden expressed optimism, telling reporters in Virginia he was feeling good about Election Day.

"I think we're going to win," Biden said. "I think we'll win Ohio. I think we'll win Wisconsin. I think we'll win Iowa. I think we'll win Nevada. I think we'll win New Hampshire. I think Florida will be close but I think we have a real shot at winning. And this state, we've got a clear shot at winning," Biden said of Virginia.

Romney also campaigned in Virginia today and is expected to campaign into Election Day, visiting Ohio and Pennsylvania before returning to Boston in the evening to watch the returns. Obama will spend election night in Chicago.

UPDATE @ 10P: Silver has increased Obama's chance of winning reelection to 92.2 percent. According to Silver's calculations, Romney has a 7.8 percent chance of winning the presidency. Silver now predicts Obama will secure 315.3 electoral votes compared to Romney's 222.7.

[Photo: RealClearPolitics electoral prediction (Courtesy of RealClearPolitics.com).]

Actress, breast cancer survivor and out lesbian Cynthia Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda from Sex and the City, and Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who became famous after congressional Republicans refused to allow her to testify on whether health insurance plans should cover birth control, are slated to appear at the Falls Church, Va., headquarters of the Obama for America campaign at 5 p.m. this evening as part of a phone-banking event, the Obama campaign confirmed in an e-mail to Metro Weekly.

The Falls Church stop caps off a day of media events held throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. They appeared earlier at events with other Obama supporters and health professionals who support the president in other cities such as Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Fredericksburg.

Nixon and Fluke are expected to speak to phone-bankers about the importance of getting out the vote in a crucial swing state, and are expected to share their personal stories about the importance of an Obama presidency in making progress on women’s health issues. In Falls Church, they will be joined by Kendra Gaarder, a recent graduate student from the University of Virginia’s nursing school who serves as a volunteer for the Obama campaign.

The Nixon-Fluke tour is part of the Obama campaign’s continued outreach to women voters, who make up a cornerstone of the president’s support in the state. Virginia, besides being a battleground state at the presidential level, has also been home to several controversies, among them a bill to require pregnant women considering an abortion to have a transvaginal ultrasound.

Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), sometimes considered a potential future candidate for the presidency, later pulled his support for the transvaginal ultrasound bill and signed an amended version into law that allowed women to “opt out” of the more invasive ultrasound and undergo a transabdominal, or external, ultrasound. 

Same-sex-marriage opponents are seeking to capitalize on the latest high-profile donation supporting marriage-equality efforts in Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota.

In a fundraising email sent today, National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown sought donations from NOM supporters two days after Brad Pitt donated $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign.

"Let’s fight back!" Brown ordered in the email, which encouraged supporters to donate "generously" in order to protect values "Hollywood millionaires like Brad Pitt" are "attempting to dismantle and obscure."

In the email, Brown also mentioned Pitt's mother, who expressed her support for Mitt Romney in a letter published by Missouri's Springfield News-Leader in July.

Criticizing Obama's support for the "killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage," Jane Pitt wrote that "any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon."

In his fundraising email, Brown equated Pitt's donation to fueling backlash against his mother.

"What's even more distressing is that Brad Pitt's own mother Jane Pitt has been the subject of death threats and a torrent of public abuse for speaking out against gay marriage, and yet her son has still chosen to double down by pushing gay marriage on the rest of the country!" Brown wrote, adding, "I can hardly think of a better example of a liberal millionaire trying to impose his Hollywood values on all of us, no matter the consequences."

HRC and NOM are both pouring millions of dollars into the four states that will vote on marriage equality on Nov. 6. This year alone HRC has invested $5 million in Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota.

In the final days of the campaign, NOM is also launching a campaign to mobilize 10 million voters through a series of robocalls. NOM will spend $500,000 calling households in Maine, Maryland, Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The calls, which, according to a statement from Brown, "will remind voters to go to the polls, to protect marriage, and to support public officials who will do the same," are expected to play audio recordings by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R), Mike Huckabee and James Dobson.

[Photo: Brian Brown (Courtesy of NOM).]

In the months-long campaigns for and against Question 6, the measure that would allow Maryland’s marriage equality law to take effect, both sides have targeted various demographics, particularly rural voters and African-American voters. In these few days ahead of the Nov. 6 vote, however, special attention is now being aimed at Catholic voters and women voters. 

Catholics for Marriage Equality, for example, a coalition of Maryland Catholic groups, plans to take out a half-page ad in The Baltimore Sun tomorrow, Nov. 2, to urge their fellow adherents to vote for Question 6.

The ad reads: "As Catholics, we believe that all God’s children are created equal and have inherent dignity. We believe every member of our family and our community should enjoy the same opportunities, freedom, and fairness in life. Therefore, we support the Civil Marriage Protection Act signed into state law on March 1, 2012. The Civil Marriage Protection Act preserves religious freedom and protects civil liberties in a manner that respects the diversity of our great state.

"As Catholics, we will follow our consciences and vote FOR Question 6 on November 6, 2012 to support the Civil Marriage Protection Act."

The ad lists the organizations that are coalition partners and the names of more than 330 Catholics who support the coalition's efforts.

"Catholic lay people in Maryland are voting their consciences to make sure that our state’s laws treat all people equally and fairly, and that all families in Maryland are strengthened and protected," said Francis DeBernardo, a spokesman for the coalition and the executive director of New Ways Ministry, a coalition partner, in a statement announcing the ad.

The statement also quoted Ryan Sattler, one of the ad’s signatories: "While we respect our church’s leaders, we disagree with them about this issue of public policy. Our Catholic faith impels us to work for justice and dignity for all people, and supporting marriage equality is the right way to secure those values, and that is why as Catholics we are proud to be voting for Question 6."

Catholic outreach has become especially important as several Catholic bishops around the country have ordered parish priests to advise their congregations to vote against candidates who support same-sex marriage, or, in states like Maryland facing ballot measures, to vote against marriage equality.

One Catholic priest in Baltimore, Father Richard Lawrence of St. Vincent DePaul Parish, used his Oct. 28 sermon to urge his congregation to think and pray over Question 6 and vote in accordance with their consciences, according to the National Catholic Reporter. He received a standing ovation for his sermon, though it somewhat contradicted a letter from Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, read by Lawrence to the congregation, urging Catholics to vote against Question 6.

Supporters of marriage equality have also emphasized the importance of having one-on-one conversations with family, friends and neighbors to convince them of the importance of voting in favor of Question 6. In that vein, Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the primary coalition seeking to uphold the marriage-equality law, held a press conference of “Moms from Montgomery County” in Silver Spring today to highlight several local mothers and their reasons for supporting Question 6.

"I’m a lifelong Christian who supports Question 6," Jane Meier, a marketing consultant and mother of two, said at the press conference, according to release from Marylanders for Marriage Equality. "I’ve made a career in marketing here in Montgomery County. I’m also a mom and proud to be with other great moms for marriage equality. We’re standing up for equality and fairness."

"I will be voting for Question 6 on Friday because I want my kids to grow up in a state where everybody has the same opportunity to marry and everyone is treated fairly under the law," said Michelle Russo, who works at a major television organization. 

The pro-Question 6 campaign needs to run up large margins of victory in areas like Montgomery County’s Silver Spring, a politically liberal stronghold, if they are to be successful statewide. Most polling on same-sex marriage, in Maryland and nationally, shows a gender gap, with women being more amenable to recognizing same-sex relationships. A recent Baltimore Sun poll, which found marriage-equality opponents a point ahead of supporters, found that a majority of women supported allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. 

[Image: Jane Meier, of Montgomery County, speaks at a Silver Spring press conference of her support for Question 6. Courtesy of: Marylanders for Marriage Equality.]

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Barack Obama for president on Thursday, citing Obama's support for marriage equality as influencing his endorsement.

In a piece published by the financial news website Bloomberg.com, which is owned by Bloomberg, the mayor focuses heavily on climate change. He cites the recent devastation inflicted on New York by Hurricane Sandy and Obama's leadership combating climate change.

"We need leadership from the White House -- and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption, including setting higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks," Bloomberg writes.

Bloomberg also notes Obama's historic support for marriage equality as well as his support for a woman's right to choose:

When I step into the voting booth, I think about the world I want to leave my two daughters, and the values that are required to guide us there. The two parties’ nominees for president offer different visions of where they want to lead America.

One believes a woman's right to choose should be protected for future generations; one does not. That difference, given the likelihood of Supreme Court vacancies, weighs heavily on my decision.

One recognizes marriage equality as consistent with America's march of freedom; one does not. I want our president to be on the right side of history. 

Although Bloomberg states Mitt Romney would bring "valuable business experience to the Oval Office," he is critical of Romney's shift toward the hard right of the Republican Party as well as the shortcomings of Obama's first term.

"If the 1994 or 2003 version of Mitt Romney were running for president, I may well have voted for him because, like so many other independents, I have found the past four years to be, in a word, disappointing," Bloomberg writes.

Bloomberg is one of the richest people in America and left the Republican Party in 2007 while serving as mayor to become an Independent. Before running for office, he was a registered Democrat. He made no endorsement during the 2008 presidential race.

Late last month Bloomberg rallied marriage equality supporters in Maryland after donating $250,000 to their campaign. With a Super PAC created last month, Bloomberg has funneled $500,000 into marriage equality campaigns in Maine, Minnesota and Washington. Bloomberg has said he plans to spend up to $15 million through the new Super PAC in state and local races.

[Photo: Michael Bloomberg (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).]

Richard Tisei appears confident he will be the next congressman for Massachusetts's 6th District.

Nowhere is that confidence more apparent than in Tisei's closing cable ad of the campaign. Less than a week before Election Day, the out gay Republican has released an ad that makes no mention of his Democratic opponent, Rep. John Tierney, or of Tisei's own record. Instead, it seeks to provide respite from the barrage of campaign ads.

The ad opens like any other with an image of Tisei stating that he approves this message, but then switches to footage of a waves gently breaking on a beach in Gloucester, Mass. You can hear seagulls and the sun appears to be rising, casting its light on a beach house perched on nearby rocks.

And for 30 seconds, that's the ad.

"Because you need a break from all the campaign ads," reads text at the bottom of the screen before a woman's voice interjects at the end. "Aaahhh, that was nice," she says as the ad ends.

In a heated race that has seen attacks from both sides, the ad is far from what voters in the state have been used to seeing, which appears to be the point.

"We thought we'd throw something that was a little avant garde out there," Jennifer Drogus, a spokeswoman for Tisei's campaign, told The New York Times. "Everybody gets inundated with political ads during the campaign season, so we just wanted to do something a little bit different."

Tisei, a 26-year veteran of the Massachusetts State Legislature and a pro-choice Republican who supports marriage equality, has been polling tightly against Tierney, who has held his seat in the House of Representatives since 1997.

If Tisei is successful on Nov. 6, he will become the first out gay Republican elected to Congress as a non-incumbent and Massachusetts's first Republican congressman in 15 years.

WATCH the ad here: