Author: Brett

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/10/18/hundreds-of-lgbt-leaders-to-gather-in-houston/

 

LGBT leaders are everywhere, but for a few days this December, downtown Houston will be ground zero for openly LGBT leaders involved in government, politics and community organizations.

The 27^th International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference will take place there December 1 to 4, according to the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute, which produces the annual event.  Some 600 attendees are expected, including out leaders from Argentina, Mexico, Nepal, Poland, South Africa, Serbia, Philippines, Uganda, and Nigeria.

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/10/13/senate-confirms-lesbian-as-federal-district-judge/

 

Alison Nathan has been confirmed by the full U.S. Senate as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.  She becomes only the second out lesbian ever to serve on the federal bench.

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/10/25/meet-americas-first-openly-gay-political-candidate/

 

“There was nothing in the books that said a gay person could not run,” explains Jose Sarria of his groundbreaking run for political office in San Francisco 50 years ago.  The 89 year-old founder of the Imperial Court System said police harassment of homosexuals throughout the 1950s inspired him to borrow a suit and persuade city politicos to let him on the ballot in 1961.

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/11/02/victory-fund-candidates-win-newspaper-endorsements/

 

Numerous Victory Fund-endorsed openly LGBT candidates have also won the backing of their local newspaper editorial boards.  On Election Day we’ll find out if that helps put these candidates over the top.

Here are a just few Victory candidates racking up multiple endorsements:

Adam Ebbin – Virginia State Senate District 30 – endorsed by theWashington Post

Chris Seelbach – Cincinnati, OH City Council – endorsed by the Cincinnati Enquirer

Bevan Dufty — Mayor of San Francisco — endorsed by the Bay Area Reporter

Alex Morse – Mayor of Holyoke, MA – endorsed by The Republican

Wayne Abraham – Greensboro, NC City Council – endorsed by the Greensboro News & Record

Zach Adamson – Indianapolis City Council – endorsed by the Indianapolis Star

Rory Neuner – Lansing, MI City Council At-Large – endorsed by the Lansing State Journal

Mike Laster – Houston City Council, District J – endorsed by the Houston Chronicle

Sally Clark – Seattle City Council – endorsed by the Seattle Times

Tom Rasmussen – Seattle City Council – endorsed by the Seattle Times

Ryan Mello – Tacoma, WA City Council – endorsed by The News Tribune

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/11/09/gay-lesbian-candidates-win-big-across-u-s/

Openly gay and lesbian candidates endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund won election to municipal, judicial and state legislative offices from coast to coast Tuesday night.  At least 53 of the group’s 75 endorsees were victorious, with two races still undecided this morning.

Candidates in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Charlotte, N.C., made history, becoming the first openly gay or lesbian candidates elected to those city councils.  In Virginia, Adam Ebbin became the first openly gay person elected to the State Senate, and in New Jersey, Tim Eustace became the first non-incumbent openly gay candidate to win a seat in the State Assembly.

“The election of gay and lesbian candidates in places where they have never won before is a major step forward, and we could not be happier about these victories,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.  “All of the openly LGBT candidates who stepped up to run for office this year are true leaders who deserve our profound thanks.”

Of the 75 candidates endorsed by the Victory Fund in 2011, 46 were non-incumbents, 22 were women and 15 were people of color.

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/11/14/out-washington-state-lawmakers-to-push-marriage-bill/

 

Openly gay and lesbian legislators in Washington state have announced they will introduce a bill next year seeking full marriage rights for same-sex couples.

“Our objective is to strengthen the social and legal protections for average, mainstream Washington families — the men, women and their children who make their homes in our communities and neighborhoods,” said Rep. Jim Moeller, speaking to The Columbian.

“We’re going to push it.  I believe 2012 is the best chance we’ve ever had to make marriage equality a reality,” said Sen. Ed Murray, an openly gay Democrat who has served for years in the legislature.

Washington United for Marriage, a coalition of dozens of LGBT, labor and religious groups, is set to announce their plans at a press conference today, according to the Seattle Times.

Recent polling shows most Washingtonians would vote to uphold the law if opponents try to reverse it via a statewide ballot initiative.

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/11/18/gay-man-elected-minority-leader-of-colo-house/

 

Democrats in the Colorado House of Representatives have elected an openly gay man to lead their caucus, meaning he could become House Speaker if the chamber flips back to Democratic control next year.

Rep. Mark Ferrandino of Denver, who co-sponsored a civil unions bill this year that failed to pass in the Republican-controlled House, said he will work to put Democrats back in charge of the nearly evenly divided chamber.