WASHINGTON – Today, GetEQUAL -- a direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization -- and local Missouri LGBT rights organizations announced the launch of a national campaign demanding Representative Ike Skelton (D-MO) apologize for the homophobic remarks he made last week when speaking about the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law and immediately stop his effort to undercut the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” 

BY: COLIN MURPHY - SENIOR WRITER

    ST. LOUIS - St. Louis activists Scott Emanuel and Ed Reggi are having a banner year. Last month the longtime partners celebrated the 1-year anniversary of their being legally married in Iowa; they have been the subjects of an award winning documentary short, Heartland Transport; and are featured characters in a new play, The State of Marriage which opens tonight at the Regional Arts Commission.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice for issued a legal opinion that clarifies that criminal provisions of the Violence Against Women Act cover crimes against victims of same-sex domestic violence.  The memorandum, which was produced by the Office of Legal Counsel, provides that criminal provisions related to domestic violence, stalking and protection order violations apply to conduct when the offender and victim are the same sex.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – submitted comments in advance of today’s meeting of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability calling for an end to the ban on blood donations by men who have sex with men. 

WASHINGTON – The State Department has instituted a new policy, effective immediately, regarding gender change in passports, as well as Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. 

BY: COLIN MURPHY – SENIOR WRITER

    Talk about hitting the ground running. When Coco Montrese was crowned Miss Gay America 2010 in St. Louis on Feb. 27, the Florida resident had but a few weeks to prepare before the 2011 pageant season got under way.

    As Miss Gay America, Montrese is not only the face of the storied pageant system—but also it's administrator—and must perform and preside over each state and regional contest across the country.

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign today hailed a proposal by the California Fair Political Practices Committee (FPPC) that would fine The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) for failing to report all of its late non-monetary contributions in its efforts to pass Proposition 8 in California in 2008.

WASHINGTON – A new analysis of healthcare equality by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation found that the vast majority of U.S. healthcare facilities don’t have fully inclusive policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, but that sweeping new changes will soon dramatically alter how LGBT people interact with the healthcare system.

BY: COLIN MURPHY – SENIOR WRITER

“Don't be scared. It's just a little civil rights happening.”

    As a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and allied community, playwright Joan Lipkin paid close attention to the Proposition 8 fight in California. The constitutional amendment which ultimately passed in November 2008 banned same sex marriage which had been legal in The Golden State for just five months.