Supporters of Maine's same-sex marriage law, which voters repealed, gathered Wednesday to concede the vote but not the issue.
Voters in Maine will decide Tuesday whether to overturn the legislation signed by Gov. John Baldacci nearly six months ago that allows same-sex couples to wed.
Peter Dziedzic and his husband, Jay Judas, aren't quite sure yet which of them will be designated the head of household when they fill out the 2010 census form in April.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation that requires the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states while such marriages were legal in California.
As thousands gathered Sunday in Washington for a march and rally focused on gay rights issues, lawmakers showed that some of the demonstrators' key goals face major obstacles ahead.
Facing a busy day, Stephanie Maheu and Janis LeBaron awoke early Tuesday to meet the town clerk in Duxbury, Vermont, with one objective in mind: marriage.
Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
The art of dodging tossed wedding bouquets had been mastered by Cindy Pollard. At 52, and with plenty of experience celebrating the big day for others, she'd learned how to back into corners and disappear when brides sent those flowers flying.
Drive through downtown Minneapolis these days and you're almost certain to bump into a billboard (or two or three) emblazoned with the title of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner's latest work, "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures."
Carrie Prejean has been dethroned as Miss California USA for "contract violations," including missing scheduled pageant events, according to a state pageant official.
Supporters of Maine's same-sex marriage law, which voters repealed, gathered Wednesday to concede the vote but not the issue.
Voters in Maine will decide Tuesday whether to overturn the legislation signed by Gov. John Baldacci nearly six months ago that allows same-sex couples to wed.
Peter Dziedzic and his husband, Jay Judas, aren't quite sure yet which of them will be designated the head of household when they fill out the 2010 census form in April.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation that requires the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states while such marriages were legal in California.
As thousands gathered Sunday in Washington for a march and rally focused on gay rights issues, lawmakers showed that some of the demonstrators' key goals face major obstacles ahead.
Facing a busy day, Stephanie Maheu and Janis LeBaron awoke early Tuesday to meet the town clerk in Duxbury, Vermont, with one objective in mind: marriage.
Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
The art of dodging tossed wedding bouquets had been mastered by Cindy Pollard. At 52, and with plenty of experience celebrating the big day for others, she'd learned how to back into corners and disappear when brides sent those flowers flying.
Drive through downtown Minneapolis these days and you're almost certain to bump into a billboard (or two or three) emblazoned with the title of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner's latest work, "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures."
Carrie Prejean has been dethroned as Miss California USA for "contract violations," including missing scheduled pageant events, according to a state pageant official.
Last week Gov. John Lynch signed a bill making New Hampshire the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Nevada is legalizing domestic partnerships, with the state Assembly voting Sunday evening to override a veto by the governor, officials said.
As she lobbies members of the New York Senate these days, the politician in Christine Quinn can understand what the gay rights activist in her sometimes cannot.
Opponents of California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages launched a new court challenge Wednesday, led by lawyers who were on opposite sides of the case that settled the 2000 presidential race.
There are likely to be two hot-button issues in Judge Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court confirmation hearings as senators gauge not only her positions but also some controversial comments she has made.
California's highest court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages Tuesday but allowed about 18,000 unions performed before the ban to remain valid.
While California's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a ban on same-sex marriages that voters voters passed in November, the fight will undoubtedly go forward.
New Hampshire's move to become the most recent state to legalize same-sex marriage hit a bump Wednesday, after the state House of Representatives failed to agree to changes made by the governor.
Lawmakers voted in favor of same-sex marriage in New Hampshire and Maine on Wednesday, leaving Rhode Island as the only other New England state without legislation in favor of the issue.
A new national poll suggests a majority of Americans oppose legalizing same-sex marriages, but the survey indicates a vast generational divide on the issue.
New Hampshire's Senate has approved a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry, but critics and supporters of the legislation say their work isn't over.
Carrie Prejean, the Miss USA contestant from California who declared her opposition to same-sex marriage on the pageant stage, will star in a new $1.5 million ad campaign funded by the National Organization for Marriage.
A lot of folks are always saying they like to keep it real, that they want authenticity and straight talk. Yet when someone actually does it, there is hell to pay.
A key architect of Republican Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign has urged conservatives to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage.
Gov. David Paterson will announce plans Thursday to introduce same-sex marriage legislation in the state Assembly, according to an assemblyman who was asked to be present for the announcement.
On the same day that Vermont's House and Senate voted to override GOP Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, the Washington City Council voted 12-0 Tuesday in favor of allowing same-sex marriages performed in other states to be recognized in the nation's capital.
Vermont's House and Senate voted Tuesday to override the governor's veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.
The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously rejected a state law Friday that banned same-sex marriage, and opponents wasted little time in pushing for a state constitutional amendment that could send the issue to voters.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted narrowly Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage, putting the state's Legislature on a potential collision course with a governor who has publicly stated his opposition to such unions.
Vermont Gov. James Douglas announced Wednesday that he plans to veto a bill that would grant same-sex couples equal rights in marriage, if the bill reaches his desk.
Vermont is weighing a bill that could make it the first state to legalize same-sex marriage without being prompted by the courts.
The Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly Monday to legalize same-sex marriage, potentially setting the stage for a high-profile legislative showdown and breaking a new political barrier in the state that made history in 2000 by becoming the first to approve civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.
The nation's economic crisis is now playing a role in the debate over same-sex marriage.
The California Supreme Court began hearing arguments Thursday in a case that could determine the fate of same-sex marriage in the state, as well as the validity of about 18,000 same-sex marriages.
A legal advocacy group sued the federal government Tuesday, seeking benefits for 15 gay and lesbian Massachusetts residents who wed after the state legalized same-sex marriage.
Lavish weddings on soap operas are commonplace -- beautiful, wealthy characters united amid copious tears, heaps of flowers and exquisite attire.
A Maine lawmaker introduced a bill on Tuesday that would allow same-sex marriages in the state.
My battle for marriage equality began in 1990, after my partner, Brian Binder, and I had a commitment ceremony. The ceremony was held at the end of a conference for Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays and was attended by more than 300 friends and members of both our families.
More than a week after voters in California, Arizona and Florida passed ballot initiatives outlawing same-sex marriage, thousands of people across the country protested the bans in simultaneous rallies Saturday. In California, Proposition 8 overturned a May ruling by the California Supreme Court that struck down a 2000 ban on same-sex unions. It passed 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent. CNN's D.L. Hughley spoke to sex columnist Dan Savage about the ongoing battle to legalize same-sex marriage in California. Savage is the author of the popular syndicated sex advice column "Savage Love."
Protests continued Friday in several California cities, including San Francisco, Palm Springs and Long Beach, over the passage of Proposition 8, which outlaws same-sex marriage.
Solomon Brown of San Jose, California, is one of the millions of voters who helped elect Barack Obama to be the future president. He's also one of the voters in California, Arizona and Florida who cast ballots in support of same-sex marriage bans that got considerable support in each state.
The Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints insisted Thursday that their support for a proposition to ban same-sex marriage in California did not target any group.
"I will continue to speak out for equality for all of us," she promises
The Los Angeles County Registrar's Office stopped issuing same-sex marriage licenses after the passage of a ballot measure to eliminate the right of gay couples to marry, the agency said Wednesday.
Despite opposition from Ellen DeGeneres and more, Proposition 8 passes by a slim margin
The electoral battle over gay marriage extends beyond the Golden State. Florida, Arizona and Connecticut are in it too
Gay couples from around California and the nation are feverishly tying the knot ahead of Election Day to avoid missing out if voters approve a ballot initiative aimed at banning same-sex marriage
Connecticut's Supreme Court is the latest to tear down constitutional barriers to same-sex marriage. But the real test will be getting legislatures to act
The Sex and the City star says his stance on the controversial issue is "great"
Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to fight California's November ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage
A group of gay and lesbian Republicans has traveled to the site of the GOP convention this week to help convince its party that it is time to stop being on the "wrong side" of the same-sex marriage issue.
A majority of California voters oppose a ballot initiative to ban gay marriage, though they are evenly split on the practice itself, according to a poll released Wednesday
Most states don't recognize gay marriage -- but now Hallmark does
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state.
Gay couples from across the country are one step closer to a Massachusetts wedding
Same-sex marriages will put "a shame" upon the United States, one person wrote Tuesday; but for another, the legalization of the unions in California made it seem as though "life is opening up."
Gov. David Paterson of New York has told state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states and countries where they are legal, his spokeswoman said Wednesday.
California officials began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples Monday evening after a state Supreme Court ruling legalizing the ceremonies took effect.
Breaking ground is nothing new in the nearly six-decade relationship of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon.
San Francisco's mayor spurred the issue with a huge round of weddings in 2004. Now same sex marriages are legal in California, but he worries about the next step
An initiative that would again outlaw gay marriage in California has qualified for the November ballot, the Secretary of State announced Monday
Same-sex couples in California may be able to obtain marriage licenses on June 17, state officials said Wednesday.
A potential proposition may make same-sex unions short-lived in California. But the power of the ruling will give the issue longevity for years to come
The California Supreme Court has overturned a ban on gay marriage, paving the way for California to become the second state where gay and lesbian residents can marry
Local governments and state universities in Michigan can't offer health insurance to the partners of gay workers, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday
Democratic presidential hopefuls stressed their common ground with the gay and lesbian community in a televised forum, but one significant exception loomed -- same-sex marriage.
A majority of Americans believe that gays and lesbians could not change their sexual orientation even if they wanted to, according to results of a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday.
Sen. Hillary Clinton sidestepped a question about whether she thinks homosexuality is immoral Wednesday, less than two weeks after telling gay-rights activists she was "proud" to stand by their side.
Facing pressure from the state's top court, the New Jersey Legislature voted Thursday to give gay and lesbian couples the rights and privileges of marriage, while using the term "civil unions" to describe the partnerships.
Canada's House of Commons Thursday soundly rejected a motion from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reconsider the country's 2005 law allowing gay men and lesbians to marry.
In a decision likely to stoke the contentious election-year debate over same-sex marriage, the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that state lawmakers must provide the rights and benefits of marriage to gay and lesbian couples.
A California appeals court ruled Thursday that state laws limiting marriage to heterosexual couples are constitutional and do not deprive gay or lesbian couples of a "vested fundamental right."
Some key dates surrounding moral issues:
President Bush offered a new pledge of support Monday for a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, a measure expected to fail in the Senate and one critics blasted as an election-year diversion.
The U.S. Senate opened the debate this week on a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Australia's conservative government will overrule same sex marriage laws in the nation's capital, Prime Minister John Howard said on Tuesday, saying marriage should only be between men and women.
Joan and Nancy VanReece have been partners for 18 years, share a home in the Nashville suburbs, and the same last name because they took the time -- and spent the money -- to combine their last names.
President Bush offered a new pledge of support Monday for a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, a measure expected to fail in the Senate and one critics blasted as an election-year diversion.
It's the political mega-theme of the moment: Republicans want to gin up their unhappy base for the midterm elections by pounding away on hot-button social issues, like gay marriage and flag burning.
New York's highest court will consider Wednesday whether New York City can grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Monday he plans a vote in early June on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, a move likely to fail but sure to spark a fiery election-year debate.
Canada legalized gay marriage Wednesday, becoming the world's fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples.
Spain celebrated its first homosexual marriage on Monday under a law passed last month making it the fourth country to legalize same-sex unions.
Two men -- a psychiatrist and a store window decorator -- have tied the knot in a Madrid suburb, the first gay couple to marry in Spain since the country's parliament passed a law allowing such unions last month.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. broadened the definition of "immediate family members" to include domestic partners in an updated statement of ethics.
Six months after gay and lesbian couples won the right to marry in Massachusetts, opponents of same-sex marriage struck back Tuesday, with voters in 11 states approving constitutional amendments codifying marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution.
A campaign about Iraq and jobs abruptly shifts to the fraught territory of God, gays and guns. But will the values debate help Republicans this year?
Spain has moved a big step closer to permitting gay marriage after the Cabinet approved a bill authorizing homosexuals to marry and adopt children.
The race between Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry and President Bush is too close to call in the battleground state of Michigan, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Tuesday evening.
It's not easy being a gay Republican these days.
Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday he believes the question of same-sex marriage is best handled by the states -- a position that puts him at odds with President Bush who proposed amending the Constitution to ban such unions.
Thousands of marriages sanctioned in San Francisco earlier this year were voided Thursday when the California Supreme Court ruled that city's mayor overstepped his authority by issuing licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
At 26, Emily Falcon is the youngest member of the Delaware delegation. She is also its first openly gay delegate. And she couldn't be clearer about her support of Sen. John Kerry for president.
President Bush says he is "disappointed" that a move to effectively ban same-sex marriage was "temporarily blocked" in the Senate, and he is urging the House to take up the matter.
Efforts to pass a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban same-sex marriage failed in the Senate Wednesday afternoon, but supporters vowed to keep fighting for the measure.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona broke forcefully with President Bush and the Senate GOP leadership Tuesday evening over the issue of same-sex marriage, taking to the Senate floor to call a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban the practice unnecessary -- and un-Republican.
A proposed constitutional amendment that would effectively prohibit gay or lesbian couples from legally marrying is expected to die in a procedural Senate vote Wednesday.
Check out the links below to hot political stories around the country.
Court approval of same-sex marriage gave extra flair Saturday to the Boston Pride gay and lesbian parade, where men and women gyrated in tuxedos and wedding gowns atop floats and an oom-pah band played "Chapel of Love."
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