Religious conservatives argued endlessly that the Matthew Shepard Act would infringe on religious freedoms because, if a pastor were to preach homophobia at the pulpit and a member of his parish went out and killed a queer, the murderer's religious beliefs would be used against him in court. So now that LGBT hate crimes legislation has passed, what better way to test the theory than to make it happen?
Continued »

Does one of you possess Nate Silver levels of math wizardry? Because we'd like to employ you in this little equation about when enough of Maine's older voters, who disproportionately voted Yes On 1, will stop casting ballots (read: die) and let freedom ring. Continued »

Despite a law on the books banning same-sex marriage, Washington State voters approved expanded domestic partnership rights, as Referendum 71 is officially approved. Continued »

MORNING GOODS — Sorry gents, but 21-year-old Melbourne native Paul Coaster is straight, which means this obvious pull-down-my-jeans tease is as far as it's going between you two. Continued »

New York's Gov. David Paterson has referred to same-sex marriage legislation as "unfinished business from earlier this year." Which is why he's moved it the top of the agenda for a special legislative session that could begin next week. Paterson has been here before, demanding lawmakers get their act together and pass gay marriage, particularly because Democrats — which narrowly control things in Albany — promised they'd do just that if they were given a majority of seats. Which happened. So what's different this time around? Continued »

Just in case you need a little something positive coming out of Maine, here's Lt. Dan Choi speaking at a "we may have lost the battle, but not the war" rally after Tuesday's election results. Continued »

ON OUR GAYDAR — News, notes, clicks, and quips from around the web.

→ Maine's marriage upset is invigorating New Hampshire's bigots to try to a repeal of marriage there: "Two proposals are being drafted in the N.H. House: One would repeal the law Gov. John Lynch signed in June and re-establish civil unions; the other is a constitutional amendment that would charge voters with deciding if 'the state shall only recognize the union of one man and one woman as marriage.'"

Continued »

INSUFFICIENT – Hoping to clarify what those emails to supporters were about, DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan explains: "In Maine there were over a half dozen ballot initiatives and referendums, and local municipal elections at stake and OFA sent an e-mail to thousands of activists encouraging them to vote in support of progressive causes and candidates. There were some Mainers who received an erroneous e-mail regarding the New Jersey Governor's election – that e-mail was not intended to downplay the significance of Maine's local elections." And the reason the DNC didn't specifically encourage voters to vote "No On 1" was …?

A total of five days worth of suspensions. That's what the Ft. Worth Police just handed three officers involved in the Rainbow Lounge bar raid. Continued »

It took a couple days, but Here/Regent Media chief Paul Colichman is out today with a public letter to readers. It's his way of saying: All is not doomed! Despite what this website says! Continued »

The Human Rights Campaign writes in every press release that it is "the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization." Claiming 750,000 members, that might be true. But HRC counts membership by including anyone who's ever donated $1 — even if that donation came in a year that begins with "19." Similarly, California's Courage Campaign claims 700,000 members, a significant number given it's been alive for a fraction of HRC's lifetime, though it won't say how it reached that figure.. What's amusing, then, is that these Gay Inc. groups share the same arithmetic methods as Tom Cruise's place of forceship. Continued »

We always knew there were fractions and rifts between gay rights groups. Why do you think the Log Cabin Republicans split into a second group? Or why Equality California and the Courage Campaign only sometimes see at eye-level? Except never have we seen such arguing between two camps explode like it did last night at a Cedar Springs, Texas, rally over Maine's marriage defeat. In one corner, Queer LiberAction; in the other, the National Equality March. Welcome to the new era of gay rights, where we just bitch at each other! Continued »

Freedom To Marry's Evan Wolfson, who just got done schooling Tony Perkins, is one ballsy marriage activist. While most mainstream gay organizations like HRC are sitting out this round of White House/Democrat criticism for their silence on Maine's marriage battle, Wolfson, a former Lambda Legal attorney, is leveling his target. And there be namedropping. Continued »

THE SHOT — The Foundation for Reconciliation, a group geared toward reconciling Mormon beliefs with homosexuality, yesterday pulled a handcart through Salt Lake City to deliver 2,000 petitions to the LDS Church, demanding they stop hating on the 'mos. "The trek drew its inspiration from the famed efforts of LDS Church leaders to rescue members of the Martin and Willie handcart companies, who struggled to reach Utah late in 1856, suffering from food shortages and cold-weather exposure. Modern Latter-day Saints often hold trek re-enactments to honor the determination of their ancestors." Continued »

Not only will little boys and girls, beginning at age five, have to learn about their penises and vaginas, they'll also learn about dating, relationships, and yes, gay marriage. Continued »

Is this what you call "educating voters" on Maine's Question 1? Led by Bishop Richard Malone, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland "played a big part" in the information campaign, reports a Catholic website. Just how big a part? Well let's look at exactly just where all those "education" dollars came from. And went. Continued »

We've been following the career of Joel Osteen — who's become quite wealthy via his Lakewood Church in Houston — for quite some time, from when he introduced Pastor Jay Bakker to his family to the time Joel's wife Victoria was sued by a flight attendant. Osteen is part of that new brand of "smiling bigots." Like NOM's Brian Brown, he puts on a nice suit, acts all friendly to the queers, and looks to God for the answers. But then he turns around and preaches that your "lifestyle" is one of sin. Continued »

It gives us the sads to hear Levi Johnston is worried that he may not stack up well enough for his Playgirl shoot. Continued »

Building on the heels of Kalamazoo's LGBT protection ordinance, "a state representative [yesterday] introduced a plan to overturn Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage. Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, introduced a resolution to amend the state constitution to allow same-sex marriage. Voters instituted the ban in 2004, when they approved Proposal 2."

The U.S. Senate's ENDA hearings are underway this morning! Some homos (and no transgender folks?) are testifying before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about why LGBTs deserve (or don't?) protections in the workplace. You can watch the action live right here. And we'll try to get you our favorite clip so far, of National Religious Broadcasters's general counsel Craig Parshall (pictured) arguing that ENDA will force religious institutions — even Christian book publishers — to hire homos! Continued »