TheRepublic.com - Gays and lesbians News

Gay soccer player Robbie Rogers joins LA Galaxy

Sat, 25 May 2013 20:59:06 -0400

LOS ANGELES - Until about a month ago, Robbie Rogers had no interest in being one of the highest-profile openly gay athletes in the world.

Iowa elected official honored by White House

Sat, 25 May 2013 17:35:17 -0400

IOWA CITY, Iowa - An elected leader in eastern Iowa is the recipient of a White House honor given to openly gay, lesbian and transgendered public officials.

Man behind gay marriage drive seen as 'brilliant'

Sat, 25 May 2013 16:05:14 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - No single person ever became the public face of the successful drive for gay marriage in Minnesota, but the man who gets the most credit from his allies for making it happen is Richard Carlbom.

N. Idaho sheriff may drop Boy Scouts charter

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:37:25 -0400

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - A northern Idaho sheriff says he's compelled to drop the department's Boy Scouts of America charter after the organization opened its ranks to gay Scouts.

Russian police detain activists, foes at gay rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:43:05 -0400

MOSCOW - Gay-rights campaigners and their opponents clashed at an unsanctioned rally in the Russian capital on Saturday, but a heavy police presence in Ukraine kept the two sides apart at that country's first-ever gay pride march.

Dozens march in Ukraine's first-ever gay rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:07:03 -0400

KIEV, Ukraine - At least 50 gay rights activists have marched peacefully in the country's first gay rally despite a court ban and attempts to disrupt the event.

Puerto Rico approves anti-discrimination bill

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:35:55 -0400

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Legislators in Puerto Rico on Friday approved a heavily debated bill that outlaws employment discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation.

After vote on gay youth, Scouts face more turmoil

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:35:44 -0400

The Boy Scouts of America will get no reprieve from controversy after a contentious vote to accept openly gay boys as Scouts.

Leahy disappointed on gay, bi-national couples

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:23:07 -0400

MONTPELIER, Vermont - Sen. Patrick Leahy said Friday he was disappointed he was unsuccessful in his bid to amend immigration reform legislation to protect same-sex couples in which one of the partners is foreign-born.

Bill preventing UNC opposite-sex housing returns

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:59:56 -0400

RALEIGH, North Carolina - A bill blocking a University of North Carolina policy allowing students to choose roommates of the opposite sex has found new life in the state Senate budget.

Mixed reaction in Wyo. to Boy Scouts' gay vote

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:07:11 -0400

CASPER, Wyoming - Officials with the Boy Scouts of America in Wyoming didn't comment on the organization's decision to end a ban on gay youths while still excluding gay adults, but parents of Wyoming Boy Scouts are expressing mixed reactions.

Boy Scouts' Narragansett Council 'pleased' by vote

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:37:15 -0400

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island - The Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America says it is pleased by a vote to allow openly gay boys to join.

NJ man who sued on gay ban says change falls short

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:55:13 -0400

NEWARK, New Jersey - The New Jersey man who first challenged the Boy Scouts' ban on gay members says a new policy allowing gay scouts but barring "open or avowed" homosexual adult leaders is "convoluted."

Boy Scouts-Mormon bond remains intact

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:34:45 -0400

SALT LAKE CITY - When the Boy Scouts of America began a discussion earlier this year about lifting its ban on gays, some speculated it could lead to the severing of ties with the Mormon church that goes back 100 years.

Brewer vetoes 5 bills in latest budget standoff

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:17:53 -0400

PHOENIX - Gov. Jan Brewer sent lawmakers a message Thursday: Don't mess with me.

DC-area Boy Scout council supports lifting gay ban

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:50:05 -0400

WASHINGTON - The top Boy Scout executive in the council covering the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland and Virginia is supporting the national board's decision to accept openly gay scouts.

Perry 'greatly disappointed' by Boy Scouts vote

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:41:29 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Rick Perry says he's disappointed with the Boy Scouts of America allowing openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts.

Boy Scouts CEO calls for unity

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:29:27 -0400

GRAPEVINE, Texas - The chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America called the decision to lift the ban on gay youth in the Scouts "truly in the best interests of Scouting."

Court cancels Ukraine's first gay pride rally

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:55:05 -0400

KIEV, Ukraine - A Ukrainian court on Thursday banned what would have been Ukraine's first-ever gay pride demonstration, upholding a suit by city authorities, who argued the rally would disturb annual Kiev Day celebrations and could spark violence.

Ocean not all that separates US, European fans

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:10:53 -0400

Imagine Derek Jeter leading the New York Yankees off the field because opposing fans were yelling racial slurs and throwing bananas at his team. Or a game between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls halted because of unrelenting race-baiting from the crowd.

Group spends $2M lobbying for gay marriage

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:11:14 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - The group that pushed Minnesota lawmakers to legalize gay marriage disclosed Wednesday it invested more than $2 million in the successful lobbying effort.

Arizona Senate advances bills for religious groups

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:43:19 -0400

PHOENIX - A little religion could soon go a long way in avoiding unpopular government mandates.

Ariz. AG is OK with new Bisbee civil union measure

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:46:45 -0400

BISBEE, Arizona - The city of Bisbee is moving forward with a new version of a proposed local law allowing civil unions, and a spokeswoman for Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne says Horne won't sue to try to block it.

Complaint accuses Exxon Mobil of anti-gay bias

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:49:29 -0400

NEW YORK - A gay-rights group has filed a legal complaint against the Exxon Mobil Corp., accusing it of anti-gay discrimination in handling job applications.

Arrest in latest anti-gay attack in New York City

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:49:15 -0400

NEW YORK - A suspect was arrested Wednesday in an assault in Manhattan's East Village that police say was one of several anti-gay attacks in recent days.