(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Today a federal judge in Oklahoma struck down the state’s marriage ban, saying that the law violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal protection.
Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:
“This is a tremendous day for loving and committed same-sex couples and their families in Oklahoma, building on the momentum of eight other states that… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed today a bill that would have made it easier for transgender residents to obtain an amended birth certificate. The legislation, which passed the state legislature last year, simply would have allowed transgender residents to change the gender marker on their birth certificate by providing an affidavit from a licensed medical professional showing they had undergone medically appropriate treatment. HRC… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

What Same-Sex Couples Need to Know This Filing Season
The nonpartisan Tax Foundation has released a comprehensive summary of each state’s guidance to same-sex couples on filing income taxes.
Gay and lesbian couples holding a valid marriage certificate from a state that recognizes same-sex marriage will be able to file a joint federal tax return for tax year 2013. Twenty-two states do not recognize same-sex… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

For many years, the LGBT community has experienced disparities in the health system as they have been denied the same rights as heterosexual Americans, have been found to have a high percentage of preexisting medical conditions and have experienced difficulty finding affordable health insurance.  Now members of the LGBT community can have a sense of ease, as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and recent Defense… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Extends Federal Recognition
Move follows call to action by HRC President Chad Griffin yesterday
Today the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, celebrated U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announcement that full federal recognition will extend to the more than 1,300 gay and lesbian couples who have legally married in Utah. The action by the Department of… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Today Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s office directed state agencies not to recognize as valid the legal marriages of same-sex couples performed after a federal court ruled in favor of marriage equality in December.  Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin issued the following statement:
“Today’s decision harms hundreds of Utah families and denies them the respect and basic protections that they deserve as legally married… Read the rest

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To republish this post please visit Utah Gov. Strips Marriage Rights from Same-Sex Couples

(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Students, Families, and Supporters Celebrate Growing Support and Opportunities for Transgender Students
School Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266) Helps Transgender Students Participate and Succeed in Schools
Transgender students and their families are celebrating California’s new School Success and Opportunity Act, which ensures that schools across the state understand their obligation to provide a fair opportunity for transgender students to participate in all school programs and… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

The most LGBT-friendly places in America, according to The Advocate’s ever-rotating criteria, are some of what you expect, and a lot of what you don’t.
 
 
 For the fifth year in a row The Advocate, the world’s leading gay news source, has compiled its annual list of the “Gayest Cities in America.” This time around it’s not all piano bars, gender-specific music festivals, and giant disco… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

The U.S. Supreme Court today granted a request from Utah’s attorney general to temporarily put a halt to marriages for same-sex couples. The attorney general had asked for marriages to be suspended while the state appealed a federal court’s ruling striking down the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples. A federal appeals court previously denied the temporary stay of the order.
“Despite today’s decision,… Read the rest

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(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Yesterday the Utah Attorney General’s office announced they would be continuing their appeal of a federal judge’s decision allowing marriage for lesbian and gay couples. With no other details, the AG’s office announced that they will bring in outside counsel at the expense of taxpayers.  HRC Vice President for Communications Fred Sainz issued the following statement:
“Defending discrimination is indefensible.  Defending discrimination while spending millions… Read the rest

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To republish this post please visit Utah Poised to Spend Millions Defending the Indefensible

(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Community Market & Insights (CMI) has released key findings from its Annual LGBT Travel Survey. Now in its 18th year, the study has successfully tracked the trends, travel patterns, brand recognition and destination rankings of the LGBT community over time. More than 3,000 LGBTs from across the United States participated in this study in Autumn 2013.
The research was presented at CMI’s 14th Conference on… Read the rest

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To republish this post please visit Top Ten 2013 LGBT Travel Trends

(GayWebSource.com – Gay Media & Press Network) – Posted by Michael Lamb – Echelon Magazine

Today a federal district judge ruled that Ohio officials must recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who married out of state, for the purposes of being listed as married on death certificates.
Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:
“Today’s ruling in federal district court in Ohio powerfully affirms the principle that states cannot pick and choose which legal… Read the rest

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To republish this post please visit Federal Judge Says OH Must Recognize Out-of-State Marriages for Same-Sex Couples