Results tagged “gay”

The case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, in federal court finished last week and it's safe to say, however may Judge Vaughn Walker rule, this is not the end. Appeals will definitely be made and all signs point indicate that it will be the backers of the Prop who will be making the appeal. Perhaps the writing was already on the wall during a pre-trial hearing when the Prop 8 folks asked for a summary judgement: more ›

Week 3 of the federal case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, continues on today with the defense--the sponsors of the initiative---presenting their case. Here's what each legal team is saying about the case: Plaintiffs via e-mail (pro gay marriage): "The trial is culminating with the defendants' own witnesses making the plaintiffs' case, and crumbling under cross examination." more ›

Now that the defense is presenting their case to legitimize Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, things are getting extremely interesting. Here's what happened yesterday in the courtroom, as told by each sides' legal teams. more ›

The case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, continues today in a federal district court. The plaintiffs (pro gay marriage) are expected to rest their case with documents and videos that reinforce points made during the first two weeks of trial. As for Friday, here's what happened and what each side is saying, per the plaintiff legal team and the defendants: more ›

The Federal trial challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is already in session this morning. Here's some of what happened yesterday, via the plaintiff's legal team: more ›

The holiday weekend over and the Federal trial against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is back in its second week. The plaintiffs are still calling in witness experts and here's who is expected today and tomorrow, in order of appearance: Jerry Sanders, the current Republican Mayor and former Police Chief of the City of San Diego who is the father of a lesbian daughter. He will testify about his decision, as Mayor, to support the City of San Diego’s participation in an amicus brief advocating against the exclusion of same-sex couples... more ›

In the federal trial challenging the legality of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, testimony today by a professor from Cambridge University suggested couples, gay or not, can raise equally healthy children. "We have a substantial body of evidence documenting that a child being raised by same-sex parents are just as likely to be well-adjusted as children raised by heterosexual parents," testified Dr. Michael Lamb, a Professor and Head of the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at Cambridge. more ›

Today will mark the end of the first week of the federal trial challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Here's quick recap from yesterday and a list of who is expected to take the stand today. As always, the Courage Campaign's live blog has been a great source for the trial. more ›

It’s clear that Benoit Denizet-Lewis loves the gays and the kids. We talked for about 40 minutes on Sunday about his book American Voyeur: Dispatches from the Far Reaches of Modern Life, and he notes a recurring theme of fitting in particularly in the gay culture. more ›

It's the fourth day of the federal Prop 8 trial and more experts brought in by the plaintiffs (two gay couples) will go on the stand. Here's a quick recap of yesterday, thanks to the Courage Campaign's live blog: more ›

It is now becoming apparent why Dr. William Tam, a defendant-intervener and official proponent of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, wanted to be excused from the trial. He stated that he feared for his life and family in his request to the court last Friday. Today during the redirect examination of Yale Professor George Chauncey (he's an expert on gay discrimination) by San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart, the video taped deposition (from December 1st, 2009) of Tam was shown. Here are some selections: more ›

In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court today voted to indefinitely blocked cameras from the federal Prop 8 trial, currently in its third day, the Associated Press is reporting. The two lower courts approved a live feed to selected court houses outside of San Francisco, including an approved a delayed YouTube feed by district court Judge Vaughn Walker. Gay marriage advocates said it would bring transparency to the trial, but case defendants, the backers of Proposition 8, feared the exposure would scare witnesses away. more ›

Although Judge Walker received hundreds of thousands of public comments (to be exact, there were 138,542 in favor and 32 opposed) to broadcasting the Federal Prop 8 trial, people across the country were denied that opportunity after the Supreme Court this morning blocked taping until at least Wednesday when a final decision would be made. However, The Courage Campaign, which supports gay marriage, is live blogging from the courthouse. If you know of any live blogs covering the trial from the other side of the table, let us know. more ›

After losing the bid to block cameras from the Prop 8 trial twice, supporters of the measure that banned gay marriage in California have submitted a last-minute emergency application to the Supreme Court asking Justice Kennedy to block the cameras. more ›

Judge Vaughn R. Walker split the baby today and decided to let the trial against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, be videotaped by the court and uploaded to YouTube later in the day, according to the LA Times. more ›

Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the U.S. District Court in Northern California today will hear testimony from both sides about letting cameras into the courtroom in the case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Walker is expected to make a decision on Friday, after receiving public input via letters and petitions (we posted about one yesterday). more ›

We have to agree with the Courage Campaign on this one. This historic trial about Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, should be televised. From the organization's e-mail alert today: more ›

As the federal court case about Prop 8, which banned gay marriage last year, nears, lawyers representing two gay couples are seeking internal communications from campaign proponents in order to prove the law was proposed and established with "discriminatory intent." more ›

There was no such luck for San Francisco this year, but the Abbey Food & Bar in West Hollywood beat out popular gay spots in Rio, London, Amsterdam, Chicago and Montreal this week in a contest put on by MTV's Logo Channel. Other winners in the TripOutGayTravel awards include New York City (best U.S. destination), the Wynn Las Vegas (best ultimate luxury/hotel resort) and the W Hotels (best hotel chain). Party on, WeHo. more ›

One year ago tonight, thousands of disappointed voters hit the streets to protest the passing of Prop 8 which banned gay marriage in California. Tonight, people will gather again. more ›

When you write lyrics that say, in essence, that "faggots" should "get up and run" because "they have to die," it's fair to say people will get upset. Adding that you will shoot them in the head and "burn them up bad" doesn't help either. But that's part of Buju Banton's “Boom, Bye Bye” song, which has prompted gay rights groups to effectively pressure promoters to cancel 16 concerts across the country. more ›

Foes of gay marriage tried to get a U.S. District Judge to dismiss a case against Proposition 8, a voter-approved initiative that reinstated a ban on gay marriage last November. As expected, Judge Vaughn Walker denied the motion, which means a court case could begin as early as January, according to the LA Weekly. more ›

The fourth hearing over a pending federal court case challenging the legality of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, will take place in San Francisco today. Backers of the ban are asking U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker to dismiss the challenge because the law is clearly written and, get this, "there is no constitutional right for gays and lesbians to marry because marriage has long been defined as a union between a man and a woman," according to the LA Times. more ›

Although two major gay rights bills were signed by Governor Schwarzenegger this weekend, two dealing with transgender issues were vetoed. One would have aided transgender people to revise their birth certificates and the other would have provided protections for transgender people in prison. more ›

As Obama prepared for his big "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" speech last week, government figures released showed that women are more likely to be kicked out of military service under the policy than men. In a story, the Associated Press highlighted Julianne Sohn, who now works for the LAPD. more ›

Among the hundreds of bills signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last night, two gay rights ones were authored by San Francisco's Senator Mark Leno. One names May 22nd as Harvey Milk Day and the other recognizes same-sex marriages from other states by providing "the same legal protections that would otherwise be available to couples that enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships out-of-state," according to the bill's language. "In short, this measure honors the will of the People in enacting Proposition 8 while providing important protections to those unions legally entered into in other states." more ›

Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, released a pointed statement this afternoon regarding Republican Michael Duvall, the Orange County Assemblyman who today resigned after a local TV station exposed a video of him crudely bragging about his extra-marital affairs, presumably with at least one lobbyist, according to reports. Jean's main point? Despite his family values when it came to opposing gay issues, he had no problem cheating: more ›

As many Americans are preparing to bid adieu to the season with Labor Day weekend, those of us lucky enough to live in this part of the country have several more weeks of warm weather to frolic in. Even so, there are some of you who have thought, “I should go to the beach this summer” and it’s still not too late. With the holiday weekend around the corner, we at LAist figured that you same-sex loving guys out there would appreciate info on where gaze upon gym-toned bods without fear (Lady-loving ladies, we’re open to a similar post just for you). more ›

The next big date in all things Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California, will be January 11th, 2010. In this morning's hearing about the case, backers of Prop 8 desired a 2010 summer date, but proponents of striking the ban down wanted it much earlier. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker denied three gay rights group the ability to join the lawsuit, as well as a anti-gay marriage group's request, too. However, he did allow the City of San Francisco to join, but only to assess the impacts to local governments, explained the Associated Press. Expert witnesses will be designated by October 2nd with discovery concluding on November 30th. The pretrial conference will be on December 16th followed by the designation of rebuttal expert witnesses on December 31st, said the Mercury News. more ›

It's just after 10 a.m. and case against the unconstitutionality of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is being heard for the second time in a federal district court in San Francisco. Before the first hearing in July, Judge Vaughn R. Walker said "given that serious questions are raised in these proceedings ... the court is inclined to proceed directly and expeditiously to the merits of plaintiffs' claims. ... The just, speedy and inexpensive determination of these issues would appear to call for proceeding promptly to trial.” more ›