Legislators in the US state of Washingon have unveiled proposals to extend all the rights of married couples to same-sex partners.

Several of us here LOVED summer camp! Now there’s one just for GLBT ‘kids’ that is TRULY a summer camp! Complete with canoes and bug-juice!

Recapture the magic of your summer camp adventures at ‘Camp’ Camp!!!

Highly recommended.

No matter your age today, if you faced bullying as a child because of your sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression; or whether you are a loved one of someone who has faced such bullying; or whether you are a concerned citizen, please attend this first Commission hearing and consider testifying.

Today, the Pride Agenda released an update on how state agencies are now recognizing same-sex marriages. The update, written in conjunction with Lambda Legal, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and America Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is titled “Your Government Respects Your Marriage: Developments in New York State Agency Recognition of Same-Sex Couples’ Out-of-State Marriages.”

THIS JUST IN!

Judith Light (Who’s the Boss, Ugly Betty) is now attending the Legends Dinner!!!

At Garden State Equality’s annual Legends Dinner, couples have met and fallen in love.  Guests, whether single or coupled, have developed friendships and professional contacts that will last a lifetime.  With our mix and match seating, we work to make magic happen.Please join us for the evening of the year that will stay with you for years to come.  On the national circuit of LGBT civil rights galas, no gala is more fun, more glamorous and more filled with mega-stars than the Legends Dinner.At this year’s Legends Dinner, you’ll meet the legendary Fran Drescher… Ugly Betty’s Judith Light… Star Trek’s George Takei… Queer As Folk’s Michelle Clunie… Rent’s Anthony Rapp… Hairspray’s Marc Shaiman… Movin’ Out’s Miche Braden… New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn… Congressman Steve Rothman… and a who’s who of public officials from across the state.Tickets are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law.  Proceeds will go to Garden State Equality’s campaign to win marriage equality in New Jersey. The Legends Dinner is about a month away.  Please order your tickets today by clicking on any of the icons below.  Don’t delay – you don’t want to be shut out of an historic evening. Robbinsville High School Gay-Straight Alliance Lt. Laurel Hester Prize for Citizen Courage Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Congressman Steve Rothman Equality Hall of Fame Jeannine LaRue Loretta Weinberg Prize for Lifetime Achievement Jacqui Charvet Gibbons Prize for Law and Social Change Point Foundation Visionary Award     Democracy for America – New Jersey Pillar of Progress Prize Prudential Schering-Plough Corporate Equality Award       2009 LEGENDS DINNER COMMITTEE   Event chairs   Rev. John Graf, Jr. David M. Smith Luanne Peterpaul   Bob Angelini Jana Belot David Bistany Joan Caputo and Diane Davis Richard Cash and Craig Ross Jeff Gardner and Ari Lash Daniel Gross and Steven Goldstein Linda Harrison and Jacky Gindrod Kristen Hurd Robin Kampf and Luanne Peterpaul Leslie Kooyman Thomas Laurita and Harry Nussbaum Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship Church Felice T. Londa and Stacy Brodsky, D.C. Newark-Essex Pride Coalition Lucy and William O’Brien Mark O’Donnell and Carla Katz Thomas Hoff Prol John Ramos and Ernie Rivera Steve C. and Mary Rother William Schachtel Ellen Steinlauf Linda Varas and Jaime Raskulinecz Kyle Young and Steven Schmitt Special thanks to Peter Yacobellis Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality Chair Questions? Contact Brian Simons, Director of Administration and Finance at cell (973) 930-3531 or Simons@GardenStateEquality.org To advertise in our 2009 Supporters Journal, premiering at the Legends Dinner and distributed to thousands at Garden State Equality events throughout the year, contact Boyd DeLanzo at cell (609) 204-2539 or DeLanzo@GardenStateEquality.org   If you have trouble with the above links, paste this URL into your web browser: http://eqfed.org/gse/events/2009_legends/details.tcl   Please click on the Tell-A-Friend link below to forward this 2009 LEGENDS DINNER invitation to your family, friends and colleagues.  Tell-a-friend! If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Garden State Equality Action Center.

By On Top Magazine Staff
Published: January 22, 2009

A gay marriage bill introduced Wednesday in Sweden’s parliament enjoys broad support and is likely to pass, making Sweden the seventh country to grant gays and lesbians the right to marry.

The legislation aims to repeal a 1987 law defining marriage as a heterosexual union. A recent poll found that nearly three-fourths of Swedes (71%) approve of gay marriage.

Lawmakers in Sweden approved civil unions for gay couples in 1995. The law offers gay and lesbians the same legal status as married heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt.

Gay marriage in Sweden has remained in a holding pattern for years because two of the country’s four major political parties opposed it. But an October 2007 Moderate Party endorsement broke that stalemate, leaving only the Christian Democrats opposed to the legalization of gay marriage.

While the proposed law would allow for pastors to opt out of performing gay wedding ceremonies, and the Lutheran Church has been blessing gay unions since 2007, the Christian Democrats and the Church say they would like to reserve the word “marriage” for heterosexual unions.

“My position is that I have been tasked by the Party to argue that marriage is for men and women,” Christian Democrat Leader Goran Hagglund told Swedish Radio in November.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Moderate Party leader, is a strong supporter of gay and lesbian rights, voting for civil unions in 1994 when his Party disagreed.

“The main proposal in the motion is that … a person’s gender will no longer have any bearing on whether they can marry,” Reinfeldt said in a statement. “The marriage law and other laws concerning spouses will be rendered gender neutral according to the proposal.”

Under the timetable set out in the bill gay marriage would become available May 1.

The new legislation would make Sweden the first country in the world to allow gays to marry within a major church. Seventy-four percent of Swedes belong to the Lutheran Church.

 We’ve been proudly promoting this event to our clients and friends for weeks and now we’re proud and honored to announce that savvyplanners.com will be designing and coordinating this event!

It is a supreme pleasure and, indeed, an honor to have been selected the coordinators for this event!

Get your tickets now.  Seriously?    They are nearly sold out!

We thank Garden State Equality for the privilege of serving them.

Robbinsville High School Gay-Straight Alliance Lt. Laurel Hester Prize for Citizen Courage Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Congressman Steve Rothman Equality Hall of Fame Jeannine LaRue Loretta Weinberg Prize for Lifetime Achievement Jacqui Charvet Gibbons Prize for Law and Social Change New Jersey for Democracy The Point Foundation Visionary Award Prudential Schering-Plough Corporate Equality Award             2009 LEGENDS DINNER COMMITTEE   Event chairs   Rev. John Graf, Jr. David M. Smith Luanne Peterpaul   Bob Angelini Jana Belot David Bistany Joan Caputo and Diane Davis Richard Cash and Craig Ross Daniel Gross and Steven Goldstein Kristen Hurd Robin Kampf and Luanne Peterpaul Leslie Kooyman Thomas Laurita and Harry Nussbaum Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship Church Felice T. Londa and Stacy Brodsky, D.C. Newark-Essex Pride Coalition Lucy and William O’Brien Mark O’Donnell and Carla Katz Thomas Hoff Prol John Ramos and Ernie Rivera Steve C. and Mary Rother William Schachtel Ellen Steinlauf Linda Varas and Jaime Raskulinecz Kyle Young and Steven Schmitt Special thanks to Peter Yacobellis Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality Chair Questions? Contact Brian Simons, Deputy Finance Director at cell (973) 930-3531 or Simons@GardenStateEquality.org To advertise in our 2009 Supporters Journal, premiering at the Legends Dinner and distributed to thousands at Garden State Equality events throughout the year, contact Yvette Cid at cell (201) 543-7861 or Cid@GardenStateEquality.org   If you have trouble with the above links, paste this URL into your web browser: http://eqfed.org/gse/events/2009_legends/details.tcl

		Tomorrow, I will speak before President-elect Obama at the first event of inauguration week. Let’s use this as a moment to turn our beliefs into action. Ask President-elect Obama to keep his promises to LGBT Americans. Dear M.W., Tomorrow, in one of the most humbling honors of my life, I will deliver an invocation at the first event of inauguration week. Though many of us were deeply upset when President-elect Obama chose Proposition 8 supporter Rev. Rick Warren to speak at his inauguration, the fact that he also invited me – a proud gay man – is a hopeful sign of our president’s commitment to reach out to all Americans. Now it’s up to all of us to capitalize on this moment and ensure that President-elect Obama works for equality. Join me in asking Obama to take the next step by supporting HRC’s Blueprint for Positive Change – a roadmap for LGBT equality. As a gay American, a bishop, and a member of HRC’s Religion Council, I was open about my shock and anger last month at Warren’s invitation. But I now feel it’s time to turn the page on that controversy – to come together and tackle the next set of challenges. The blueprint calls for President-elect Obama to sign hate crimes legislation into law, to support a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to end unequal taxation of domestic partnerships and more. In the spirit of hope, we ask President-elect Obama to follow this blueprint and keep his promises. Tomorrow, I will be blessed to stand at the Lincoln Memorial before the next leader of our great country. His message has inspired countless Americans who have waited many long years to feel represented by their government. I owe President-elect Obama the utmost thanks for allowing me to participate in such a historic event. Whether you’re religious or not, gay or straight, please stand with me – declare your support for HRC’s Blueprint for Positive Change and ask your friends and family to do the same. Sincerely, The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson HRC Religion Council
	© 2008 The Human Rights Campaign. All rights reserved. Human Rights Campaign | www.hrc.org 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-3278 Phone: 202/628-4160 TTY: 202/216-1572 Fax: 202/347-5323