Fighting the urge to vomit, last on Tuesday, I watched Creigh Deeds concede to Taliban Bob McDonnell (Pat Robertson's anointed candidate) in the race for Virginia's next governor. Obviously, there are a number of lessons to be learned from Deeds' defeat, including:

1. the Democrats need to avoid contested primaries that allow the GOP opposition several months of unopposed campaigning,
2. Virginia voters are too stupid to discern a slick but completely disingenuous and dishonest campaign by far right cultural warriors like McDonnell,
3. andidates from Southwest Virginia are DOA in a statewide general election - Deeds is the third to crash and burn as a candidate for governor,
4. Deeds ran one of the worse campaigns in memory and dragged the rest of the Democrat ticket down with him,
5. DNC chair Tim Kaine should have spent more time at home minding Virginia, and
6. Barack Obama and the Congressional Democrats' inability to pass major legislation even when given a mandate suggests to many - at least it would seem in Virginia - that a vote for Democrats is a vote for contemplating one's navel rather than getting the job done.

Continue reading "GOP Christian Taliban Ticket Sweeps Virginia" »

Tonight is a big night for LGBT rights and issues- Marriage Equality in Maine, Relationship Recognition in Washington State, and a Human Rights Ordinance in Kalamazoo. Add that to the openly gay candidates (Annise Parker in Houston) and races that effect our movement (the New Jersey Governor's Race), and you have a busy night for all things LGBT.

We're going to use this open thread to update election results, talk about the races, follow everything that matters to you. Jump in the comments, add the races you're watching, and give your commentary throughout the evening!

We'll be updating this post all night as results trickle in!

Maine Question 1 Results: 84% Reporting
NO (yay!): 47.4%
Yes (boo!): 52.6% *Winner-UGH*

The Associated Press has declared Yes On 1 the victor. We lost. A recount is expected.

Campaign Statement after the jump.

Washington State Referendum 71 Results: 100% Reporting
Approve (yay!): 51% *Winner*
Reject (boo!): 49%

We won Washington State. LGBT residents keep domestic partner benefits.

Kalamazoo Ordinance 1856 Results:

WINNING PRESS RELEASE AFTER THE JUMP

Yes (yay!): 65% *Winner!!*
No (boo!): 35%

More races (NJ, VA, Houston, St Pete FL, Chapel NC, & more!) and results as they come in after the jump!

Continue reading "Election Night Results Open Thread: Maine, WA State, Kalamazoo & Beyond" »

Editor's Note: Guest blogger Bob Summersgill is a long-time GLBT rights activist in the District of Columbia who has successfully led numerous human rights efforts.

Lost in the aftermath of the D.C. Council hearing on the marriage bill and in the rush of Election Day news and last minute campaigning in Virginia, Maine, and Washington State, a small but significant marriage rights bill passed the D.C. Council.

Last July, the District started to recognize same-sex couples married in other jurisdictions. However, that bill did not include the right of same-sex married couples to file taxes jointly, nor does the pending marriage equality bill. All married couples in the District must file taxes with the same filing status as they use for their federal returns. However the Defense of Marriage Act prevents the recognition of same-sex couples, so same-sex couples who are now recognized as married must still file as single.

Continue reading "A little marriage bill moves ahead in D.C." »

The hearing on marriage equality in DC continued today before the City Council Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary. Last week there were theatrics by those opposing marriage equality, but there was also a common theme. They want the people to vote. That theme continued yesterday.

Under DC law, however, human rights matters are not subject to popular vote. So opponents asked for an "advisory referendum," even though it would not be binding. Last week that gave Council Member David Catania the opportunity to note that the only time such an advisory referendum has been held in the District of Columbia was on December 21, 1865, and the subject was giving freed slaves the right to vote. According to Council Member Catania, the vote was 721-1 in Georgetown and 6591-35 in the rest of the city - and that would be against extending the vote to freed slaves.

Continue reading "Voting on marriage equality in DC" »

Monday was the second day of the marathon hearings on the DC marriage bill. Over 250 people signed up to testify for or against legalizing marriages between same-sex couples over the two days with roughly 80% of the witnesses supporting marriage.

Yesterday's hearing was capped by Andy Hertzberg's proposal to his partner Andy Rollman.

Continue reading "DC marriage hearings end with a proposal" »

I think this was one of Bilerico's best weeks ever. Not only did we have some highly popular emotional and entertainment posts this week, but our political coverage was spectacular. What other LGBT site covered the hate crimes bill signing - and gave you personal posts from contributors who attended? Combine that with our Ryan White Act reporting and a big dose of health care breaking news and you've got a recipe for Bilerico! Here are the posts you won't want to miss from the past week:

PS - Did you go vote for Bilerico Project as the best blog from Indiana? Help us win first place (We're in 10th currently! A bunch of corporate blogs are beating us!).

Sunday

TV ads aren't the answer in Maine Filed by: Matt Foreman
The Gay Hate Crimes Crisis Isn't Over Yet Filed by: David Badash

Monday

I have a problem with faggots Filed by: Bil Browning
War is anti-LGBTQ Filed by: Alex Blaze

Tuesday

Bend (Over) It Like Beckham Filed by: Prince Gomolvilas
Drag memorabilia: vintage Finocchio's postcard Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.

Wednesday

WWJB: Where Would Jesus Bank? -or- Jesus Doesn't Bank Here Any More Filed by: Bil Browning
Child witches, demons, and LGBT youth Filed by: Rev Irene Monroe

Thursday

The beginning of the end Filed by: Cathy Renna
LGBT History: A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Friday

When the Government does Right Filed by: Rebecca Juro
Dragon Age: Origins and Buttsex Filed by: Jason Tseng

Bilerico Nation

William & Mary Students Pick Transgender Homecoming Queen Filed by: Michael Hamar (B-DC)
Transgender Comics: "Between the Lines" Filed by: Austen Crowder
Help Us Stop Murder Music in Miami Filed by: Nadine Smith (B-FL)

The big untold story in the movement towards marriage in DC is the strong clergy support for equality. The traditional media is stick in a mythical narrative that people of faith are categorically opposed to full LGBT equality.

In DC, we know this myth to be false.

DC Clergy United for Marriage Equality, co-chaired by Rev. Rob Hardies and Rev. Dennis Wiley, has nearly 200 clergy supporters. This video is a beautiful recap of Soulful Voices for Marriage Equality, an event sponsored by clergy supporting marriage equality.

Each year Halloween sends many far right Christians completely over the edge - not that many of them aren't already there - and they begin to spout all kinds of lunacy and seek to prevent their children from being exposed to "paganism" and devil worship that they see lurking behind the otherwise fun holiday. It definitely demonstrates just how untethered from objective reality these folks can be and would almost be funny but for the fact that these people are on the loose, vote, are raising children, etc.

Of course, some of the leading Christianist demagogues always feel compelled to get in on the act, including our constant local embarrassment, Pat Robertson, and his fellow loons at CBN who had been promoting a crazy article by one Kimberly Daniels that appeared in Charisma Magazine. Apparently the link on CBN's website has been disabled since Huffington Post and others spotted the lunacy. Naturally, Daddy Dobson's Focus on the Family likewise has articles on how to avoid the paganism of the dangerous day.

Continue reading "Christianist Loons and Halloween " »

While not exactly a ringing endorsement, the Virginian Pilot has nonetheless endorsed Creigh Deeds for governor over hometown boy Taliban Bob McDonnell, Like the Washington Post much of the motivation comes down to who will offer the better solution to the transportation nightmare that is strangling the Hampton Roads area as is the case in Northern Virginia.

While our traffic issues are not yet as severe as in the D.C. suburbs, it is getting worse and will become an increasing obstacle to attracting the new progressive employers so badly needed to keep the local economy growing. The Pilot also fears that McDonnell would waste precious time pandering to the lunatic base of the Republican Party of Virginia which wants to roll back time to the 1960's or earlier. It is not a mindset that is capable of properly dealing with Virginia's increasing ethnic and cultural diversity or the need to make the state more gay friendly to avoid looking increasingly backwards outside of a few liberal pockets.

Continue reading "Bob McDonnell Rejected by Hometown Newspaper " »

President Obama has just signed the first ever piece of pro-LGBT federal legislation into law.

The Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act was attached to the Defense Authorization Bill and added gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to existing hate crimes laws.

We have a long way to go, but today is historic. By signing, the President sends a clear message that it is not okay to kill gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard for so many years on this legislation.

Reactions from the orgs - including a joint statement by 30 LGBT orgs - and Judy Shepard after the jump as they come in (check back for updates)...

Continue reading "Obama Signs Matthew Shepard/James Byrd Hate Crimes Bill into Law" »

On Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009- less than a week away- there will be critical votes on on LGBT equality in three states: Washington State, Maine, and Michigan. With so much attention devoted to other issues in the political realm, bloggers have banded together with the Courage Campaign to ensure we don't forget the ones with a firm deadline next week.

For that reason, we've joined with these three campaigns to put together a summary of who, what, and how. If you haven't heard of these campaigns, and/or haven't done anything yet to support them, please consider helping out. If you are a blogger please feel free to grab this content whole cloth and use it for your blog posts. Head over to the Courage Campaign site and grab the formatted HTML to drop into a post.

Last year, as Obama and Democrats were winning across the country, we lost marriage equality in California. It was a bittersweet victory. Pitch in to make sure 2009 isn't a bittersweet year. Take action to support LGBT equality TODAY.

Continue reading "Blog This: The Battleground Basics" »

OMG - Pat Robertson and Victoria Cobb of Daddy Dobson's Family Foundation must be having fits and wetting themselves at the news that the College of William and Mary - the second oldest university in the United States - has elected a transgender Homecoming Queen. Personally, I think it's wonderful, particularly in a homophobic state like Virginia where GLBT citizens have third class status under the civil laws. Obviously, the students at William & Mary know more about equality than Christianists like Taliban Bob McDonnell and Ken "Kook" Cuccinelli.

Here are brief highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

Students at the College of William and Mary have elected a transgender homecoming queen. Jessee Vasold took the field Saturday at halftime of the Williamsburg school's football game against James Madison. The junior and other members of the homecoming court were introduced to the crowd and posed for pictures. Vasold identifies as "genderqueer," a term for those who don't adhere to either strictly male or strictly female gender roles.

Continue reading "William & Mary Students Pick Transgender Homecoming Queen " »