Gay News

Calif. Judge: Gay Marriage Decision My Toughest

Los Angeles Times  |  May 18, 08 12:05 PM CDT

(Newser) - Long characterized as cautious, California’s Chief Justice Ronald George shocked his peers when he joined the majority to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. “I think there are times when doing the right thing means not playing it safe,” the moderate Republican said, calling the case the most difficult one of his 17 years on the court. More »

The 'Gayby' Boom

Details  |  May 18, 08 4:47 AM CDT

(Newser) - What’s the latest in the gay lifestyle? Babies—lots of them. Smashing the old cliché of wild and fabulous freedom, more gay men are settling down with kids, in some cases partnering with surrogates to forge a genetic link. And it’s not just for couples. Singles are also opting for parenthood—without sacrificing their dating prospects. Unlike in the heterosexual scene, parenthood for gay singles tends to increase their hottie quotient, reports Details. More »

Calif. Gays May Have 6-Month Window

Slate  |  May 16, 08 4:50 PM CDT

(Newser) - Despite its staying power in Massachusetts, gay marriage may not last long in California, Emily Bazelon writes for Slate. Unlike Massachusetts, where “a layered and intricate legislative process” gave voters time to get comfortable with the new law, Californians can overturn the landmark ruling on election day in November, by passing an initiative that's already on the ballot. More »

Ellen to Wed Girlfriend

People  |  May 16, 08 10:05 AM CDT

(Newser) - Ellen DeGeneres and longtime girlfriend Portia de Rossi are getting hitched. The news—Ellen announced it while taping today's show—comes after the California Supreme Court cleared the path to same-sex marriages in the state. The couple began dating in 2004 while de Rossi starred in Fox’s "Arrested Development," People reports. More »

Gay Unions Return as Campaign Issue

New York Times  |  May 16, 08 9:35 AM CDT

(Newser) - In the wake of the California decision, gay advocates hope to bring the issue of same-sex marriages to the forefront of the general election. But all three candidates have similar views—they support civil unions but think marriages should be between men and women, the New York Times reports. They differ in nuances, however, and if the issue gains traction in the next few months, look for those differences to come into play. More »

Gay Marriage Foes Mobilize California Fight

San Francisco Chronicle  |  May 16, 08 4:03 AM CDT

(Newser) - Organizations staunchly opposed to same-sex unions are already mobilizing to reinstate a ban on gay marriages that was struck down yesterday by California's Supreme Court, reports the San Francisco Chronicle . The coalition intends to hammer home the fact that  four judges have "overturned the will" of millions of voters who approved the ban in a 2000 vote, said a spokeswoman for a conservative group in Sacramento. More »

Gays Jubilant Over Calif. Ruling

San Francisco Chronicle  |  May 15, 08 5:10 PM CDT

(Newser) - California gays are ecstatic about the state's supreme court striking down a ban on same-sex marriage, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. “I'm feeling the joy all over,” one gay man, and father, said. In Fresno, a gay couple applied for a marriage license from a somewhat bewildered county clerk who wondered about the “exact language” of the decision, the Bee observed. More »

Calif. Justices Strike Down Gay Marriage Ban

Los Angeles Times  |  May 15, 08 12:42 PM CDT

(Newser) - The California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage today, calling state laws discriminatory, the Los Angeles Times reports. The moderately conservative body found that same-sex couple must be allowed to marry, in a case stemming from the 2004 San Francisco unions that the same judges intervened to stop. An initiative on the November ballot could yet void the ruling if passed by voters. More »

Rap Anti-Gay? Try Oh-So-Gay, Claims Exposé

Guardian (UK)  |  May 11, 08 7:36 PM CDT

(Newser) - Many rappers tout anti-gay attitude, but some are secretly gay too—or so claims a former MTV exec in his upcoming memoir. “The book is not about outing people,” said Terrence Dean, author of Hiding in Hip Hop . “I wrote it so that people realize the industry has a gay subculture and we are part of this music.” His exposé uses code names to keep artists’ double-lives hidden—unless readers can read between the lines. More »

Madge Reprises Lesbian Kiss