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New Mexico Gays Married In Massachusetts Face Uncertainty Gay and lesbians in New Mexico can now marry in Massachusetts, but advocates caution that couples who so should be prepared to live with uncertainty. A July 18 notice instructed Massachusetts' city and town clerks to give licenses to gay couples from New Mexico because the Southwestern state does not explicitly ban marriage between parties of the same gender. It does not, however, endorse it either. Self-proclaimed Family Values Senator Blasted For Blatant Hypocrisy Sen. David Vitter, who has built his political career around “family values” and railed against same-sex marriage, admitted to “a very serious sin in my past” after his telephone number appeared among those associated with an escort service operated by the so-called “D.C. Madam.” Leading Presidential Candidates To Participate In Historic Forum On Gay Issues The one-hour event will be held on August 9th at 6:00 PM PT / 9:00 PM ET in Los Angeles before a studio audience and broadcast live, without commercial interruption, exclusively on Logo’s 24/7 cable television channel as well as through live streaming video at LOGOonline.com. Logo is the nation’s leading television and broadband channel for the LGBT audience and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization. National Gay And Lesbian Task Force Releases First Comprehensive Analysis Of 2008 Presidential Candidates’ Positions On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Issues The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force released the first comprehensive analysis of the top 19 candidates for the 2008 presidency on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. Democrats discussed in this report include Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama. Republicans include Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Massachusetts Legislature Defeats Discriminatory Anti-Marriage Amendment During a joint session, Massachusetts lawmakers voted 151 to 45 to defeat a measure that would have placed a discriminatory, anti-marriage constitutional amendment before voters on the November 2008 ballot. The proposed amendment threatened to undo the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s historic 2003 decision making the state the first to recognize marriage equality for same-sex couples. Arkansas Group Presses For Gay Adoption Ban A socially conservative group largely responsible for the passage of an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution banning gay marriage is now focusing on a similar ballot measure to block gays and lesbians from becoming parents. Culver signs bill protecting gays, lesbians Gays and lesbians now have civil rights protection in Iowa. Gov. Chet Culver on Friday signed a bill making it illegal to discriminate in employment, public accommodation, credit, housing or education based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Senators Kennedy and Smith Introduce Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese and Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation and mother of hate crime victim Matthew Shepard, joined Sens. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Gordon Smith, R-Ore. as they introduced the bipartisan Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Senate bill would strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute the more than 9,000 bias-motivated, violent crimes reported each year. Proposed repeal of 1913 law could lure gay couples to Mass. Gay couples from across the country could be getting the green light to marry in Massachusetts after three of the state's top political leaders said they support repealing a 94-year-old law that has blocked the practice.

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