A Philippine gay rights group is waging a legal battle to be allowed to run in next year’s polls after the Elections Commission ruled it cannot register as a political party on grounds that it advocates immorality.The decision last week against Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet), a group representing lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, sent shock waves through the gay community.In issuing its decision, the commission said the group “tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs” an... Read Full Story

The Victorian ALP has increased pressure on the federal government to allow same-sex marriages after passing a motion supporting gay unions at its state conference.A meeting of the party faithful in Melbourne on Saturday called for the federal government to change the Marriage Act to allow gay couples to marry. A similar motion was passed at Tasmania's state Labor conference in July.The state conference also called on the commonwealth attorney-general to refrain from interfering with the ACT ... Read Full Story

More than 150 leaders across a spectrum of conservative Christianity on Friday released a 4,700-word document vowing civil disobedience if they are forced to take part in "anti-life acts" or bless gay marriages.Called the "Manhattan Declaration," the six-page, single-spaced document was drafted by Prison Fellowship founder Charles Colson, an evangelical, and Princeton University professor Robert P. George, a Roman Catholic, and included a bevy of Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox bishops, archb... Read Full Story

How many more examples of Going Rogue do we need? After standing in line for several hours in the cold, cold rain, loyal Palinites watched in horror and anger as their hero boarded her Going Rogue tour bus promptly at 9pm and left their small town of Noblesville Indiana, promises broken, books unsigned. There was much complaining… “I’m very disappointed. I think it was very rude. She could have at least apologized, and she didn’t even do that,” said Teresa Hedric... Read Full Story

At least we finally have it in writing… A group of religious leaders representing various denominations released a 4,700 word manifesto today called the Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience, which formally declares their opposition to gay marriage and abortion, among other things.. The document also encourages Christians to resist and disobey laws contrary to their teachings on those issues. “We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, ... Read Full Story

It’s been almost two and a half months since Mitrice Richardson, 24, went missing after being released from a Malibu/Lost Hills police station in mid September. The Los Angeles Times reports that her father is extremely frustrated with the circumstances behind how his daughter was released from police custody and the lack of clues as to her whereabouts. [The] missing woman’s father, Michael Richardson, 42, is now pressing authorities to release security footage from the night Richardson... Read Full Story

This time of year is filled with plans for the holidays, but even with events right around the corner, New York Won’t Back Down when it comes to marriage equality.  Last night nine volunteers meet again in midtown Manhattan to phone bank for marriage equality, and this group shows no sign of stopping until there is a vote.  Broadway Impact and our host Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids have partnered with HRC to make sure that every New York State Senator hears from his or her constitu... Read Full Story

As we posted about earlier this week, today is the 11th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance which helps make visible the thousands of transgender people and their loved ones that hate has tried so violently to erase.  In the last 12 months alone, over 90 transgender people have lost their lives to prejudice and hate. As HRC Associate Director of Diversity Allyson Robinson wrote: For many of you – perhaps most of you – Transgender Day of Remembrance asks you to do something to which you’re n... Read Full Story

“Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Family” is a series of conversations and blog posts celebrating National Adoption Month. This post in the series comes from Duane Taylor. Duane and his partner Regi adopted three children from foster care six years ago. Perhaps you’ve seen the HRC’s All Children – All Families Promising Practices Guide? That’s us on the cover. So how’d that beautiful family come to be? My partner Regi and I adopted three beautiful children through foster care adoption about... Read Full Story

Today 145 evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders released the “Manhattan Declaration” — a document indicating that they will not cooperate with laws that conflict with their beliefs, including those recognizing same-sex couples. The document also references the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) as a threat to religious liberty.  Yet ENDA – which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity – broadly exempts religiou... Read Full Story