All tag results for 'doma'

There were MANY wonderful, inspirational moments from last night's 2013 GLAAD Media Awards - including an-always HIGHlarious Jennifer Lawrence and a powerful speech from President Bill Clinton while accepting the Advocate for Change Award - but none tickled our ear buds and drive for progress more than the incomparable Darren Criss!

The Glee hearthrob took the stage early on in the evening to delight attendees with a musical performance, and surprisingly enough, he chose to revise the lyrics of the Carly Rae Jepsen smash Call Me Maybe to accommodate a much bigger issue than unrequited teenage love - and call for the end of DOMA and Prop. 8!

Hear the clever, yet powerful re-worked number (above)!

Just AH-MAY-ZING, isn't it?!

Thanks for taking a stand, Darren! EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL!

Tags: 2013 glaad media awards, call me maybe, carly rae jepsen, darren criss, doma, performance, prop 8

Is Bill Clinton an angel in disguise??!

Probably not, but he is our hero!!!

The former president will be honored with GLAAD's first ever Advocate for Change Award.

Good ole' Bill was chosen for the prestigious award because of his past and present advocacy for equal rights.

Let's just say he has gone above and BEYOND the call of duty for the LGBT community.

Not only was he the FIRST U.S. president to appoint ANY openly gay and lesbian people to government positions, but he appointed more than 150 of us!!!

Not to mention how he lobbied for marriage equality in New York and North Carolina, and that time he publicly call out the head honchos in the Supreme Court to abandon the Defense of Marriage Act.

GLAAD's Wilson Cruz explained:

Tags: advocate for change award, bill clinton, defense of marriage act, doma, glaad, lgbt community, marriage equality, wilson cruz

Tears are dripping from our eyeballz because a gay proposal between an active Marine Captain IN the White House is a seminal moment in our nation's history!!

Over the weekend, U.S. Marine Corps Captain Matthew Phelps surprised boyfriend Ben Schock during a holiday tour of the White House when he bent down on one knee and asked Ben for his hand in marriage (above)!

And, in front of numerous snapping cameras, Ben said YES!

This is the FIRST EVER gay marriage proposal to take place within the walls of The White House!

BUT unfortunately, because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the Department of Defense cannot legally recognize their union.

Matthew recently stated:

Tags: ben schock, boyfriend, couple, doma, gay, gay marriage, marine corps, marriage, matthew phelps, proposal, surprise, tour, white house

Oh yeah! We're gettin' closer!!

SCOTUS (the Supreme Court of the United States) confirmed through its Twitter account that arguments in their gay marriage cases will take place in March 2013.

And decisions will be made "around June 27!"

These cases include the decision made by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down California's Prop 8 — which banned golden state same-sex marriages back in 2008.

SCOTUS will also review the challenge made to the Defense of Marriage Act, and that could mean progress for the entire country!!

You know we've got our equality-lovin' fingers crossed!

[Image via AP Images.]

Tags: california, cases, defense of marriage act, doma, equality, gay, marriage, politics, prop 8, same sex, scotus, social issues, supreme court

Can't say we're surprised. You know why?

Because the Defense of Marriage Act IS unconstitutional!

A U.S. appeals court in New York has agreed with the ruling from a court in Boston that DOMA is straight up discrimination.

Two out of three judges used common sense to determine that defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman unconstitutionally denies federal benefits to lawfully married same-sex couples.

It doesn't take a genius to figure that out, but it took a lot of collective ignorance to get the bill passed in 1996.

Knowledge is power and more people than ever before KNOW it is wrong to deny rights to others based on sexuality, so DOMA's days are definitely numbered.

Marriage doesn't need to be defended, folks. The LGBT community just needs to be included.

[Image via WENN.]

Tags: appeals court, boston, defense of marriage act, doma, judge, lgbt community, new york

Just another victory on the road of LGBT equality!!

By unanimous vote, a Federal Appeals Court in Boston has found the Defense of Marriage Act, which basically shuns gay marriage, to be completely unconstitutional.

Those who support DOMA insist Congress should adhere to the "traditional" definition of marriage and define the terms necessary for the federal hand-outs that come with it.

But the court ruled that to define marriage "as a union between man and woman" would deprive same-sex couples the same rights granted to heterosexual partners.

And clearly, that's an equality no-no! Discrimination is NOT what America stands for!

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley states:

Tags: doma, federal appeals court, gay marriage, politics, same sex marriage, unconstitutional, usa

Reach that female audience, Mr. Prez!

President Barack Obama - the first president to come out in favor of gay marriage - took his 'un-American' vision of equality for all to the ladies of The View Tuesday.

The Prez get personal with Lady Babs aka Barbara Walters, and illuminates the audience on the political and emotional drives behind his momentous decision.

Get educated in equality (above)!

Tags: america, barbara walters, doma, emotional, equality, gay marriage, interview, political, president barack obama, the view