to the YourTango newsletter!

Continue to Site »»

State Of The Union – Your Union

State Of The Union – Your Union

The President's State of the Union is over – what would be part of yours if given about your union?

In political chambers throughout the country, including in our national Capitol, political leaders give annual addresses to talk about how we are doing and what challenges we need to face in the year ahead.  Thinking about the highlights offered in the State of the Union tonight, there are similar categories that you could use to evaluate your union.  How would you rate your marriage, domes

facebook like
We "Like" this development.

Facebook Adds 'Married' Timeline Icons For Gay & Lesbian Couples

"Iconic" move, Facebook!

It's Facebook official! After recognizing that many of its same-sex married couple members have been using the "married" icons meant for straight couples, Facebook has introduced new "married" timeline icons for gay users, one of which depicts two brides, the other, two grooms.

lesbian wedding cake toppers
We envision a future with many more lesbian wedding cake toppers.

13 Key Moments In The History Of Gay Rights

Important turning points in LGBT history over the last 50 years.

The struggle for the gay community to be allowed the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts has been an uphill battle for hundreds of years. Although once upon a time in some corners of the world, homosexuality was viewed as normal behavior, it eventually evolved into something that society decided was evil, and those who were gay were denied basic human rights.

gay couple using laptop

Facebook Adds Relationship Status Aimed At Same-Sex Couples

On Facebook, couples can describe themselves as "in a civil union" or "in a domestic partnership."

In what's being lauded as a victory for the LGBT community, Facebook has added civil unions and domestic partnerships as relationship statuses for users in the United States, Canada the United Kingdom, France and Australia. The feature, which went into effect last Thursday, allows you to choose either of those options (or "in a Civil Partnership," for those in the UK), in the drop-down menu of familiar statuses like "Married," "in a Relationship," and "it's Complicated."

sad bride

Hetero Couple Denied Civil Union. Again.

In a protest FOR gay marriage, a pair of Brits are denied the back of the bus.

A couple comprised of one Tom Freeman and one Katherine Doyle have had their world turned upside down. A little back story: in London, a homosexual couple can commit to each other in the eyes of the law and of the crown by way of civil union, whereas a heterosexual pair must have a wedding. But Doyle and Freeman would prefer a civil union to a plain Jane marriage.

gay couple

NY Gov. Pushes Same-Sex Marriage

With gay marriage on a roll in other states, New York lawmakers will address the topic, too.

Is New York ready for same-sex marriage? Gov. David Paterson thinks so. Paterson announced a proposal today to allow same-sex marriage in the Empire State.

gay

Vermont Legislature Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

DC Council also votes to recognize gay unions from other states.

Hot on the heels of last week's Iowa Supreme Court ruling that a ban on gay marriage there was unconstitutional, Vermont has also legalized same-sex marriage. The New England State, which in 2000 became the first in the country to adopt civil unions for gay couples, came to the decision today when the Vermont Legislature successfully overrode Governor Jim Douglas's veto of a bill allowing gay couples to marry. With this decision, Vermont becomes the first state to legalize gay marriage through a legislative action, rather than a court ruling, and the fourth state overall to legalize same-sex marriages. The other states, in addition to Iowa, are Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage

Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage

CT third US state to grant legal rights to gays.

The state Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that Connecticut's previously approved civil unions are unconstitutional and discriminatory. The dissenting opinion argued that the "regulation of procreation," which it said includes defining marriage as a union between a man and woman, should be left to the state legislature instead of the courts.

Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage

Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage

CT third US state to grant equal rights to gays.

Connecticut today became the third state to extend the same rights to same-sex marriages as those that apply to straight couples.

Melissa Etheridge Announces Plans to Marry

Melissa Etheridge Announces Plans to Marry

Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels sing wedding bells.

Okay so excuse me if I'm wrong, but haven't Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels been married for a while now? I thought they were one of those couples like Rosie and other famous gay celebs who ran off to San Fran or Massachussetts and got hitched. Well, Lesbianlife claims they did tie the knot back in 2003, but it was only a civil union. However, according to Reuters, Etheridge has just recently announced their plans to be a "real" married couple (conveniently before the Proposition 8 decision) to celeb TV show Extra.