Tag Archives: Massachusetts

Anti-gay Massachusetts group MassResistance is celebrating their work towards blocking civil unions in Hawaii. MassResistance played a pivotal role in helping stop a major “civil unions” bill in the Hawaii Legislature, according to sources on both sides of the issue. At 9:00 a.m. on February 24, the Judiciary and Operations Committee of the Hawaii Legislature convened a public hearing on …

The Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) have filed a federal challenge to Section 3 of the Defense Of Marriage Act in a Boston court. GLAD filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Boston on behalf of eight married couples and three surviving spouses from Massachusetts who have been denied federal legal protections available to spouses. Two of …

A straight married tech exec in MA is giving one of the largest private donations to AIDS research in world history. A Massachusetts businessman has donated $100 million to fund research into the development of an AIDS vaccine, according to Massachusetts General Hospital, which received the gift. Phillip T. Ragon, provider of the gift, is the chief executive of a …

The lesbian couple who were the lead plaintiffs in the case that brought marriage equality to Massachusetts is divorcing after four years. The gay couple whose court battle led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts has filed for divorce. Hillary and Julie Goodridge, who share custody of their 12-year-old daughter, filed divorce papers in Suffolk Probate Court last …

Hysteria has ensued in Wingnutistan over the word that Massachusetts is now allowing transgender residents to more easily change their gender on driver’s licenses. From a letter from the state Registrar of Motor Vehicles to the LGBT rights group MassEquality: The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles has amended its policy to enable transgendered individuals to more easily change the gender …

Up in Massachusetts, the gay divorce industry is in high gear. Sometimes the joy of gay marriage is followed by the pain of gay divorce, but Peter Zupcofska is there to help. In Boston, he has become known as “the master of gay divorce.” And for a $25,000 retainer, he can lead couples through the intricacies of how to best …

Yesterday the Massachusetts House repealed the state’s 1913 ban on out-of-state residents marrying there, clearing the way for gay tourist nuptials. The ban had already been repealed by the state Senate and Gov. Duval Patrick will sign it into law shortly. An analysis by the state predicts that up to 30,000 gay couples may visit to marry there in the …

Excellent news. Yesterday the Massachusetts house passed a bill approving equal Medicaid benefits for married gays. Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign the bill, which was passed by the state House on July 15. The lawmakers’ actions defy the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which bans legally wed same-sex couples from receiving federally provided benefits such as Medicaid, the …

Today the Massachusetts Senate repealed the 1913 law limiting marriages performed there to residents of the state. The bill passed by a general voice vote with no objections. The bill now moves to the state House of Representatives where it is expected to pass overwhelmingly. Governor Deval Patrick has promised to approve the bill “proudly”, which will put a recognized-at-home …

Good news out of Massachusetts – by next week gay New Yorkers may have a shorter trip to get hitched. State lawmakers are expected to vote next week on repealing a 1913 law that prevents out-of-state gay and lesbian couples from getting married in Massachusetts, reigniting a divisive debate on an issue that has stirred passions and put the state …

“Because, of course, he didn’t know that I was gay then. So, for someone so publicly to fight for something that doesn’t even affect him was just like, ’That’s my dad,’ you know? That’s all I could think. I was very, very proud to be part of this family, and this state in general.” – Katherine Patrick, 18 year old …

Captioned with photos that mock the misty 1950’s image of domestic bliss, the lengthy cover story in yesterday’s New York Times Magazine tells the story of several gay male couples in their 20’s who have married in Massachusetts since it became legal in 2004. The author, a young gay man himself, was bewildered when some of his peers started getting …

As contrast to the North Carolina school board post earlier today, Lexington, Massachusetts school superintendent Paul Ash (left) is being threatened with physical violence by New Jersey radio host and white supremacist Hal Turner for advocating for LGBT youth. Turner posted Ash’s home address and phone number on his site. Police in Massachusetts are investigating. Lexington superintendent Paul Ash of …

Citing the Defense Of Marriage Act, the State Department has refused to issue a passport to a Massachusetts AIDS counselor under his new married hyphenated name. As an AIDS counselor, Jason Hair-Wynn wants to bring his expertise to Africa, a continent that has been ravaged by the disease. But when the Attleboro resident recently applied for a new passport so …

Denise Simmons became the first openly lesbian black woman to be mayor of an American city yesterday after her election by the city council of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Simmons was backed by the Victory Fund, which works to elect LGBT candidates nationwide. The outgoing mayor of Cambridge is an openly gay black man.

Remember the guy who sued the Massachusetts Bar Association after he failed their entrance exam because he refused to answer the question about gay marriage? Stephen Dunne’s federal suit prompted a national discussion on First Amendment rights, predictably garnering him support from the religious right. Well, he’s now apologized to the gay community in an email to Boston’s Bay Windows. …

Last week I told you about Massachusetts teen Claudia Contrada, who bravely came out despite her mother’s anti-gay activism with the loathsome MassResistance. Claudia’s story caused a flurry of interest from local gay rights organizations. She was invited to appear at a Massachusetts Youth Pride event and publications such as Bay Windows and the Boston Globe requested interviews. Claudia even …

“I have no jitters about our actual relationship. For me, this is for life. I have no reservations. But standing up in front of my family and my spouse’s and saying the vows out loud has me in a state of butterflies. I can go on TV and barely break a sweat, but I’m terrified of performing in front of …

Stephen Dunne, a would-be Massachusetts lawyer, is suing the state bar association, claiming that he just missed receiving a passing grade on his bar exam because he refused to answer a question about gay marriage. Dunne’s lawsuit seeks to have the question removed from future bar exams, claiming it required him to “affirmatively accept, support and promote homosexual marriage and …

Fresh off last week’s victory in stifling a possible reversal of gay marriage rights, Massachusetts advocates are now attempting a repeal of a 1913 law that only allows people from other states to marry in Massachusetts if their marriage would be recognized in their home state. The 1913 law was originally created to slow the spread of interracial marriages. Republican …