Fifty-plus people held a rally at Rochester's Liberty Pole and then marched in the rain to City Hall and back in support of the right of same-sex couples to marry. The event was organized by the International Socialist Organization and intended to coincide with the ruling by California's Supreme Court on the validity of that state's Proposition 8, which took away the right to marry from same-sex couples. The California court announced earlier in the day it would uphold Proposition 8, rescinding those rights for Californians. The original plan for the gathering was for a protest if Prop 8 was upheld, but plans were changed at the last minute to hold a march to City Hall. Last Sunday, Mayor Robert Duffy published an essay in support of same-sex marriage rights. The time was right to show that citizens supported him.

May 26, 2009 -- At 10 a.m. this morning, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ballot proposition banning same-sex marriage in California.

Proposition 8 restricts the definition of marriage to oposite-sex couples. The proposition won by a close majority, 52 for and 48 percent opposed in November of 2008. The measure added the words: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." to the California constitution. This change did not affect existing domestic partnerships in California, but it was not clear whether it affected the thousands of marriages that had occurred before the passage of the amendment.

CALIFORNIA – Demonstrations took place statewide in reaction a court ruling upholding proposition eight, which amends the state constitution to deny marriage rights to same sex couples. In West Hollywood thousands rallied and marched to Hollywood Blvd. Estimates range from a low of 2,000 to a high of 10,000 who people took part in the Hollywood march. No arrests or police misconduct has been reported. Protests also took place in other parts of Southern California, including hundreds in Rancho Cucamonga.

Gay rights activists say that despite the courts ruling the fight for the right to marry is not over. Legal challenges will continue and there are discussions about a ballot measure to repeal Proposition Eight for the 2010 elections. From the Newswire Inland Empire resists Supreme Court's legitimization of discrimination by Rockero | | NOH8 - Chalking the Streets in Hollywood by Anna | | 11:30 pm - Cell Phone Photos from Protest | | MP3 Audio – Jorge Amaro, of Latino Equality Alliance Reacts to Court Prop 8 Ruling | | VIDEO - Press conference on Prop 8

Report from San Diego: Over 4,000 Rally in San Diego Against Prop. 8 Decision by Mark Gabrish Conlan

Gay shame is holding a protest at the San Francisco LGBT Center on June 25th at 6pm. Gay Shame writes: Does today's mainstream LGBT movement make you feel like you're lost in an alternate reality? Perhaps even another dimension? Do the things groups like the HRC fight for cause you to feel as if you're going the wrong way backwards through time? Does the thought of straight ally Gavin Newsom's ascendancy to governor give you vertigo?

Anticipating the California Supreme Court's announcement of a decision regarding the validity of Proposition 8 on Tuesday, May 26th, LGBT activists are planning actions throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley, and around the nation. They are readying for street celebrations if the court rejects Proposition 8, and gives same-sex couples the same marriage rights that heterosexual couples enjoy. Calls to action are spreading for protests, including civil disobedience if the court upholds the proposition, even if existing same-sex marriages remain valid. Read More | Solidarity Actions: Chicago

On May 18th at 6:00pm, concerned community members and mental health providers will gather at 4th & Howard in San Francisco in front of the Moscone Center to protest the handling of the American Psychiatric Association's revision of so-called "Gender Identity Disorder" in its 5th revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The Santa Cruz County Task Force for LGBTIQ Youth presents the 12th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards on Saturday, May 16th at Scotts Valley High School. There will be a community resource fair at 5:00pm, dinner beginning at 5:30pm, and the Awards Ceremony beginning at 7:00pm. A community dance with DJ Eko follows the show.

Authorities have attempted to deliver subpoenas to at least three midwestern activists as of early Wednesday afternoon in relation to a Bash Back! action at an anti-queer megachurch in Lansing in November of 2008. Activists disrupted the church service by demonstrating both outside and inside the building. The related complaint lists 14 names, Bash Back! and Bash Back! Lansing, and "John Does 1-20" [...]

The subpoenas are in relation to a lawsuit filed by the right-wing Alliance Defense Fund. The Christian ADF, which filed the suit on behalf of Mount Hope church in Lansing, also is encouraging criminal charges... 2nd Statement from Bash Back! News: "The ADF decided to sue Bash Back!, Bash Back! Lansing and individuals because the authorities would not file a single criminal complaint regarding an action at the Mount Hope Church in Lansing last fall... More Updates & Links

Announcing the release of the second issue of Pink and Black Attack

On Tuesday, April 21st,over 110 therapists, mental health practitioners, and therapists-in-training across the Bay Area filled Namaste Hall at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) to hear directly from transgender and gender queer clients and consumers of therapy and mental health services.

Freedom from racism is a gay right -- Ending racism is a gay fight! An injury to one is an injury to all!

Join the LGBT Contingent in the May Day Rally and March!

On Saturday the 25, hundreds marched through the streets of San Francisco to raise awareness to rape and sexual assault. The march, called "Walk Against Rape", started at Embarcadero and ended at Dolores Park. Organized by San Francisco Women Against Rape, the marchers chanted "Stop date rape" and "Who's body? My body!" The March concluded Sexual Assault Awareness Month where events were held throughout the country to call for an end to sexual assault.

Join the ACLU of Massachusetts and our coalition partners to make your voice heard on critical civil rights issues in Massachusetts. All are welcome -- no previous lobbying experience necessary! You do not have to be an ACLU member to attend.

A rally for national LGBT equality will be held the first Saturday AFTER the California Supreme Court issues its rulings on the Proposition 8 cases. The campaign has been designated as "Meet in the Middle for Equality" and will begin with a symbolic march from Selma, CA to the steps of City Hall in downtown Fresno.

Supporting this event are more than 50 organizations representing faith, labor and progressive movements including California Faith for Equality, Courage Campaign, Equal Roots, Equality Action Now, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Honor PAC, Jordan Rustin Coalition, Marriage Equality Now, One Struggle One Fight, San Diego Equality Coalition, SF Pride, Unite Here and more.

The march begins in Selma, CA on N. Golden State between Floral and Highland and will continue along a 14-mile route to Fresno's City Hall, located at 2600 Fresno Street.

A report from Virginia!

In Virginia, the Westboro Baptist Church started off its tour by first visiting Fairfax High School. Most of the counter protestors expressed confusion at this choice of venue, as Fairfax High School has not done anything newsworthy with regards to the LGBTQ community. It was later revealed that Westboro chose the high school as a target because of Fairfax High School's Rebel mascot; Church members claim that Fairfax High School was an example of how America rebels against god. Police at Fairfax High School were nervous and on-edge, but no altercations occurred.

The Westboro crowd then moved to George Mason U to protest that school's Pride Week. The five WBC members were met by a diverse crowd of counter-protesters numbering in the low hundreds. Police at this event were out in even greater number, but their disposition seemed more bored than anything else. Photos by Wespennest | God Hates Fags gets counterdemos-and urine thrown on them | Video of Phelps crew chased to car in DC later same day

From Stonewall to Prop 8: The Fight for LGBT Liberation with activist and author Sherry Wolf

Seattle Central Community College, Room BE 1110
1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98102
Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Anticipating a California Supreme Court decision on Proposition 8 that could come as early as this month, lesbian/gay/bi/trans activists and supporters will leave Berkeley, California for a 100-mile walk to the state Capitol in Sacramento on March 25. The event will begin with a rally on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall at Noon on Tuesday, March 24 with a symbolic march to the State Supreme Court Building. The march will be a peaceful bridge building event to connect struggles for justice, trekking through communities both large and small. Meanwhile, many activists are calling for a return to the streets and civil disobedience on Prop 8 D-Day if discrimination is written back into the California Constitution.

A recent upsurge in hate crimes against members of LGBTQ community has called the Queer Ally Coalition into action. We are fighting back against the violence and hatred with a peaceful candlelight vigil. We would like to invite you to light a candle for the people who have fallen victim to hate crimes in our community and throughout the rest of the country.

* Date: Saturday, Feburary 28th, 2009
* Time: 8:00pm-9:30pm
* Location: Meet at the Pillars on Boren and Pike (Capitol Hill)
* Street: Pike St & Boren Ave
* City: Seattle

From the newswire: "Seven activists with the Gay Liberation Network (GLN) and the Chicago chapter of the Join The Impact [campaign] were arrested today when they refused to leave the Cook County Marriage License Bureau in Chicago after clerks said they would not issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. Meanwhile, about 400 protesters rallied outside the Bureau and then marched to the Bureau's doors.

"While the Chicago protesters saw their action as a way to help sway the California Supreme Court to throw out Proposition 8, local issues played a role as well. Despite having a state government completely dominated by the supposedly gay-friendly Democratic Party, Illinois doesn't even have civil unions, let alone marriage equality. Moreover, like dozens of states, Illinois has its own "Defense of Marriage Act"; yet the state Democratic Party leadership won't even offer a promise to junk the anti-gay legislation."

Read more / See photos | Chicago Indymedia video coverage

This is not your grandma's bingo. It's Queer Ally Coalition Bingo.

Gay Bingo! Fundraiser
Sunday, Feb 15 @ 8 pm
Café Metropolitain, 1701 E. Olive Way at Boylston