Same-Sex Marriage

Mayor Francis Slay Says LGBT Issues Will Be a Priority in Historic Fourth Term

It is officially official. After beating his challenger Lewis Reed in the March primary, winning against no one on the April 2 Election Day and going through his formal inauguration ceremony yesterday, Mayor Francis Slay has begun his fourth term -- making him the first mayor in St. Louis history to ... More >>

Missouri Hospital Under Attack For Barring Gay Partner Visitation Rights

A change.org petition is in the works as angry comments continue to accumulate on the Facebook page for Research Medical Center in suburban Kansas City. Yesterday, news broke that it forced a gay man from the bedside of his sick partner. In an interview with FOX 4 News, Roger Gorley says that he w ... More >>

Mark Kirk of Illinois Second GOP Senator to Back Gay Marriage, Week After Claire McCaskill

Missouri Democratic Governor Jay Nixon may not want to talk about gay marriage right now -- but Mark Kirk, Republican Senator from Illinois, is not shying away from the topic. Just a little over a week after Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, expressed her support for marriage equality for the fi ... More >>

Timothy Dolan: Church Should Be Welcoming to Gay People (But Not With Marriage Equality)

Over the last week, gay marriage has been all over the news -- even in Missouri. Senator Claire McCaskill for the first time expressed her support for marriage equality, Governor Jay Nixon dodged questions on the matter and Anheuser-Busch inspired homophobic beer drinkers to weigh in on Facebook. ... More >>

Gay Marriage: Governor Jay Nixon Doesn't Want to Talk About it Right Now

With the United States Supreme Court considering gay marriage this week, people across the country are talking about the issue of marriage equality. But not Governor Jay Nixon. Questioned about it at a press conference yesterday -- just two days after Senator Claire McCaskill publicly stated her su ... More >>

[UPDATE] Will Illinois Legalize Gay Marriage During This Week's Lame Duck Session?

Update January 3, 2:15 p.m.: The same-sex marriage bill will not be heard by the state senate until next week, Illinois Senate Democrats said in a statement this afternoon. Several senators whose "yay" votes are considered necessary for the bill to pass are currently away from Springfield due to fam ... More >>

Gateway Pundit Says Westboro Baptist Church is "Left-Wing." So What Are His Views On Gays?

Over the past week, St. Louis-based political blogger Jim Hoft, a.k.a. Gateway Pundit, has caused a bit of an Internet stir by referring to Fred Phelps and his batshit-insane Westboro Baptist Church as a "left-wing cult."Left-wing? How could you possibly label a gay-bashing, abortion-hating, Obama-l ... More >>

St. Louis One of Nation's Most LGBT-Friendly Cities

The Human Rights Campaign unveiled yesterday its Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which rates the public policies and legal rights of LGBT citizens in 137 U.S. cities -- and it turns out that, in terms of LGBT legislation, St. Louis is one of the most progressive cities in the country. Yes, it's tru ... More >>

Missourians for Equality Seeks LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law for 2014 Ballot

The dust has barely settled on last week's presidential election, but a new political action committee is looking ahead to 2014. Missourians for Equality are poised to begin collecting signatures for a new ballot initiative that would make discrimination based on sexual-orientation or gender identi ... More >>

Game Changer: Chris Kluwe is prying open America's last closet: major league sports

LGBT Missourians Are Less Likely to Receive Medical Care

Remember when someone asked T.I. what he thought about gay marriage and he said, "Why would you be so against it if it doesn't affect you or your lifestyle?" That was nice, and a common sentiment among gay marriage supporters. So what if denying homosexuals the right to marry not only affects the ... More >>

Reps Russ Carnahan, Jerry Costello Don't Join House Dems on Anti-DOMA Brief

Representatives Russ Carnahan and Jerry Costello broke with House Democrats yesterday and kept their names off a brief urging a federal appeals court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Carnahan says he's committed t ... More >>

Missouri Has Two of the Seven Most Anti-LGBT Legislators; Can You Name Them?

ThinkProgress.org has issued a ranking of the most anti-LGBT legislators in the Republican party (House of Representatives division), and while Kansas Representative Tim Huelskamp claimed the top spot, Missouri is the only state to place two members of Congress on the list. You'd think the deep Sout ... More >>

Fightin' Crime, Breaking Barriers

UPDATED: St. Louis' LGBT Crowd Reacts to Obama's Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Updated Friday at 9 a.m. with reactions from Joan Lipkin and Nancy Novak. In the wake of President Barack Obama's historic endorsement of gay marriage, here's what some locals in the LGBT community had to say: Joan Lipkin, playwright and artistic director of That Uppity Theatre CompanyI am cautiousl ... More >>

Obama Endorses Same-Sex Marriage, Internet Responds with a Quickness

Well that was fast. President Obama officially came out in support of same-sex marriage today, immediately touching off shouting and gnashing of teeth and cheers and whatnot nationwide. People are gettin' emotional out there. Almost immediately, Tumblr leaped into the breach with the crowd-sourced s ... More >>

When the Reverend Katy Hawker headed to the altar, her church came, too

LGBT Protections, Domestic Partnership Registry on the Books in Olivette

​Last night, Olivette city council passed two measures that solidify the suburb as a welcoming place for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.The Vital Voice reports that the council unanimously passed bills 2672 and 2677. The bills create a domestic partnership registry and criminaliz ... More >>

St. Louis Mayor Wants Missouri to Allow Civil Unions

Slay in a No Hate promo.​Francis Slay used his blog yesterday to call on state legislators to pass a law allowing gay couples in Missouri to commit to civil unions. The St. Louis Mayor writes that Illinois' recently enacted law allowing civil unions has made him realize the need for such a law in ... More >>

Same-Sex Couples Snap Up Civil Union Licenses In U. City

Already today, three U. City couples have formalized their domestic partnerships at City Hall.​Margaret Johnson laughed on the phone this morning with Daily RFT as she discussed her newly granted civil union license. Johnson and her partner arrived at the clerk's office in University City ten ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Bible Thumpers Grow Up

Today's comment comes in response to a post about how a Catholic diocese in Illinois is choosing to end its adoption and foster care program out of concern that it could be required to place children with gay parents now that Illinois allows homosexuals to commit to civil unions. Reader SMDrPepper c ... More >>

Akin's Letter Helps Halt Same-Sex Civil Unions on Navy Bases

You should have stuck to your guns, Rear Admiral Tidd!​The Navy has reversed course on its momentous decision to allow same-sex civil unions to be performed by chaplains on bases. And it's thanks in part to Missouri's own U.S. representatives Todd Akin and Vicky Hartlzer, plus 61 of their colleagu ... More >>

University City to Recognize Same-Sex Relationships

Domestic partners in U. City can have their cake and eat it too!​University City last night became the first of St. Louis County's 91 municipalities to recognize domestic partnerships. In a 6-1 vote, University City council members put into law a measure that allows same-sex partners certain privi ... More >>

Todd Akin Outraged With Plan for Navy Chaplains to Oversee Gay Weddings

The Navy is "Akin" for a fight, says congressman.​Missouri Congressman Todd Akin (R - Town & Country) released a letter yesterday he sent to the Secretary of the Navy, demanding that the Navy abolish plans to allow its chaplains to perform same-sex marriages. The Navy is considering the issue ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Keep Government Out of Religion

Today's comment comes in response to a post today on Congressmen Todd Akin's (R - Town & Country) attempt to stop Navy chaplains from performing same-sex marriages now that the miltary's Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed. Reader "the REAL kitty" responds: one minute, Conservatives are all a ... More >>

Homophobic Activist Converts, Admits Same-Sex Civil Marriage Should Be a Universal Right

This man has changed his mind.​Remember when the Summer of Marriage tour stopped in St. Louis back in August?(To refresh your memory: the National Organization for Marriage, a homophobic group espousing "traditional" values, came to town to rally against same-sex marriage. People in support of sam ... More >>

"America's Finest News Source" Weighs in On Iowa Same-Sex Marriage

theonion.comDavenport descends into post-gay hell, as imagined by The Onion.​Our neighbors in Iowa have enjoyed the right to same-sex marriage since 2009, but it hasn't been without controversy. This November, for instance, three state Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the state's proh ... More >>

What Does Gay Marriage and the Economy Have In Common?

Ministers, justices of the peace, cake bakers, license clerks: A few folks who could see job growth.​In a move heralded by same-sex couples across the nation, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder informed Congress yesterday that the Obama administration would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage ... More >>

Same-Sex Unions Now Law of the Land of Lincoln

​As expected, Illinois governor Pat Quinn yesterday signed off on a bill legalizing civil unions in that state.Two month ago, the measure passed in both houses."We believe in civil rights, and we believe in civil unions," Quinn said at a signing ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center. "We believe ... More >>

Phyllis Schlafly: The Problem With Gays? "They Are Trying to Make Us Respect Them"

Phyllis Schlafly​We here at Daily RFT were reading a somewhat wonkish wire story this weekend about gay marriage when we came across the following bombshell from St. Louisan Phyllis Schlafly, president of the Eagle Forum. Schalfly, as quoted in the article, believes that the national dialogue abou ... More >>

Readers argue whether gays deserve the right to divorce

Wondering About Illinois Civil Unions?

​Got questions about the recently-passed bill allowing civil unions for same-sex (and opposite-sex) couples in Illinois? Sure you do.So head on over to Bellville, Illinois, on Thursday to hear some experts speak and answer any questions you may have about the unions, which will be available to fol ... More >>

Same-sex couples in St. Louis can get married in Iowa. They just can't ever get divorced.

Illinois Legalizes Same-Sex Civil Unions

​Today in Illinois, both houses of the state legislature approved a bill granting civil unions to same-sex couples. Governor Pat Quinn is expected to sign the bill into law, as he said he would support the unions while campaigning.The bill says that a civil union, expressly stated as between "two ... More >>

Iowa Judges Booted for Supporting Same-Sex Marriage

​Three Iowa Supreme Court judges yesterday lost their seats in the wake of a concerted effort by out-of-state anti-LGBT activists who opposed the Court's unanimous 2009 decision allowing marriage for same-sex couples in that state.Since 1962, Iowa Supreme Court justices, who are appointed, have fa ... More >>

This Land Was Made for You and Me...But Not for Gay Marriage Haters

Peter, Paul and Mary...and no gay marriage foes​Gay marriage foes the National Organization for Marriage, who made a stop in St. Louis in early August, got a friendly little note from Peter Yarrow, the surviving member of the 60's folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary.In the note, addressed to NOM execut ... More >>

Melissa Etheridge

8 p.m. Thursday, August 12. Roberts Orpheum Theater, 416 North Ninth Street.

Gay Marriage Supporters Outnumber Foes, Big Time

Photo: Melissa MeinzerThe Rev. Kimberly Banks-Brown stands for marriage equality​ Same-sex marriage supporters outnumbered the antis by four-to-one -- even more, by some counts -- at last night's National Organization for Marriage rally and Show Me No Hate counter-action in Clayton. The rallies c ... More >>

Mayor Francis Slay Urges LGBT Couples to Come Out and Be Counted in 2010 Census

MayorSlay.com​The United States census form does not always keep up with the times. On this year's form, for instance, people still have the option to identify themselves as "Negro," a term that all but disappeared in the late 1960s. The Census Bureau defended its decision by claiming that m ... More >>

Protesters Will Return to Cathedral Basilica Sunday, This Time Without The Police Hassle

The past four Sundays hundreds of people have gathered in front of the Cathedral Basilica in the Central West End to protest St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson's $10,000 contribution to a political campaign that helped repeal Maine's recently enacted gay marriage law.Last weekend the protesters, wh ... More >>

Gay Marriage Proponents to Rally Tonight at City Hall

Supporters of gay marriage plan to gather this evening at St. Louis City Hall to voice their concern over a California Supreme Court decision today upholding that state's ban on gay marriage. The rally begins at 5:30 p.m. tonight, and follows a similar downtown gathering last November that drew 1,00 ... More >>

Prop 8 Leaves Some Missourians in Marital Limbo

Crowds huddled around the Old Courthouse Saturday afternoon to protest California's recently passed ban on same-sex marriage. More Photos The high temperature was 39 degrees, but when in the middle of a crowd of a couple hundred people, the temperature was warmer, as the audience reacted to the w ... More >>

Prop 8 Protest Set for Saturday at Old Courthouse

Update: Coverage and photos of the protest: "Prop 8 Leaves Some Missourians in Marital Limbo" A protest against California's Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage, is set for noon Saturday on the steps of the Old Courthouse. Show Me No Hate has been set up to inform people about the demonstrat ... More >>

¡Ask A Mexican! Special Catholic Edition: Who's headed for Hades?

Farr Out Campaign

A loose-lipped former train conductor is looking to get his long-shot congressional bid on track

Film Openings

Week of October 13, 2004

Imperfect Unions

A new documentary sells gay marriage as the only answer to discrimination

Letters

Week of July 21, 2004

A Gay Old Time

Pride Fest welcomes the GLBT community -- and everyone else, too

Gephardt: "I Like Al Sharpton; I Think He'd Be a Great Mayor"

Unreal chats with Dick's daughter, then comes face-to-face with Playmates, zombies and a 66-year-old powerlifter