More than 1,500 New Yorkers gathered today in Manhattan to mourn the death of a 32 year-old gay man, who was shot down on Friday just blocks away from the historic Stonewall Inn in an apparent act of anti-gay bias.
First Openly Gay Candidate Elected To Pennsylvania Legislature Is Sworn Into Office
Wednesday, January 2, 2013 - 11:58am by Dani Heffernan, Media Research Associate at GLAAD
Philadelphia lawmaker Brian Sims, the first openly gay candidate elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, was sworn into office on Tuesday. Rep. Sims, who formerly served as board president of Equality Pennsyvlania, ran unopposed as a Democrat in the November election. He joins Republican Rep. Mike Fleck, who came out publicly as gay in December, as one of two openly gay lawmakers in the state legislature.
Reflecting on the year's victories for LGBT equality, Rep. Sims said, "The tide has changed. 2012 will go down in history as when being anti-gay puts you in the minority." Rep. Sims hopes that the presence of two openly gay assemblymembers will make it easier for the legislature to recognize the importance of legal protections for LGBT people.
Marriage Equality at the Supreme Court
This month the United States Supreme Court will issue decisions on two cases critical to marriage equality. GLAAD is working with media outlets and couples around the country to push for marriage. Follow GLAAD for up to date news about the Supreme Court's decision at www.glaad.org/marriage