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Uruguay Approves Gay Marriage

This is brilliant. The Uruguay House of Representatives gave final approval to its marriage equality bill today, reports Al Jazeera. Last week the Senate approved the bill in a 23-8 vote.

Supporters of the law, who had filled the public seats in the Senate, erupted in celebration when the results were announced. The bill received the backing of 71 members of the 92-seat chamber.

The "marriage equality project"was already approved by ample majorities in both houses, but senators had made some changes requiring a final vote by the deputies. Among them: gay and lesbian foreigners will now be allowed to come to Uruguay to marry, just as heterosexual couples can.

President Jose Mujica’s ruling Broad Front majority, which backed the law, is expected to put it into effect within 10 days.

Uruguay would become the 12th country to mandate nationwide equal marriage. Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain and Sweden already mandate marriage equality.

Brazil, Mexico and the United States allow equal marriage in certain states.

Next up: France!

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Argentina Approves Gay Marriage After All-Night Debate
WATCH: Thousands Cheer After Marriage Vote in Argentina
Brazil's Supreme Court Approves Civil Unions
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GLAAD Launches Project to Educate Media About Anti-LGBT Activists

Good news. GLAAD has launched a new initiative to educate the media about the history and positions of prominent anti-gay activists. The "Commentator Accountability Project" has the stated goal to deliver "critical information about frequent anti-gay interviewees into the hands of newsrooms, editors, hosts and reporters."

Audiences need to be aware that when they’re not talking to the mainstream media, these voices are comparing the LGBT people to Nazi Germany, predicting that equal treatment of LGBT people will lead to the total collapse of society, and even making accusations of satanic influence.

The Commentator Accountability Project is bringing all of these statements to light, while calling attention to the sentiments behind them. We will show that the commentators who are most often asked to opine on issues like marriage equality or non-discrimination protections do not accurately represent the "other side" of those issues. They represent nothing but extreme animus towards the entire LGBT community.

The initiative includes background information on about three dozen anti-LGBT social conservatives. Many names should be familiar to R20 readers, such as Maggie Gallagher, Harry Jackson, Ken Hutcherson and Bob Vander Plaats. Contact GLAAD if you see any of these commentators on television.

GLAAD's Senior Director of Programs and Communications Herndon Graddick addss:

"Hate is not an expert opinion. In most cases, news outlets invite reputable experts to speak on the subject at hand, but when talking about LGBT issues, open hostility and anti-LGBT bias seems to be all the credibility required. This project holds these so-called 'pundits' accountable for the extreme anti-LGBT rhetoric they continue to spread. ... These activists have the right to recite their anti-LGBT talking points, but it is important to expose the questionable and often hostile rhetoric that passes as punditry when so-called 'experts' speak out against the lives of LGBT people on the air or in print."

Good As You's Jeremy Hooper worked as a consultant with GLAAD on this project. Bravo and congrats to all.

DADT and ENDA Updates: Defense Vote, Pelosi Conference Call, WaPo

A few updates on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a conference call with LGBT leaders and press on Monday and said she has "no intention of losing on either" DADT or ENDA, reports The Advocate.

On Friday, the Obama Administration transmitted its 2011 Defense Authorization Act Request. The transmittal does not include the DADT repeal language." But a repeal vote is likely to be considered next week, the Speaker says, and repeal language could be proposed on the House floor as an amendment to the DAR.

A vote on ENDA—stalled since September—could come the second week of June. "Pelosi also said she thought ENDA would have a much better likelihood of passing if DADT repeal were successfully ushered through first."

There is also the possibility of an offensive "motion to recommit" from Republicans—a last ditch procedural move. Rumors for the past two weeks suggest the GOP will propose an ugly procedural move targeting transgenders.

"Some Hill observers think the motion to recommit could go beyond a simple effort to strip out gender identity protections to being something more hostile, more depraved in the way it targets certain segments of the transgender community. At the same time, advocates decline to guess at the language publicly for fear that it might actually be adopted by the right and used against them. But there is no way to know if a motion to recommit will be offered or what the nature of such a motion would be until the legislation comes to a vote."

In related news: The Washington Post published a curious article last week on ENDA. The piece focused on Republican and Blue Dog opposition to transgender rights. No LGBT activists were quoted but anti-gay North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler ("D") was quoted. WaPo also quoted  the far-right wing Traditional Values Coalition, labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Too bad WaPo editor Jonathan Capehart is too busy criticizing gay activists on ENDA and DADT. Maybe he could have caught that.

Senate Confirms Lesbian Judge Marisa Demeo to DC Superior Court

One of President Obama’s first openly LGBT appointees was finally confirmed by the Senate last night to the Washington D.C. Superior Court. Judge Marisa Demeo has waited 13 months while her nomination was largely held up in an effort by right-wing, anti-gay Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC).

On Tuesday, ThinkProgress obtained a letter sent to senators from the far-right Traditional Values Coalition, which has been labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Senators were urged to reject the "radical lesbian":

"As an open, radical lesbian, Demeo has openly condemned the effort to amend our Constitution to protect marriage as a one-man, one-woman union Demeo supports gay marriage, claiming it is a constitutional right. She also claims that LGBT individuals are equal to racial minorities and can claim protection as minorities under our civil rights laws ... Demeo’s radical lesbianism, anti-marriage, anti-national security views are dangerous to our nation. She should not be confirmed to the DC Superior Court."

Demeo, a D.C. magistrate judge since 2007 who has "advocated for Hispanic and LGBT causes'", was confirmed by a 66-32 vote that fell largely on party lines. Republicans supporting Demeo included teabag hero Scott Brown (MA), Maine's Collins and Snowe, Bond (MO), Murkowski (AK), Lagar (IN) and Gregg (NH).

Last fall, DeMint vocally opposed Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination due to the "wise Latina" remark. And a few months ago DeMint said same-sex marriage is "destructive" to society and gays are so "immoral" he could never imagine one as president.

Anti-Gay GOP CA State Senator Arrested After Leaving Gay Bar

California Republican State Senator Roy Ashburn, who has "voted against every gay rights measure in the State Senate since taking office", was arrested for DUI early Wednesday after leaving Faces, a popular Sacramento gay bar, with an "unidentified male passenger." The California Highway Patrol pulled over Ashburn after observing his state-issued SUV swerving and weaving between lanes. Ashburn was booked into the Sacramento County Jail and released on $1,400 bond.

The father of four who represents parts of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino Counties issued this cut-and-paste "apology":

"I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did. I am also truly sorry for the impact this incident will have on those who support and trust me – my family, my constituents, my friends, and my colleagues in the Senate."

Ashburn has a made a career from demonizing gays reports Joe Jervis. "Ashburn has organized and hosted anti-gay marriage rallies for the Traditional Values Coalition. He also has a 100% rating from the anti-gay Capitol Resource Family Impact group for voting against every LGBT rights bill during his tenure. In March 2009, Sen. Ashburn voted against a Senate resolution declaring Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Ashburn voted three times to oppose the creation of Harvey Milk Day. In September he voted against California recognizing out of state same-sex marriages. In 2008 he voted to oppose an expansion of the state's insurance laws to include sexual orientation as a protected class."

Glass houses, stones, etc.