official state document

Rep. Randy Forbes, a Republican from Virginia, introduced the Parental Title Protection Act on Thursday, which would require federal agencies and contractors to describe parents as “mother” and “father” on official documents. Millions of children are being raised by same-sex partners in the United States, where one in every three lesbians and one in every five gay men are estimated to be parents.

Following the impending repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," Navy chaplains have been given the go-ahead to perform weddings for same-sex couples in states where marriage equality has been legalized.

While mourning the loss of their daughter, a married lesbian couple is also fighting to be equally recognized by the state of Iowa on their child's birth certificate. Jenny and Jessica Buntemeyer met and fell in love while serving for the Army in Iraq in 2008. They wed in 2010, and decided to have a baby with the help of an anonymous donor. Thirty weeks into her pregnancy, Jessica gave birth to Brayden Bruce Buntemeyer, who died in childbirth on October 21, 2011.

The state had refused to issue a birth certificate listing both women as parents, saying the one who did not carry the child had to go through the process of adoption.

The Democratic Party made history at its national convention Tuesday when it became the first major American political party to endorse marriage equality in its platform, drawing a sharp contrast with the Republican Party’s official stance on the issue.

Same-sex couples in the state began marrying shortly after a federal judge struck down the state's ban about 5:30 p.m. today.

A lesbian minister in North Carolina has joined the ranks of those willing to officiate marriage ceremonies but not sign licenses until gay couples’ marriages have the same legal recognition as heterosexual ones. Nancy Petty (pictured), pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, recently told her congregation she would prefer that straight couples have a magistrate at the local courthouse sign their license. She is waiting to hear if church deacons will endorse her position and if a vote of the congregation will be necessary.

On Tuesday a lesbian couple from Vonore, Tenn., filed a suit against their neighbor, claiming the neighbor was responsible for the fire that destroyed their home in September. Other chargesinclude “trespassing and conversion, intentional infliction of emotional distress and malicious harassment.” Since they moved into the house in June of 2005, Carol Ann and Laura Stutte say the neighbor has continuously threatened and terrorized them. Police reports support the women’s claims, even though no arrests were ever made.

Screenings for a film chronicling California's same-sex marriage ban and the Mormon Church's role in Prop. 8 have sold out at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. The film titled 8: The Mormon Proposition was sold out before any other Sundance documentary and all but a handful of feature films.

Newly signed legislation bars single people from marriage equality nations from adopting Russian children and reiterates the prohibition on adoptions by same-sex couples.

Due to high demand, New York City officials have announced a lottery opening Tuesday at noon for couples to win one of 764 spots to marry in the city on Sunday, the day the new marriage equality law takes effect.

The transgender community is celebrating a small victory today after the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation made the announcement that they have agreed to allow transgender individuals to identify themselves more accurately on forms supplied by the state agency.

Because the state doesn't recognize Sue Stroesser's Iowa marriage, she can't get a license with her married name on it without going to court.

Officials at the University of South Carolina Upstate deny that the move was payback for the center's plan to present the play How to Be a Lesbian in 10 Days or Less, but some faculty members aren't buying it.