Dear Utah...

Minneapolis launches campaign targeting Chicago gays

Today, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak traveled to Chicago to unveil a new campaign inviting Chicago same-sex couples to marry in his city.

Ad Spotlight: Air New Zealand

Ad Spotlight: Log Cabin Republicans

From yesterday's Politico. From Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo: 

"Make no mistake: as Log Cabin Republicans, we want to win elections, and if the Republican Party wants to do the same it needs to take a stand against anti-gay rhetoric in its ranks and welcome the increasing numbers of Republicans who support the freedom to marry. Our ad today in Politico should be a wake-up call to Republicans and a reminder of the words of President Reagan, who, in describing his ‘big tent’ conservative philosophy, declared, ‘It is not your duty, responsibility or privilege to tear down, or attempt to destroy, others in the tent.’ Let’s make the tent bigger. Let’s get the Republican Party back on a path to victory."

Rhode Island launches marriage equality campaign

Hillary Clinton Speaks Out for Marriage Equality

"LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones. And they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage."

How Gay Themes in Ads Become Mainstream

Nice article from Business Insider worth a read, highlighting companies like Amazon, JCPenney, Macy's, and American Airlines.

Ad Spotlight: Amazon

Amazon has just done something huge - it's become the first mainstream American brand to feature a same-sex married couple in a national television commercial (cue One Million Moms). The gesture is one more act that adds to Amazon's long history of supporting LGBT Americans, most recently last year by supporting Referendum 74 to legalize marriage for same sex couples in Amazon's home state of Washington. Clearly a mainstream-targeted ad (don't expect gays to be giving up their iPads anytime soon), it will be interesting to see if other brands follow suit as marriage equality gains social acceptance and hopefully national legality following this summer's Supreme Court cases.

Ad Spotlight: Powershop New Zealand

A gay ad featuring the pope? Brilliant. And yes, it's real... in New Zealand. Read more here. 

New Graph of LGBT Rights by State

From The Gaurdian. Click for the full interactive chart and site.

Mexico Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Gay Marriage

Breaking news: Mexico's Supreme Court just ruled bans on gay marriage in the country to be unconstitutional, paving the way for full marriage equality all across Mexico. Same-sex marriages have been legal in Mexico City since 2010, and those marriages are also legally recognized by the rest of the country. Today's ruling means same sex couples will be able to marry anywhere in Mexico. This is a historic moment, because it means a highly religious country like Mexico has been able to come to their senses and realize that religious institutions do not and should now own the civil portion of institutions like marriage. Once same sex marriages commence across Mexico, it should put even more pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to take action, since we'll be behind both our neighboring countries on the issue.

Ad Spotlight: Morgan Freeman for Marriage Equality

The Human Rights Campaign is out with a new spot for marriage equality, narrated by Morgan Freeman.

Trending: Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends

Romney's Religious Rituals

Check out this video of Romney's Mormon church rituals that recently surfaced. I believe everybody has the right to freely practice any religion. But isn't it interesting how scared so many Americans are that Obama is Muslim, when he isn't (not that there would be anything wrong if we were). When Mitt Romney is Mormon, and that's a fact. He's a member of the same "church" that operates like a political action committee - that was responsible for funneling in endless amounts of out of state money to pass Prop 8 in California. The same "church" that believes in replacing civil government and policy with their own. Which happens to include wearing magic underwear. Can you imagine how afraid Americans would be if Obama were Mormon? The republicans are very lucky Romney is white, or he wouldn't stand a chance.

New from NOM.

Obama will force EVERYONE to get gay-married.

This is Awesome

This is exactly the kind of stuff we need to see more of in this world. Amazing. And done in support of Washington Referendum 74, which will legalize access to civil marriage licenses for same sex couples.

Same-sex couples missing from marriage equality ads

Take a look at this interesting piece from the AP. While many in the LGBT community are upset that many marriage equality ads running this election season don't feature same-sex couples, I think that's the right strategy given what's happened in every other state that's had this issue on the ballot right now. As unfortunate as it may be, I believe showing same-sex couples prominently would be interpreted by most of mainstream Americans as a request for total acceptance, something that may go contrary to their religious beliefs. If we want to win, we shouldn't be asking mainstream conservative Americans for approval of us or our lives – and quite frankly, we don't need it. But we should be asking them to separate those personal views from our basic rights at the ballot box – and to do so in the name of American ideals we all share, like the right to the pursuit of happiness.

Ad Spotlight: Washington United for Marriage

Campaign Launched to Support Marriage Equality in November's Election

The Four 2012 is an online campaign to help support marriage equality in the four states it's on the ballot in November: Washington, Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota. It looks like they're encouraging user-generated content, but I don't see much. So why not consider contributing something? Just go the site and click submit.

Here's a word of encouragement from Maryland governor Martin O'Malley:


By the way, to support marriage equality, people should vote YES in Washington, Maine, and Maryland to legalize it. In Minnesota, the vote is just to enshrine the existing ban into the constitution, so people should vote NO there.

Ad Spotlight: Campaign for American Values

They better clear a space for a Cannes Lion...