Story Archives of 'Gay and Lesbian Issues'

Underneath the radar of this historic vote, where the nation chose its first black President, were half a dozen ballot measures banning either gay marriage or same-sex adoption. We’ll talk with a panel of gay and lesbian activists about the state of gay rights in America, look at how and why their side suffered setbacks despite a huge turnout among Democrats, and where their movement goes from here.

Guests

• Kerry Eleveld, news editor for The Advocate magazine
• Ed Butler, Democratic state representative from Hart's Location, New Hampshire gay rights advocate and owner of the Notchland Inn
• Marty Rouse, National Field Director for the Human Rights Campaign

Civil unions became legal as the clock struck midnight New Years Eve.

As many same sex couples held ceremonies and celebrated, others were shocked to discover they won’t get the same benefits afforded to married couples.

New Hampshire Public Radio’s Amy Quinton reports.

In the 2004 Presidential election it was said that most Democrats stayed as far away from the political issues of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered as they could, while Republicans used the idea of gay marriage as a wedge issue to further divide the party. Four years later, much has changed. Last week all but two of the major Democratic candidates for President attended the first ever televised “Gay Debate” in Los Angeles while the Republican candidates unanimously declined to attend a gay debate of their own. It not only shows the growing rift between Democrats and Republicans over gay issues but also how the “lavender vote” may be, for some candidates, more important to woo than ever. We’ll explore how and why this election is different and what the big issues on the gay agenda are, including hate crimes, same-sex marriage and the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Guests

• Dean Spilliotes: New Hampshire-based political analyst, formerly with the NH Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College. He's launching NHPoliticalCapital.com in September, where he’ll be doing full-time political blogging, commentary and analysis
• Joe Solmonese: president of the Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organization in Washington, D.C. advocating for GLBT issues and sponsor of the Democratic Presidential Debate on gay issues that happened last week in Los Angeles.
• Patrick Sammon: President of the National Log Cabin Republicans, The nation's largest organization of Republicans advocating for fairness, freedom, and equality for gay and lesbian Americans.

As expected, New Hampshire lawmakers today passed a bill to grant same sex couples all the rights of marriage.

Governor John Lynch has promised to sign the bill, and when he does New Hampshire will become the fourth state in the country to allow gay couples to form civil unions.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers was at the vote and files this report.

The Governor's promise comes a week before the State Senate is slated to vote on a House backed plan to grant same sex couples the same rights as married couples.