Portal:LGBT

• 04 November 2009 - Voters of Maine repeal a law that would allow couples gay marriage. The result comes in at a close for-against result of 47.2 and 52.9 respectively. In state Washington voters say yes to allow couples civil unions.

• 28 October 2009 - U.S. President Barack Obama signs into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, effectively enacting the Matthew Shepard Act and extending existing hate crime penalties of violent criminals who are expressly and demonstrably motivated by their victim's perceived sexual orientation or gender.^[1]

• 28 October 2009 - LGBT rights in Germany - Openly gay politician Guido Westerwelle becomes Foreign Minister of Germany.

• 22 October 2009 - LGBT rights in Sweden - The assembly of the Church of Sweden, which is dominated by Protestants, voted strongly in favour with 70% of the votes, of giving its blessing to homosexual couples,.^[2], including the use of the term marriage. The new law will be introduced on November 1, 2009. This happened after the Parliament of Sweden in 2009 introduced anti-discrimination laws on transgender identity or expression and voted to make same-sex marriages fully legal from May 1, 2009, with the votes 261 to 22. The assembly's verdict in the Church of Sweden is the first case in the world where a recognized church is willing to support same sex marriages.

• 20 October 2009 - Recognition of same-sex unions in Jersey - A vote in the state of Jersey confirms that civil partnerships will come into effect immediately. The vote came in at a yes/no result of 48 to 5 respectively.^[3]

• 20 October 2009 - Former Miss California Carrie Prejean (who publicly spoke out against same-sex marriage at a beauty contest and then numerous times on mainstream media} is sued for the price of her breast implants which were part of a contract Prejan signed when she took up the role - the costs estimated at $5,200 USD. ^[4]

• 19 October 2009 - LGBT rights in Canada - The Canadian city of Toronto is chosen to host World Pride in 2014.^[5]

• 19 October 2009 - The UK Press Complaints Commission estimates that the complaints about a Jan Moir article in the Daily Mail concerning Stephen Gately have reached over 21,000. Scotland Yard announce that they too are investigating a complaint from a member of the public.^[6]

• 16 October 2009 - The UK Press Complaints Commission's website crashes after receiving hundreds of complaints about a Jan Moir article in the Daily Mail concerning her views on the death of Irish Boyzone member Stephen Gately. Retailer Marks & Spencer withdraws advertising and Nestlé disassociates itself from her writing.^[7][8][9]

• 11 October 2009 - Thousands of activists for marched on from the White House to the Capitol, demanding that President Obama keep his promises to allow gays to serve openly in the military and work to end discrimination against gays. Notable figures Lady Gaga^[10], Cynthia Nixon^[11], Cleve Jones^[12], Judy Shepard^[13] and Dustin Lance Black^[14] also make speeches regarding equality.

• 10 October 2009 - U.S President Barack Obama speaks at a dinner hosted by the Human Rights Campaign, explaining that he is moving forward with plans to repeal the Don't ask, don't tell policy, as well as the Defense of Marriage Act (which stops same-sex marriages being recognised on a federal level).^[15]

• 07 October 2009 - Microsoft Corporation makes a $100,000 (£62,976) donation to gay rights campaigners in Washington. The donation is in support of a referendum on whether gay couples should be given expanded rights under domestic partnerships law.

• 1 October 2009 - LGBT rights in the United States - Civil partnerships come into effect in Nevada. With over 700 gay couples who registered their relationship beforehand, the passed law coming into effect allows them to be legally recognised.

• 18 September 2009 - The European Union votes to adopt a resolution criticising a recent law passed by Lithuania which prohibits any mention of homosexuality in schools or in media accessible by young people. ^{[16] [17]}

• 17 September 2009 — LGBT rights in Lithuania — Lithuania passes a law which bans the mention of homosexuality in schools or media, which is generally considered similar to Section 28 ^[18]

• 10 September 2009 - Openly gay illusionist Derren Brown correctly predicts the National lottery numbers on live television. ^[19][20]

• 10 September 2009 - A bill allowing gay couples in Uruguay to adopt has been approved by the country's Senate as expected.^[21]

• 08 September 2009 - The city of Springfield, in the US state of Missouri, removes a law which discriminates gays and lesbians from its ordinances. The 1976 law made it illegal to solicit sex from someone of the same gender.^[22]

• 01 September 2009 - The legalisation of gay marriage in Vermont takes effect at midnight local time. Vermont joins New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa to become the fifth American state to officially legalise gay marriage. ^{[23] [24]}

• 29 August 2009 — LGBT rights in the UK — Legislation granting lesbians equal birth rights in England and Wales comes into effect, meaning both parents can now be named on a child's birth certificate. ^{[25] [26] [27]}

• 28 August 2009 — LGBT rights in Uruguay — The Congress in Uruguay (pictured to the right) passes a bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt children. The legislation is expected to pass in the Senate, where the ruling party has a majority. If passed, Uruguay will be the first country in South America to allow same-sex couples to adopt. ^[28]

• 25 August 2009 — The Equality and Human Rights Commission issues county court proceedings against the British National Party because of its constitution and homophobic, racist membership criteria. Such criteria is contrary to the Race Relations Act which the party is legally obliged to comply with. ^[29]

• 24 August 2009 — Ireland's Green Party and gay rights organisations defend plans to introduce civil partnerships for same-sex couples following criticism of the move by Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. ^[30]

• 20 August 2009 — LGBT rights in New Zealand — A bill to abolish the gay panic defence passes its first reading in New Zealand's parliament. ^[31]

• 13 August 2009 - A San Francisco streetcar dedicated to gay rights campaigner Harvey Milk is taken out of service after vandals daubed homophobic graffiti on it.^[32]

• 09 August 2009 — LGBT rights in Ireland — In Ireland (pictured within Europe to the right), a same-sex marriage demonstration occurs outside the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in Dublin. Ireland currently has no same-sex marriage, civil union or other form of legal contract for same-sex couples, and such couples cannot jointly adopt children.

• 08 August 2009 - LGBT rights in Israel - Fifty thousand demonstrators or more gathered in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square Saturday night in a rally to show solidarity with Israel's gay community, including the victims shot at a TA center for gay and lesbian youth a week ago, which left two dead and a dozen wounded. ^[33]

• 01 August 2009 - LGBT rights in Israel - At least two people are killed and 15 others injured in a shooting attack at the Gay and Lesbian Association building in Tel Aviv, Israel. The shootings have resulted in a manhunt by the Israli police and protests by the gay community.

Notes