Morning Sweep

Queerty points out that gay marriage-like arrangements have existed throughout history, which contradicts the tired "radical shifts in attitudes" theory that the anti-marriage camp tries so often to throw in our faces.

A story in a newsletter put out by the United Methodist Church deals with religious parents accepting their gay children. In many instances these parents have become activists: said one mother, "we'd been in this church for 30 years, and my son could be married in the sanctuary, but my daughter can't? It made me furious."

The Washington Blade notes that, according to multiple polls, Hillary, Obama and Edwards would all beat any Republican candidate if the election were held today. All three support a myriad of LGBT rights, including civil unions--but not full marriage equality.

Gov. Spitzer signed a bill into law yesterday that would allow for forced HIV tests for indicted sex offenders.

A Vermont commission begins its hearings on gay marriage, which will help to determine how aggressively the state legislature will act on replacing their current civil unions law with full marriage equality.