Morning Sweep

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) passed yesterday in the New York State Assembly – now on to the Senate! GENDA provides crucial civil rights protections for transgender New Yorkers by banning discrimination in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life.

The Boston Globe and Gay City News write on “Marriage Equality & Religion: The Massachusetts Experience,” the video we released yesterday that dispels the myth that marriage for same-sex couples somehow negatively affects religious freedom.

Bill Hammond writes in a Daily News opinions column that civil unions are no substitute for marriage: “Imagine getting down on one knee and saying, ‘Will you civilly unite with me?’”

ABC News reports on the lack of any real backlash on a national level against marriage for same-sex couples spreading to several states.

The Senate sponsor of Maine’s marriage equality bill received a standing ovation at this morning’s hearing.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, known for his great record on LGBT advocacy, has formally announced his plans to run for California Governor.

Just weeks after the suicide of an 11-year-old from Massachusetts who suffered from bullying in school, a second 11-year-old from Georgia has taken his life. The anti-gay bullying that both experienced is bringing national attention to the need for better protections against harassment of students by their peers – including this Boston Globe editorial.