Morning Sweep

The Empire State Pride Agenda announced today its endorsement of Assemblymember José Peralta in the 2010 Democratic Primary Election for State Senate District 13 in Queens. Assemblymember Peralta is challenging Hiram Monserrate, the incumbent State Senator who last week reneged on a stated commitment in a 2008 Pride Agenda candidate questionnaire to support marriage equality legislation and voted "no" instead.

Thanks to a donation from the Episcopal Community Services of Long Island, the Ali Forney Center has expanded to include a new new 16-bed shelter in Astoria, Queens for homeless LGBT youth.

The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday voted 7-6 to pass the state's marriage equality bill. The full state Senate is expected to vote on the measure this Thursday.

In response to the anti-gay Manhattan Declaration, a statement signed by a group of anti-gay faith leaders, a group of LGBT equality advocates of faith have drafted The Affirmation Declaration, which "calls for pro-LGBT people of faith to sign on as supporters of civil equality."

Morning Sweep

The Buffalo News featured a series of opinion pieces on the marriage loss in New York, including an editorial calling the vote "appalling" and commentary featuring a local same-sex couple.

The Hudson Valley Daily Freeman also editorializes on its disappointment over the loss.

The Daily News reports that "gay advocates are on the warpath" to oust the eight NY Senate Democrats who voted "no" on marriage.

New Jersey's Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hear testimony and vote on the state's marriage equality bill today. If the legislation passes, it would be sent to the full state Senate for a vote as early as next Thursday.

The New Jersey Star-Ledger editorializes in favor of marriage passing and argues that as younger generations become more supportive of marriage for same-sex couples, it is a matter of when and not if this legislation will eventually pass.

The New Jersey Record also states its support.

Openly gay U.S. Reps. are optimistic that the House will pass bills that would provide health coverage to the partners of gay federal employees and protect gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination.

A Washington State Senator celebrates his state's decision to uphold domestic partnership rights and lays out a plan for winning full marriage equality in the future.

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund has filed an employment discrimination suit against an Orlando McDonald's after learning that a manager had left a derogatory voicemail for a transgender applicant implying that he would not hire her because of her gender identity.

Morning Sweep

Last night's rally in Union Square brought out hundreds of marriage equality supporters who are dedicated to continuing the fight.

Gay City News and Towleroad have great pictures of the rally.

NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke emotionally yesterday about the defeat of the marriage bill.

New Jersey's marriage bill will go before the state's Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday and then to full Senate next Thursday.

Morning Sweep

Much is being written on yesterday's disappointing marriage loss in the Senate, including stories in the Associated Press, New York Times and Gay City News.

Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle, quoted in the Observer: "It's a defeat today, but it's not a defeat for marriage equality," he said. "We had some of the most extraordinary speeches delivered on the floor of the Senate that I've ever seen delivered in all my time up in Albany. We had people share stories about their families, about their loss, that I don't think we've heard before, and I think we've seen what we asked for happen. We know have a road map for 2010 and the work we have to do."

Here are some of the amazing, inspiring stories shared by Senators in support of marriage during the debate.

The New York Times, Journal News and Albany Times Union editorial boards lament the loss.

Jo-Ann Shain and Mary Jo Kennedy, longtime marriage activists, comment on the loss. The two were litigants in the 2006 Hernandez v. Robles case, in which the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that there was no constitutional mandate to allow same-sex couples to marry in New York and that the issue should be decided by the state legislature.

Comments from the opposition just help to solidify our resolve for the future.

Pride Agenda statement and Senate marriage vote tally

Click here to read Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle's statement on today's marriage vote loss in the Senate.

Below, in alphabetical order, is the record of how Senators voted on the marriage bill. To find out who your Senator is, click here.

• Eric Adams (D) — YES
• Joseph Addabbo (D) — NO
• James Alesi (R) — NO
• Darrel Aubertine (D) — NO
• John Bonacic (R) — NO
• Neil Breslin (D) — YES
• John DeFrancisco (R) — NO
• Ruben Diaz (D) — NO
• Martin Malave Dilan (D) — YES
• Tom Duane (D) — YES
• Pedro Espada (D) — YES
• Hugh Farley (R) — NO
• John Flanagan (R) — NO
• Brian Foley (D) — YES
• Charles Fuschillo, Jr. (R) — NO
• Martin Golden (R) — NO
• Joseph Griffo (R) — NO
• Kemp Hannon (R) — NO
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D) — YES
• Shirley Huntley (D) — NO
• Craig Johnson (D) — YES
• Owen Johnson (R) — NO
• Jeffrey Klein (D) — YES
• Liz Krueger (D) — YES
• Carl Kruger (D) — NO
• Andrew Lanza (R) — NO
• Bill Larkin (R) — NO
• Kenneth LaValle (R) — NO
• Vincent Leibell (R) — NO
• Tom Libous (R) — NO
• Elizabeth Little (R) — NO
• Carl Marcellino (R) — NO
• George Maziarz (R) — NO
• Roy McDonald (R) — NO
• Hiram Monserrate (D) — NO
• Velmanette Montgomery (D) — YES
• Thomas Morahan (R) — NO
• Michael Nozzolio (R) — NO
• George Onorato (D) — NO
• Suzi Oppenheimer (D) — YES
• Frank Padavan (R) — NO
• Kevin Parker (D) — YES
• Bill Perkins (D) — YES
• Michael Ranzenhofer (R) — NO
• Joseph Robach (R) — NO
• Stephen Saland (R) — NO
• John Sampson (D) — YES
• Diane Savino (D) — YES
• Eric Schneiderman (D) — YES
• Jose Serrano (D) — YES
• James Seward (R) — NO
• Dean Skelos (R) — NO
• Malcolm Smith (D) — YES
• Daniel Squadron (D) — YES
• William Stachowski (D) — NO
• Toby Ann Stavisky (D) — YES
• Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) — YES
• Antoine Thompson (D) — YES
• David Valesky (D) — YES
• Dale Volker (R) — NO
• George Winner (R) — NO
• Catherine Young (R) — NO
  

TOTAL: 24 YES, 38 NO

Morning Sweep

Late last night, the New York State Assembly passed marriage equality legislation for the second time this year. By re-voting in “extraordinary session,” the Assembly has removed any obstacle to the bill being sent to the Governor for his signature when the Senate votes on the bill.

In a preliminary vote yesterday, the D.C. Council approved the marriage equality bill by a vote of 11-2. The measure must pass another vote in that chamber before it goes to the mayor for his signature and then Congress for review.

Parenting magazine has an excellent story on how parents can approach the issues faced by LGBT and questioning youth.

Morning Sweep

Today is World AIDS Day. Here's a roundup of some of the year's most important news on HIV/AIDS.

The Washington D.C. Council is expected to vote in favor of same-sex marriage today.

Marriage equality activists in California are still divided over whether to return marriage to the ballot in 2010 or 2012.

Newsweek profiles a Brazilian man who was recently granted asylum in the U.S. to escape the anti-gay violence he experienced in his home country.