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<p>Could Barack Obama's great week mark a turning point in his poll numbers?</p> <p>After months of stagnant approval ratings, a new CNN/ORC poll finds that for the first time in more than two years, 50% of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the presidency. And his overall ratings are bolstered by increasingly positive reviews of his treatment of race relations and the economy.</p>

Undocumented "trans and queer leaders" held a "die-in" by the White House Tuesday to demand an end in detention of lesbian, gay, bisxexual, transgendered and queer illegal immigrants. [Snip] The group said in a release that "Advocates will descend on the White House to cap off Pride month, protesting President Obama's policy of detaining lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer immigrants where they face well documented abuses at rates many times those of the general population."

It’s difficult to see how the nationwide legalization of gay marriage could have any kind of significant negative repercussions for anybody who’s not gay. Difficult – but not impossible. Because now that the US government formally recognizes marriage equality as a fundamental right, it really shouldn’t skew the tax code so as to give millions of dollars in tax breaks to groups which remain steadfastly bigoted on the subject. I’m talking, of course, about churches.

Speaking in the Rose Garden shortly after the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage was announced, Obama stated that the progressives in society needs to ‘help’ those with deeply held religious beliefs overcome their convictions. “Opposition in some cases has been based on sincere and deeply held beliefs,” Obama said. “All of us who welcome today’s news should be mindful of that fact. Recognize different viewpoints. Revere our deep commitment to religious freedom.” “Sometimes there are days like this when that slow and steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt,” Obama said. Although the progress might...

For years conservatives and proponents of religious liberty in America have warned that if same-sex marriage became legal, the left would then pursue revoking the tax exempt status for religious institutions, particularly Christian churches, around the country. Just days after the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that gay marriage is a constitutional right, progressive activists like Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times are calling for tax exempt statutes to be stripped. The Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage makes it clearer than ever that the government shouldn't be subsidizing religion and non-profits. Rather than try to rescue...

When the Left erupted in outrage over the Supreme Court decision on campaign financing in Citizens United, they didn’t their resistance to the result could be described as “treason.” But that’s not the way they’re playing on the new gay-pleasing decisions. At The Daily Beast, contributor Jay Michaelson asked “Did The Four Dissenting Justices In Gay Marriage Case Just Suggest Treason? The conservative justices’ incendiary dissents in Obergefell are a shocking betrayal of judicial responsibility.” Michaelson -- who announced "I'm queer, I'm Jewish, and I'm proud of it" -- suggested somehow that resistance to a Court decision isn’t democratic, it’s...

(VIDEO-AT-LINK) Sen. Lindsey Graham told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd that the Republican party needs to finally hang it up when it comes to keeping a proposal for a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in their party platform, but that he made it clear they're not going to let it go as a wedge issue any time soon. As long as they can keep the religious right whipped into a frenzy over whether their "liberties" are being violated by not being free to discriminate against a group of people they don't like, they're going to keep going after those...

Apple has added an LGBT section to its App Store that showcases apps, books, movies, TV shows and podcasts to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots. It's Gay Pride in cities worldwide this month, an event sure to get a big boost of excitement following the US Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide on Friday. And in what some digerati may consider added cause for celebration, Apple has added an LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) section on the App Store that showcases tons of content for the LGBT community. The section, which went live on the App Store...

My wife cried when she read the notice on her cell phone this morning that the Supreme Court had recognized the right of gay people to marry. She told me the news in a choking voice, and I promptly cried and choked up as I reflected back the news to her. "So much needless suffering for so many years" she correctly said. I nodded, and appreciated once again my wife's good heart. We teared up at the news that Obamacare had withstood that latest round of attack and millions of people would now keep their health insurance. We teared up...

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriages has no legal force outside the United States, but gay rights activists in many parts of the world believe the court ruling will help their cause. In the Philippines, in India, in Australia and elsewhere, gay rights advocates think the U.S. ruling may help change attitudes, just as American activists—and judges, educators and legislators—had earlier been influenced by the easy acceptance of same-sex marriage in some European countries, where the laws were changed smoothly without much fuss.In today’s wired world, political movements cross national boundaries in the blink of...

A same-sex marriage activist, whose marriage 11 years ago in Canada was validated Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that all states must recognize gay marriage performed in other states, thanked God Friday, calling the ruling, “God’s intention and God’s work.” “What I’d like to start by saying is what I think everyone should say when something very good happens in their life: We need to pause and give thanks to God,” said Greg Bourke, who spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court accompanied by his husband Michael De Leon and their two adopted children, Isabella and Isaiah....

Friday’s 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling made same-sex marriage officially legal nationwide. Great. What’s next? The Court closed the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, ruling that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not allow states to ban same-sex marriage. But other critical issues facing LGBT Americans have been waiting for the same mix of funding and public interest that carried same-sex marriage over the threshold.

Justice Clarence Thomas on Friday wrote a fiery dissent in response to the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.

On this slender thread does the promise of religious liberty hang. Justice Anthony Kennedy, in his majority opinion in Obergefell that declares same-sex marriage a constitutional right, barely mentions the means by which most Americans conduct their weddings — houses of worship. Only on page 27 does Kennedy get around to addressing the connection between church and state, and the assurances in this paragraph are less than compelling, to say the least: Finally, it must be emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage...

(CNSNews.com) – The Department of Health and Human Services’ most recent guidelines explaining the “preventive services” mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—or Obamacare—says health insurance plans must provide co-pay-free pap smears and mammograms to “transgender men.” As defined by the federal Office of Personnel Management: “a person assigned the female sex at birth but who identifies as male is a transgender man.” The guidelines, written as a FAQ sheet, state: Q5: Can plans or issuers limit sex-specific recommended preventive services based on an individual's sex assigned at birth, gender identity or recorded gender? No. Whether a sex-specific...

Gay and lesbian couples are featured prominently in Tylenol's new #HowWeFamily campaign, which aims to change the face of the American family. A same sex prom couple and two gay dads with a baby are among those featured in the campaign's first TV ad. A voiceover declares, "Family isn't defined by who you love, but how." Tylenol is glorifying all modern family types by stating a family is based on love not traditional marriage, and then showing gay couples with their children. One Million Moms believes family is based on love, but this does not justify normalizing sin. 1MM does...

Last Saturday, more than 150,000 people gathered in D.C. for the Capital Pride Parade—a celebration of all things LGBT. Sadly, for the first time in the event’s 40-year history, the Boy Scouts of America participated in the march. Banners were also carried by the D.C. Public Schools and Library, the police and branches of the U.S. Military, as well as an assortment of private sponsors. […] A small contingent of Christians had set up camp behind a fence, preaching the Gospel in a pleasant manner and professing the Biblical view of homosexuality. […] In response, a young man in devil...

“Keep up the great work,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch told LGBT activists at a Lambda Legal reception in Washington on Thursday. “We are finally witnessing the cascade of equality…that will forever reshape this country,” she said in her prepared remarks. She told the activists that they have the “enthusiastic partnership” of both the Justice Department and the president: “President Obama and I are both passionate about this cause and deeply devoted to this mission, and this administration is committed to invigorating the values of equality and opportunity that you have long demanded for all Americans.” Lynch noted that many LGBT...

Michael Sam's CFL career has hit a snag. The Alouettes released a statement regarding Sam Friday evening: "The Montreal Alouettes organization would like to clarify the situation surrounding international defensive end Michael Sam. Friday morning, Michael asked the team a special permission to leave training camp and return home for personal reasons. "With all due respect for Michael Sam, the nature of this decision will remain confidential. "The Montreal Alouettes fully respect Michael Sam's decision and rally around him to offer him all time and support needed. The team has left the door open and Michael is welcome to come...

Germany’s upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, voted on Friday in favor of a resolution calling for full marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples. The debate followed a referendum in Ireland in which the population voted massively in favor of allowing same-sex marriage. “This is an unmistakable signal to the federal government and the Bundestag [German parliament],” said Axel Hochrein of the Lesbian and Gay Federation (LSVD). “Discrimination against same-sex couples is incompatible with a democratic system.” …