ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Gay marriage is all but legalized in Maryland with the legislature giving its final OK Thursday to the law that is awaiting the expected signature of the governor.

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The state Senate voted 25-22 for the law. The vote comes less than a week after the House of Delegates barely passed the measure.

Maryland will become the eighth state to allow gay marriage when Gov. Martin O’Malley— who sponsored the bill — signs the legislation.

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Here is an excerpt of a statement released by Marriage Equality USA today:

Marriage Equality USA applauds today’s vote for the freedom to marry in the Maryland Senate

San Francisco • 23 February 2012 ―”Since Governor O’Malley has championed this bill and already said he will sign the bill into law, today’s historic vote means marriage equality in Maryland!” said Stuart Gaffney, Marriage Equality USA Media Director. “We are encouraged by reports that former Vice President Dick Cheney made calls to lobby Maryland legislators to support the bill. Supporting his lesbian daughter Mary illustrates the true meaning of family values across party lines.”

“We are seeing unstoppable momentum for equal marriage rights from every avenue,” said John Lewis, Marriage Equality USA Legal Director. “Yesterday, yet another federal court struck down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, saying the law ‘treats gay men and lesbians differently on the basis of their sexual orientation’ without any legal basis… The imposition of subjective moral beliefs of a majority on a minority cannot provide a justification.’”

“The Maryland legislature now joins Washington State and New Jersey in passing marriage equality bills in just the last few weeks. Loving, committed couples stand to benefit from these bills from coast to coast,” concluded Gaffney.

The Proponets have officially challenged the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling, and to explain what that means for the Prop 8 case we have the ever vigilant Matt Baume from the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

“Let me live my life as I want, for at its end it is I who must die.” ~Tigress Luv

This quote is a bit morbid, I’ll admit. I like the spirit of it and have tried to incorporate that idea (philosophy, really) into my life. To me, it speaks of tolerance, and respect in the midst of disagreement and conflict. It’s a mystery to me why people get so embroiled in fights that have nothing to do with them and likely would not affect their life at all.  The example that comes to mind for me immediately is gay marriage (and other forms of gay rights), but it applies to a wide variety of situations and issues.

This actually reminds me of another quote or idea that has been floating around for a while.  It’s something like ‘Don’t agree with gay marriage?  Then don’t get one!”  Gay marriage and LGBT equality have little effect on the straight world.  My marriage isn’t going to make yours suddenly disintegrate, or raise your taxes, or cause Armageddon.  Well, some would say Armageddon is a possibility, but then they would get to be raptured and leave us wretched sinners behind, so I’m not sure why they would think that would be a bad thing!!!  :-)

If I look at this from a psychological standpoint, some would point to a defense mechanism called reaction formation as the cause of crusades against things that don’t affect you.  This means that a person who was using that (unconscious) defense mechanism is actually struggling with the issue themselves, so they become passionately against it to avoid having to deal with it in themselves. For example, a religious leader is gay (and I’m not naming any names here!), but can’t accept that in themselves, and so they become intensely involved in speaking out against it and trying to eradicate it. This makes sense in many ways. Probably all of us have seen someone who is virulently antigay who we were certain is actually gay.  Crusading against it is a way of eliminating the threat so they never have to acknowledge it in themselves.

Live and let live is a wonderful, perhaps idealistic way to live.  It’s too bad more politicians (and religious leaders) don’t espouse this idea!

Yes, this is a collage of Mr. Frothy Mix himself made from gay porn images. This wonderful piece of art was computer generated by Unicorn Booty readers Stephen and Vanessa. So now that we see what he’s made of, does he look more or less appealing?

For the ginormous picture showing all of the nitty-gritty details, click here (NSFW obviously).

New Mexico’s Governor Susana Martinez needs to find someone else who will put up with her crap just to do her hair, because her usual hair stylist Antonio Darden is fed up. When the Governor’s minions called to set up an appointment he told them go somewhere else.

“Because of her stances and her views on this I told her aides no. They called the next day, asking if I’d changed my mind about taking the governor in and I said no again.”

Someone buy this man a drink! Better yet, if you’re in the Santa Fe area make an appointment as a big ‘Thank you’ for sticking up for equal rights. He may have lost one customer, but let’s make sure he gains more! This is the kind of thing that needs to be happening all over the country. Lets make it happen!

For more on the story from KOB here.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, a vocal opponent of gay marriage, said today he opposes civil unions, too.

In response to a question by Dean Reynolds for the “CBS Evening News,” the former Pennsylvania senator said same-sex couples should work through the legal system to obtain rights similar to those enjoyed by legally married couples.

Santorum has spoken out numerous times against gay marriage. In a January 2011 interview on CNN, Santorum said he supports a federal marriage amendment defining marriage between a man and a woman.

“I have friends who are gay,” Santorum told Kelly. “It’s not personal; it’s about policy.”

Click to read more and watch video here

Visit http://www.thetrevorproject.org to learn more. If you or someone you know ever needs help, call our 24/7 Lifeline at 866.488.7386. It’s toll-free and confidential.

Teenage boys sitting on each other’s laps, exchanging back rubs and dolling out hugs: This was the sight that researcher Mark McCormack found when he went to a British high school to research masculinity.

These were STRAIGHT boys! What’s more, in a year of research in these three schools, he was only aware of homophobic language twice by two different students (even the ubiquitous’That’s so gay!” was gone). Can you imagine what would happen if that were the scene in our schools in the US?   There would be soccer mom riots…evangelicals storming the gates…Republicans tarring and feathering!  It’s actually kind of titillating to think of all of them getting their panties in a wad!  :-)  And, as I write this, it occurs to me that perhaps it’s the ADULTS that have maintained the homophobia in our society and in our kids. For you, reader, that might be a no brainer, but it isn’t something I really put together until just now. It just makes sense, really.  Kids get their values and beliefs from the adults they come in contact with, at least younger ones. You can see it in videos of evangelicals and hate groups, where the kid confidently states things that are far beyond their understanding and are surely just parroting things their parents have said numerous times.

If homophobia comes (at least partly) from the parents, then what are the UK parents doing differently (in my opinion, better) than we in the US are?  The author estimates that we’re about a decade behind the UK with regard to such issues. It’s no secret, too, that other countries besides the UK are more progressive socially than we are. So what’s getting in our way? I like to blame the evangelicals, but that can’t be the whole answer. Perhaps another part is our constitution and how our founding fathers created our country. Even so, we should progress as a country and a society, not adhere to traditions and beliefs that no longer benefit us.

I have hoped for a long time for boys to be able to express their affection for one another, to be able to hug without being afraid to be seen as gay.  Girls do it and no one thinks twice about it. Boys are sometimes so afraid of what people might think that they sit with a seat between them at the movie theater (yes, I’ve seen this more than once!). Hugging another guy doesn’t make them less masculine, or threaten their sexuality, and I think men NEED affection from other men.  What the author experienced was in the UK and it was a small sample size, but I’m just thrilled that it exists.  Maybe there’s hope for the US after all!  (Okay, yes, I’m getting carried away here…indulge me and my idealism, please!)

Straignt But Not Narrow’s (SSBN) Avan Joriga and Josh Hutcherson from Hunger Games meet with members of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network to talk about the importance of straight allies.

It takes all kinds!