Denver Mayor Michael Hancock relays his personal account of his brother's death from AIDS in 2006 and the legal inability of his brother's partner to make decisions on his brother's behalf.

He speaks passionately in support of civil unions (there's a civil unions bill currently being debated in Colorado) and marriage equality.

Watch his touching speech after the jump.

For the first time, the LGBT community has been the one to opt for putting the equal rights of a minority group up to a vote by the majority. It'll all go down this November in Maine, when voters in the decide whether or not to adopt marriage equality. Details follow. 

After making it through the state House on Friday and a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee today, marriage equality legislation is headed for a Wednesday vote in the Maryland Senate. 

In yet another example of "It's not how you get there, as long as you get there," former Vice President Dick Cheney has come out in support of same-sex marriage and is specifically using his voice to lobby on behalf of same-sex marriage in Maryland. The “Civil Marriage Protection Act” is being debated today on the House floor, in what promises to be a very close vote.

Civil Unions legislation has already made it further than it ever has in Colorado. Late last night, proposed civil union legislation passed 5-2 in the state Senate Judiciary Committee. Details follow. 

The “Civil Marriage Protection Act” will be debated on the floor of the Maryland House of Delegates on Thursday after supporters decided to delay debate earlier today, presumably to secure more votes. 

Proving once again that Catholic hierarchs couldn't be more out of touch with the people who actually practice the faith is a new poll from the New York Times/CBS. 

The ACLU wants Cupid to aim his amorous arrows at Obama today, as apparent in a Valentine's Day card anyone can sign and send to the president.  

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire won't sign marriage equality into law in her state until 11:30 a.m. pst, but Marriage Equality USA has already given us a glimpse of how the country will stand with seven states recognizing same-sex couples. Details follow. 

Sure, we're all a little heated and emotional following (ex) CNN contributor Roland Martin's irresponsible tweets, but perhaps no one is more incensed than the man of the moment's wife, Jacquie Hood Martin. We might be able to get over the fact that Jacquie stole our entire fantasy drag name but we will not be able to overlook the insensitive anti-gay comments she made following word that CNN had suspended her husband. So, what does Jacquie insist gays not steal from the African American community?

A new poll from Kean University and NJ Speaks shows that a majority of voters in New Jersey support Gov. Chris Christie's call for the civil rights of a minority to be voted on by the majority. 

As New Jersey continues to reinvent the wheel by holding the same marriage equality hearings over and over, a few gems of testimony manage to rise above the fray and adhere to our consciousness, whether for good or bad. If you've ever wanted to see a teen girl bring an entire room of adults to tears as she demands that the state recognize the love shared between her dads or an embarrassingly off-the-hinge "ex gay" nurse argue against civil rights, then follow the jump!