Former Senator Chuck Hagel has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Defense, but what's the LGBT community's take on his appointment following his previous anti-gay comments? (He's since apologized for the statements and has committed to supporting LGBT servicemembers.)

Find out after the jump.

Attorneys representing Edith Windsor, the lesbian widow who unfairly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in estate taxes after her partner died, have filed a brief with SCOTUS demanding the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. 

As we reported last week, outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has officially announced the extension of a handful of benefits to loving same-sex military couples. 

Tattoos on the butt or near sexual organs are as close to gaydar as the homophobic Russian Defense Ministry can get, apparently. According to the Ministry, tattoos in these regions indicate a person's sexuality, so it will naturally force soldiers to drop trou so that doctors can interpret their tattoos like some sort of inkblot Rorschach test.

The John Boehner-lead House Republicans have filed a brief with SCOTUS a few month ahead of the court's hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act. Their main defense? Gays can't have babies naturally so we shouldn't be allowed to marry. Check out the DOMA defense after the jump. 

He's done it again, folks. Back in December we reported that House Republicans had secretly raised the defense budget for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and new reports released today show that Republican House Speaker John Boehner has once again raised the DOMA budget without the knowledge of House Democrats.

Details after the jump.

Despite a shaky start in the nomination process, President Obama's Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel is no longer ambiguous in regard to his position on the post-DADT era and the fight for equal benefits for LGBT military families. 

President Obama signed the latest funding bill for the Department of Defense on Wednesday night, but included a statement alongside his signature announcing his objection to part of the legislation. Details follow. 

Former Senator Chuck Hagel apologized today for remarks that he made in 1998, in which he stated that an openly gay man nominated for a diplomatic post should not represent the United States.

Hagel's remarks are under a bit of a microscope right now because he's a candidate for Secretary of Defense. Some are questioning his ability and willingness to oversee an LGBT inclusive military. 

More after the jump.

As discussion continues surrounding the impending "fiscal cliff," it's good to know that House Republicans are prioritizing where they put the nation's financial resources. 

It was revealed yesterday that Republican's secretly increased their budget to defend the Defense of Marriage Act. 

More after the jump. 

Updated 3:45 p.m. EST

The Court has posted its order list online here.

After a series of build-ups that puts Homeland to shame, the Supreme Court of the United States has finally made movement on the marriage equality cases demanding review. In a conference earlier today, SCOTUS took action on Edie Windsor v. United States (a DOMA case) and made movement on Hollingsworth v. Perry (the "Prop 8 Case"). 

Lisa Biron, a lawyer associated with the virulently anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund, is facing felony charges related to child pornography after being caught in New Hampshire. Details follow.