It's a historic day in the U.S. today as the House officially passes the first federal non-discrimination provision that includes the LGBT community.

You can't beat up a woman or your same-sex or trans partner without stronger repercussions thanks to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which just cleared the House after passing the Senate. 

The Senate has voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and has extended protections for LGBT victims of domestic violence. This follows the rejection of a non-inclusive, Republican sponsored alternative piece of legislation last week. 

More after the jump.

The Senate has rejected a proposed Republican alternative to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization bill.

The GOP bill, presented by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley would strip LGBT victims of domestic violence of their protections. 

More after the jump.

So we may not currently have an out gay NFL player, but if the charges filed in this domestic violence lawsuit are to be believed, it looks like we had a gay player in the league quite recently.

According to Outsports, "Kwame Harris, a former offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers, is facing felony charges of domestic violence for allegedly assaulting an ex-boyfriend last August in an argument started by soy sauce."

Soy sauce, huh? Kinky. 

More after the jump.

The Centers for Disease Control has illuminated the LGBT community today by releasing the first set of national prevalence data on reported violence within same-sex relationships. With our first real grasp at the rate of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) LGBT members face in their relationships compare to the heterosexual community?

A veritable who's who of high profile celebs have come together to "Demand A Plan" from President Obama and Congress on how to stop gun violence in America.

Whoever lined up the participants for this PSA has quite the rolodex.

Watch after the jump!

Christopher Stevens, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, is one of four Americans killed at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi in violence sparked by an anti-Islam film promoted by Florida's infamous Pastor Terry Jones. 

The United States military has not erupted into a non-stop gay Bacchanalian orgy since repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," despite some early concerns from anti-gay officials. A new report from the Palm Center, the first scholarly effort to study the post-DAD military, paints quite the different picture, in fact.

Rihanna's Barbados adventure with Oprah airs this weekend on OWN and by the looks of this clip, sh*t's about to get real.

Rihanna emotionally discusses Chris Brown after the jump.

The U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg has issued an advisory for Americans planning to attend Madonna's MDNA tour stop in the Russian city on Thursday after credible threats of anti-gay violence were received. 

Instead of backing down, Her Madgesty has amped up the visibility and given a middle finger to the city's infamous ban on "gay propaganda." 

So, what jaw-dropping ballsy strategy has Madonna adopted in the face of adversity, violence and government persecution? 

We're practically scratching the freshly applied highlights right off our new Grecian boy soldier-inspired haircut over this one, kids: Exodus International, perhaps the world's most notorious "ex gay" group often at odds with the LGBT community, has issued a very gay-positive statement. 

Anti-gay violence declined in 2011, according to the annual report on hate crime statistics by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, but anti-LGBT murders increased. What gives?