Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal car insurance company, is donating $100,000 to organizations supporting LGBT equality this year and YOU can help determine how those funds get directed! 

More after the jump!

Will same-sex marriage be legalized in Illinois by the end of May?

LGBT leaders claim we have the votes. 

More after the jump!

And the momentum continues! The Associated Press is reporting that marriage equality legislation could be up for a vote within the Minnesota House or Senate as soon as next week.

More after the jump!

The Colorado House of Representatives have given their initial approval to the state Senate's bill legalizing civil unions. 

The bill will be go up for a formal vote on Tuesday.

More after the jump.

By a vote of 34 - 21, marriage equality has been approved in the full Illinois state Senate! It veered into raucous territory often in the Senate chamber, with anti-gay pols getting laughed at by those in attendance on a handful of occasions.

Same-sex marriage rights with religious protections now moves to the Illinois House, where it has also been given a great chance of passing. 

Stay tuned to Instinct as today's big news out of the Midwest develops!

Updated 12:30 p.m. CST

The Illinois state Senate has returned from a short break and is hearing marriage equality at this moment. Head here to celebrate Valentine's Day with the Illinois state Senate and stay tuned to Instinct today for breaking news out of the Midwest!

The opposition has certainly been vocal, but monthly demonstrations sponsored by NOM haven't been enough to curtail marriage equality efforts so far in France. Today, the French National Assembly approved a comprehensive same-sex bill that even includes adoption rights for gay and lesbian couples. Details follow. 

Indiana lawmakers have decided that they will not put the question of whether or not to institute a state constitutional ban on the legal recognition of same-sex couples to voters via referendum this year.

Could it be because social conservatives are afraid that they'll lose?

More after the jump.

Pongsapat Pongcharoen wants to become the Governor of Bangkok and he's hoping votes from the increasingly accepted trans community will help him get there. In what is believed to be the first video in the world that openly courts trans voters, Pongcharoen makes his inclusion of kathoeys (Thais who transition from male to female) known to the world. Check it out after the jump. 

UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. EST

The Boy Scouts of America have released an official statement on board members' decision to delay their vote on the archaic gay ban until May of this year. Check out what the BSA has to say after the jump. 

Updated 2:45 p.m. CST

Marriage equality has passed an Illinois Senate committee today, bringing state Sen. President John Cullerton's hope to bring it to the full floor on Valentine's Day closer to reality. 

Updated 3 p.m. EST

The House of Commons passed marriage equality on Tuesday evening by a large majority! In a vote of 400 to 175 (a majority of 225), MPs have voted for same-sex civil marriage in the United Kingdom.