openly gay news stories on Newser

Ireland's First Gay Presidential Candidate Drops Out

Mark Russell — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:45:02 CDT

The leading candidate in Ireland's presidential race—the openly gay David Norris—is stepping down, after it was revealed he wrote a letter asking for clemency for his former partner who was on trial for the statutory rape of a 15-year-old boy, reports the Guardian . The 67-year-old Norris would have...

First Openly Gay Man Quietly Confirmed as US Judge

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 07:08:35 CDT

The US got its first openly gay male federal judge last night. J. Paul Oetken, a former lawyer for the Clinton administration, was confirmed by the Senate on an 80-13 vote and could take his Manhattan seat this week, the New York Times reports. "The old barriers that existed in...

1st Openly Gay Bishop to Retire

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:12:00 CST

Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopalian whose election to bishop reverberated through the religious world, will take early retirement in 2013, reports the Boston Globe. "The last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family, and you,” Robinson told an annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of New...

Will & Grace Sidekick Comes Out

M. Morris — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:05:00 CST

Breaking news from, oh, 1998 or so: Sean Hayes is gay. After years of what many considered equivocating, the actor who gained fame as the flamboyant sidekick Jack on Will & Grace tells the Advocate , "I am who I am. I was never in, as they say. Never." But he...

Gay Soldiers Say Army's Tolerance Has Grown

Kevin Spak — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:06:11 CST

Gay soldiers say the military has grown more tolerant in recent years, with younger, more liberal commanders loath to lose skilled troops to a ban they see as outdated. Underground gay communities have sprung up on bases both at home and in the war zone, with email groups keeping gay...

Houston Elects Openly Gay Mayor

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 07:00:55 CST

Houston became the largest US city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after a hotly contested runoff. Parker defeated former city attorney Gene Locke with 53.6% of the vote yesterday in a race that had a turnout of...

Hollywood Has Its First Gay Studio Chief

Harry Kimball — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:06:00 CDT

You wouldn’t know it from the press—well, most of the press—but Hollywood has just passed a milestone and minted its first openly gay studio chief. Rich Ross has taken over at Disney, which "has long been the most gay friendly studio in Hollywood,” writes Patrick Goldstein in the...