LGBT News: Kevin Keller is The Equalizer, Cook County Gets Marriage Equality, Arizona House Passes Discrimination Bill (Plus Mor

Cook County Gets Same Sex Marriage

The breaking news today is that Cook County, Illinois now has marriage equality!

A federal judge in Chicago has made a ruling that takes away the delayed effective date of Illinois’ same sex marriage law.

US District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman said that “There is no reason to delay further when no opposition has been presented to this Court and committed gay and lesbian couples have already suffered from the denial of their fundamental right to marry.”

Kevin Keller is The Equalizer

All of the main Archie cast members have superhero alter-egos, and Kevin Keller is now getting his superhero identity as The Equalizer. His physical strength will be his primary superpower. Veronica will kinda be like his Lucius Fox, providing him with different ideas for suits and also provides him his own Batcave-esque hideout.

Arizona House Passes Discrimination Bill

The Arizona House of Representatives has passed what is being called a “license to discriminate” bill that would allow businesses and individuals to deny services or goods to certain customers, including same sex couples.The “thinking” behind the bill is that service same sex couples would put a strain on the business owner’s or individual’s right to exercise their religion. It goes without saying that this discrimination bill could translate to full-out Jim Crow.

American Idol Contestant Talks About Being Out

MK Nobilette discussed what it’s been like being an openly gay contestant on American Idol, a show that has had a history of being nebulous when it comes to its gay and lesbian contestants.

“There have been a few haters, but I predicted that the minute I said (I was gay),” Nobilette said to People Magazine. “But actually, the response has been pretty positive. Mostly, people have been really supportive.”

Russian LGBT Youth Support Group Founder Not Guilty

Lena Klimova was originally charged with promoting gay propaganda for founding Russian-based LGBT teen support group Children 404. But, the Dzerzhinsky district court of Nizhny Tagil dismissed the case.

When the charges were originally brought up on Klimova, she said, “Considering general trends, I’m not surprised. But it is very unfortunate to recognize that letters of gay teens are considered as propaganda of homosexuality among teens themselves.” After the dismissal of the case, Klimova’s laywer, Maria Kozlovskaya said, “We looked for such decision and believe that it proves the incapacity and groundlessness of the so-called law about ‘propaganda of homosexuality.’ This law contradicts to some Russia’s international obligations and, as it was proved by the decision of the UN Human Rights Committe, consolidates discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and violates the freedom of speech.”