News: Nate Berkus, ENDA, Ken Keechl, Argentina, Beenie Man

Following judge's ruling, paperwork issued for Argentina's first same-sex marriage.

Kardashian sisters don duct tape for NoH8 campaign.

Joe Jackson's last money grab before MJ's fillings?

Retired military chaplains come out in support of repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

ENDA mark-up postponed.

Philippines elections board (COMELEC) says gays "overly represented" in Congress: "Comelec second division chairman Nicodemus Ferrer was defending the poll body’s rejection of the application of gay-rights group Ang Ladlad for party-list representation. 'I have been telling them, you are not under-represented… actually you are over-represented in the Lower House and Upper House,' Ferrer told reporters in an interview. But Ferrer declined to name names."

While Levi does Playgirl, Neil Patrick Harris does Playboy.

Ken Keechl takes over as first openly gay mayor of Broward County, Florida.

Petition Obama to support federal court challenge to Prop 8.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Community Center of Central Florida in Orlando and nearby gay-owned business hit by anti-gay graffiti: "...a swastika and the words 'Gay Pawer,' 'Die Fags,' 'Go To Hell' and other homophobic slurs. Damage to the two buildings is estimated to be over $1,000.The Center is currently working to cover the messages on the building to deter additional damage."

Horrific undercover investigation of treatment of pigs on factory farms.

Anti-gay Jamaican singer Beenie Man's appearance at Australia's Big Day Out has been canceled: "A statement from the Big Day Out's producers today says that while the concert organisers believe the controversial musician has now renounced homophobia, the storm of protest this week after the announcement that he was in the line-up means his continued involvement would prove too divisive."

Anderson Cooper helms Elton John AIDS Foundation event in NYC.

Chris Pine suits up for GQ's 'Man of the Year'.

Oprah interior designer Nate Berkus to get his own syndicated daytime show.

Max Blumenthal on Palin's ghostwriter Lynn Vincent: "Vincent may have been an effective literary collaborator, but like Palin herself, she entered the project with considerable political baggage. Vincent’s commentaries for World are punctuated by inflammatory characterizations of gays, minorities and liberals that have already provided fodder for Palin’s critics. Among Vincent’s most strident statements were her description of homosexuality as a 'deviant' mental disorder and labeling of President Barack Obama as the 'face of the minority survivor' of abortion, which she dubbed the 'Black Genocide.'"

Tim Gunn on the one item of clothing he can't stand: "I cannot wrap my brain around the ubiquity of Crocs. Kelly Ripa [on "Live with Regis and Kelly"] said, 'I insist that you put them on because they're so comfortable.' And I put them on. I am looking down at my feet, and I feel like I have hooves! They're horrible. If we all succumbed to the comfort trap, to dress as if we never got out of bed -- then we should never get out of bed."

Watch: Trans Retired U.S. Army Col. Diane Schroer on ENDA

Although there were no transgender witnesses at yesterday's ENDA hearings, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) made sure transgender voices were heard. Retired U.S. Army Col. Diane Schroer and Earline Budd spoke at a press conference before the ENDA hearings yesterday. Officer Mike Carney spoke as well.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Maine, Pete Wentz, South Park, Thomas Perez, Brokeback

Focus on the Family donated $115,000 to stop marriage equality in Maine. Check out how much the Catholic Church donated here (it was a lot more).

300 protest play featuring transsexual Jesus in Glasgow.

Was Adam Lambert's Halloween chum his new boyfriend?

Salt Lake City elects first openly gay city council member: "Stan Penfold, a gay man and the director of Utah Aids Foundation, has won the race to fill Salt Lake City’s District 3 council seat. Penfold outpaced Phil Carroll to represent the Avenues and Capitol Hill, replacing outgoing Councilman Eric Jergensen."

WaPo: Gay groups say Maine loss won't alter strategy. NYT: Gay rights rebuke may change approach.

Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, testified today on ENDA before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Here's his testimony.

Rue McClanahan hospitalized: "I'm currently having some maintenance on the old ticker"

Mariah Carey visits Ellen DeGeneres.

Dede Scozzafava opens up about campaign drop-out: "There were calls going that were calling me a child killer, there were pieces of mail that said I was a homosexual lover."

Pete Wentz got punched by some guyliner.

South Park runs "fag" episode.

Eastern Pacific Great White Sharks hang out in "shark café."

Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx donates early draft to New York Public Library: "The early draft shows that the story, which was later adapted into an Oscar winning hot film starring the late Heath Ledger, had early working titles such as Bulldust Mountain and Swill-Swallow Mountain."

Since God hates shellfish, why aren't right-wing religious conservatives in Maine boycotting the lobster industry?

Kathy Griffin celebrates her birthday at The Abbey.

Pat Buchanan thinks Charlie Crist has a gay rights problem.

150 people rally in L.A. on Prop 8 anniversary, including openly gay Los Angeles Police Commissioner Rob Saltzman: "Also among the rally speakers were Robin Tyler and her (legal) wife Diane Olson, and their attorney Gloria Allred, who has filed several marriage lawsuits on their behalf. Matt Weinstein from the US Department of Commerce also urged same sex couples and domestic partners to fill out the 2010 US Census forms when they come around – noting the historic change in policy of now including gay people."

Watch: Hearings on Inclusive ENDA Underway at Senate Panel

The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee began holding hearings on a fully-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act this morning at 10 am.

You can watch a webcast of the hearings HERE.

Unfortunately, there are no transgender witnesses on the panel. HRC says it has submitted written testimony from two trans witnesses, HRC Board of Directors Member Meghan Stabler [pdf] and HRC Associate Director of Diversity Allyson Robinson [pdf].

Americablog notes: "The bill is sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and has 42 co-sponsors. The Majority Leader, while not a sponsor, is a strong supporter of ENDA."

Witness testimony list, AFTER THE JUMP...

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director Rea Carey released a statement: "We are on the heels of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act being signed into law. Without understating the importance of this monumental victory, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community needs ENDA, and we need it now. The path that too often ends in victimization begins with bias and discrimination in the workplace. ENDA must be a top priority as we press forward in the movement for equality. Our friends, families, neighbors — even strangers — have long believed that workplace discrimination against LGBT people is wrong. No one should be prevented from earning a livelihood and providing for their families simply because of who they are. ENDA reflects the core U.S. values of fairness and equality. People recognize that our nation as a whole benefits when everyone is allowed to contribute their talents and skills, free from discrimination, which is all ENDA seeks to do."

Senator Arlen Specter: Repeal DOMA, Pass ENDA, Rescind DADT

In a piece in the Huffington Post, Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) calls on Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA):

"Connecticut, Iowa, and Massachusetts have already passed laws recognizing same sex marriage and other states are moving in that direction. The states are the proper forum to address this divisive social and moral issue, not the Federal Government with a law that attempts to set one national standard for marriage. Prohibition showed just how difficult it is to enforce law establishing standards of personal behavior or morality. Coercion, whether civic or legal, in matters of this kind rarely works. It certainly won't halt public controversy surrounding the issue."

Specter also spells out his thoughts on hate crimes, ENDA, and Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: I Would Support Amending 1964 Civil Rights Bill to Cover Gay Rights

Andy and I had the chance to sit down and interview United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at the LGBT Community Center in New York City on Sunday afternoon. 

Watch the interview, AFTER THE JUMP...

We spoke to the Senator about the legislative road to repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', critics who have questioned her convictions on LGBT issues, the marriage equality battle in New York State and also if she'd be supportive of amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation.

Said the Senator: "I would [be supportive of that]. I truly believe that this gay rights agenda is the civil rights march of our generation. I think marriage equality, I think repealing DOMA, Don't Ask, Don't Tell. All of that work we're doing is part of equal rights in America and it is something that is so important to this generation. I think that kind of bill would be transformational...Whether we have the votes for that kind of bill today, I don't know. But it's something certainly worth fighting for."

Senator Gillibrand had a small private meeting with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists from five boroughs before holding a larger event that was open to the general public. Lt. Dan Choi introduced her at the public event and she updated the audience on the current pieces of legislation before the Congress that are of importance to the gay community. She then took questions from the crowd. During the question and answer period she told a few personal anecdotes related to growing up in a political family where her grandmother had a close gay couple as friends and also how during her career as a senior associate at a law firm she had plenty of gay colleagues.

Watch our interview, and a brief video clip from Gillibrand's talk at the center in which she discusses why LGBT rights are important to her, AFTER THE JUMP...