
Nov 18 - By Patrick Condon, Associated Press Writer
The split over gay clergy within the country's largest Lutheran denomination has prompted a conservative faction to begin forming a new Lutheran church body separate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Nov 11 - By Eric Gorski
It looked like a stunning reversal: the same church that helped defeat gay marriage in California standing with gay-rights activists on an anti-discrimination law in its own backyard.
Nov 10 - By Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Writer
The American Medical Association on Tuesday voted to oppose the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and declared that gay marriage bans contribute to health disparities.
Oct 22 - By Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer
Physical attacks on people based on their sexual orientation will join the list of federal hate crimes in a major expansion of the civil rights-era law Congress approved Thursday and sent to President Barack Obama.
Oct 21 - By Brian Witte, Associated Press Writer
The former leader of a bomb-sniffing dog unit in Bahrain will be removed from his current position and forced to retire after the Navy reviewed years-old allegations of hazing and sexual harassment against a gay sailor and others.
Oct 14 - By Devlin Barrett, Associated Press Writer
The Obama administration's point man on civil rights said Wednesday he will seek to fight discrimination against gays, an area in which the Justice Department has had only a small role in the past.

Oct 14 - By Ben Judah, Associated Press Writer
Russia's leading gay activist said Wednesday that he was disappointed that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with an outspoken foe of gay rights during her two-day trip to Russia and did not decry homophobia in the country.

Oct 10 - By Christine Simmons, Associated Press Writer
President Barack Obama restated his campaign pledge to allow homosexual men and women to serve openly in the military, but many in his audience of gay activists were left wondering when he would make good on the promise.

Oct 8 - By Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer
A House vote Thursday put Congress on the verge of significantly expanding hate crimes law to make it a federal crime to assault people because of their sexual orientation. The legislation would bring major changes to law enacted in the days after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968.

Oct 8 - By Lisa Leff, Associated Press Writer
Pentagon officials won't speculate why women in uniform are more likely to be discharged from the armed services under "don't ask, don't tell," but critics of the policy say that new figures reflect deep-seated sexism in the armed forces.

Oct 5 - By Christine Simmons, Associated Press Writer
President Barack Obama pledged to end the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military in a speech Saturday, but acknowledged to a cheering crowd that the policy changes he promised on the campaign trail are not coming as quickly as they expected.

Oct 2 - By Associated Press
President Barack Obama will focus "at the right time" on how to overturn the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving openly in the military, his national security adviser said Sunday.
Sep 30 - By Associated Press
The Obama administration Wednesday defended an Education Department official over advice he gave a gay student about sex 21 years ago.

Sep 23 - By Ken Kusmer, Associated Press Writer
Conservative members of the nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted Saturday to spend the next 12 months deciding whether to split from the church after it liberalized its stance on gay clergy.
Sep 22 - By Brian Witte, Associated Press Writer
The Navy is reviewing how it handled the case of a gay sailor abused by fellow servicemen in Bahrain for two years until he sought a discharge by coming out to his commanding officer, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
Aug 22 - By The Associated Press, Only on msnbc.com
A look at where the largest Protestant churches stand on the issue of gay clergy:
Aug 19 - By The Associated Press, Only on msnbc.com
On Wednesday, leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approved a "social statement on human sexuality" — a precursor to Friday's expected vote on a proposal to allow pastors in committed same-sex relationships to serve as clergy in individual congregations of the country's largest Lutheran denomination.

Aug 19 - By Eric Gorski
In breaking down barriers restricting gays and lesbians from the pulpit, the nation's largest Lutheran denomination has laid down a new marker in a debate over the direction of mainline Protestant Christianity, a tradition that once dominated American religious life.
Aug 14 - By The Associated Press, Only on msnbc.com
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America holds its biennial national convention Aug. 17-23, with 1,045 voting delegates from synods around the country considering numerous policy matters.

Aug 14 - By Patrick Condon, Associated Press Writer
Leaders of the country's largest Lutheran denomination prayed for unity Monday as they waded into a weeklong debate over homosexuality and the clergy, while a rule change that would allow people in same-sex relationships to serve cleared its first hurdle.

Aug 5 - By David Crary, AP National Writer
The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.
Aug 2 - By Michelle Rindels, Associated Press Writer
Two Episcopal priests in same-gender relationships are among the nominees for assistant bishop of Los Angeles, officials said Sunday.
Aug 2 - By Associated Press
An openly gay priest and an openly lesbian priest are among six nominees for assistant bishop positions in the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Los Angeles.
Jul 30 - By Cheryl Wittenauer, Associated Press Writer
Gay marriage and gays in the military may dominate the headlines, but activists in many states say their fight is much more fundamental: basic rights and protections against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation.
Jul 30 - By Betsy Blaney, Associated Press Writer
A small group of Texas Tech University faculty members is objecting to the school's hiring of former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and is trying to gather signatures for a petition that claims he has "demonstrated significant ethical failings."