Free Republic

A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday challenging the Veterans Affairs Department for refusing to recognize legally married gay and lesbian military couples and denying them the same family benefits as their heterosexual colleagues. With the repeal last year of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military, activists have now turned their focus to gaining full benefits for legally married same-sex active duty and veteran service members and their families. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the law firm WilmerHale filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles on behalf of military veteran Tracey Cooper-Harris...

Asked why opposition to ending the ban seemed to be stronger in the Marine Corps, Conway said it was unclear but that "we recruit a certain type of young American, a pretty macho guy or gal, that is willing to go fight and perhaps die for their country."

Memo to Boston Globe gay and lesbian Guild employees: Get married or lose your domestic partner benefits. Globe staffers have been told that health and dental benefitsfor gay employees’ domestic partners are being discontinued. Gay couples who want to keep their benefits must marry by Jan. 1. A memo sent to the Globe’s Boston Newspaper Guild members, and obtained by the Herald, states that Massachusetts gay Guild employees can extend their benefits to their partners only if they marry.