Top Story

• Victorious LGBT candidates are a bright spot on election night

  The midterm elections in the U.S. saw a number of LGBT allies defeated in what Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese called a "serious blow," but Election Day also delivered a silver lining: a record number of successful openly LGBT candidates. "There is no sugar-coating the loss of so many of our straight allies in Congress. But we can be proud that our community continues to expand its voice at all levels of government in America," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. The Advocate
  
  (11/2010)
  
  , The Huffington Post
  
  (11/3)
  
  
  

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  Other News
  

• Providence mayor will be 4th openly gay member of Congress
  The Boston Globe/The Associated Press
  
  (11/3)
  
  

• Gay man elected mayor of Lexington, Ky.
  Lexington Herald-Leader (Ky.)
  
  (11/3)
  
  

• California woman to become nation's first openly transgender judge
  Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco)
  
  (11/4)
  
  

• Conservative group says 31% of gay voters supported Republicans
  The Advocate
  
  (11/2010)
  
  

Politics and Policy

• Iowa Democrat won't back down on marriage stance

  Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal vowed to prevent a vote on amending the state constitution to reverse marriage equality. Gronstal says it would be easier to give in to demands to allow a vote, but that would violate his principles. "What's ugly is giving up what you believe in, that everybody has the same rights," Gronstal said. The Des Moines Register (Iowa)
  
  (11/4)
  
  
  

• Giuliani: Repeal "Don't ask, don't tell"

  Former New York City mayor and GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani called for his party to "ease up a little bit" and allow a measure to go forward that would repeal the military ban on openly gay troops. "It's eventually going to happen and it seems to me that it gets my party out of this anti-gay, the feeling that we're being unfair to people who are gay," Giuliani said. ThinkProgress.org/The Wonk Room blog
  
  (11/3)
  
  
  

• Pro-gay candidate wins Illinois governor race

  Pat Quinn, a Democrat who supports establishing civil unions for gay couples, has been declared the winner of the Illinois gubernatorial election. He narrowly defeated Bill Brady, a Republican who opposes civil unions. Advocate.com
  
  (11/4)
  
  , Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, Herrin, Murphysboro)/The Associated Press
  
  (11/4)
  
  
  

• Anti-gay group plans to roll back marriage equality in New Hampshire

  National Organization for Marriage's Brian Brown recorded a video praising the group's successful effort to defeat three Iowa Supreme Court judges, and pledging to reverse marriage equality in New Hampshire and pass an anti-gay marriage ban in Minnesota. Towleroad
  
  (11/5)
  
  
  

	26th International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference December 2-5, 2010 | Washington, D.C. Openly LGBT elected and appointed officials and other public leaders from around the world will gather at the 26th International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference to continue our tradition of building connections, exchanging ideas and developing leadership skills. Register now while early bird discounts are still in effect. After you register, hurry to book your room at the Mayflower Hotel. We'll send you a special conference code good for a limited number of discounted rooms.
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Opinion

• 
  If the next presidential election sees the following candidates running, who would you vote for?

  Barack Obama	79.45%
  Michael Bloomberg	11.47%
  Not sure	7.36%
  Sarah Palin	1.71%

  
  

• Commentary: What's next for the LGBT-equality agenda?

  Focusing on winning court battles and electing more openly LGBT candidates to public office will be most beneficial to moving an LGBT-equality agenda forward, given "the new political reality," writes David Mixner. "There is no substitute for our own holding power," Mixner writes. DavidMixner.com
  
  (11/4)
  
  
  

• Analysis: Conservatives still have Barney Frank

  Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., was re-elected to his House seat this week, a development which should cheer conservative groups who will be able to continue using him to inspire campaign donations. A collection of groups raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to defeat Frank this cycle, but he ended up winning by a comfortable margin over Republican challenger Sean Bielat. Salon
  
  (11/3)
  
  
  

Leadership Spotlight

• Houston Mayor addresses anti-gay bullying, hate in moving speech

  Houston Mayor Annise Parker, while accepting an award from the Houston Holocaust Museum, spoke about a number of teens who committed suicide after being bullied because they were or were perceived to be gay. Parker said she lives by a simple creed: "It is better to be hated for who you are than loved for something you are not." CultureMap (Houston)
  
  (11/3)
  
  
  

Beyond Politics

• College player on women's team comes out as transgender

  Kye Allums, a player on the George Washington University women's basketball team, has decided to defer hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery so he can continue to play for his team. But Allums said he's come to terms with the fact that though he was born in a female body, he is actually a transgender male. ESPN.com
  
  (11/3)
  
  
  

• Mom writes about negative reactions to son's Halloween costume

  An anonymous blogger who let her 5-year-old son dress as "Scooby-Doo" character Daphne says the only negative reactions to her son's costume came from other mothers, not children. She objected to those who argued that allowing a boy to dress as a female character might make him gay, explaining, "I am not worried that your son will grow up to be an actual ninja so back off." Advocate.com
  
  (11/4)
  
  
  

Communications Director Out & Equal Workplace Advocates San Francisco, CA Product Manager Friendfactor New York, NY Communications Director American Foundation for Equal Rights Los Angeles, CA Executive Director San Diego LGBT Pride San Diego, CA National Special Events and Volunteer Manager In The Life Media New York, NY Major Gifts Officer Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute Washington, DC Director of Communications PFLAG National Washington, DC Major Gift and Planned Giving Officer PFLAG National Washington, DC

SmartQuote

I wanted to set an example for other people who are afraid to be themselves." –Kye Allums, player for the George Washington University women's basketball team who came out as transgender, as quoted by ESPN

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