Photo by crichton91 via Flickr Last night, gay friendly Laguna Beach became one of the first cities in California to officially oppose Proposition 8, which will appear on November's election ballot and asks voters to ban same-sex marriage in the state. Bob Gentry, the city's former mayor and a previous councilman was one of the first openly gay mayors in the country. "I mean this is just who we are," said Councilmember Elizabeth Pearson.......

Los Angeles' top cop donated money to Equality California, an organization that is trying to stop Proposition 8, which seeks to ban same-sex marriage, from winning on the November ballot, according to the LA Times. "The Constitution guarantees life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Bratton said. "I see no reason why gays can't pursue happiness through marriage." The donation was a wedding gift for his friends, celebrity publicist Howard Bragman and Chuck O'Donnell (fun......

Republican Jerry Sanders, the Mayor of San Diego, was dead set on opposing gay marriage when the City Council voted to support it. Expected to veto the decision, he had an about-face and called a tearful press conference. He announced his daughter and fellow city staffers were gay and that he couldn't bring himself "to tell an entire group of people in our community that they were less important . . . less deserving of......

A new Field Poll on Proposition 8, which proposes to limit marriage only between a man and a woman in California, says that it will fail by a slim majority (51%). In 2000, a similar proposition denying gay marriage was approved by 61%. Yes on Prop 8 people say the poll understates the support to ban gay marriage in the state (and others are calling them out their rebuttal). A May 23 poll by the......

This week, supporters of defeating Proposition 8 before it even hit November's ballot lost the battle. If approved, it will have the state only recognize marriage between a man and a woman, therefore making same-sex marriage a thing of the past. They argued the prop "involves a constitutional revision that can't be adopted through a ballot vote," says CNN, who also says they "contended that petitions circulated to qualify the proposition for the ballot contained......

Here's one way to put the pressure on. If you donate money to the campaign to pass Proposition 8, the state measure that proposes changing the California constitution to make marriage only between a man and a woman, the No on Prop 8 people are going to make it very public. And now Hyatt may feel that in their pocket down in San Diego. “Our goal is to create a business loss for people who......

Cupcakes from West Hollywood's Wedding Park Day (more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Remember when the IRS investigated All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena for a sermon that they thought might void the church's tax-exempt status due to political endorsement during the 2004 Presidential Race (it was a What Would Jesus Do if he were Bush or Kerry on the war)? Now churches in California, including one nonprofit, are using their pulpits......

A myriad of groups who oppose banning gay marriage (and who rather not have the fight happen on November's ballot) are suing Secretary of State, Debra Bowen alleging that the signature gathering process to put the proposal on the ballot was flawed (it's now known as Prop 8). One reason Daily Kos explains is that "the description of the proposed initiative in the petitions that were circulated for signature was materially misleading and materially misstated......

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presides over a same-sex wedding ceremony for Academy Award winning producer Bruce Cohen and his partner, New York art consultant Gabriel Catone, right, in the Mayor's press conference room at the Los Angeles City Hall on Monday, June 23, 2008 (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) After missing the boat on the first days of same-sex marriage due to two out-of-town trips, Mayor Villaraigosa finally began to fill his promise of marrying "as many......

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be presiding over his first same-sex marriage ceremony later today at City Hall, joining together Bruce Cohen and Gabriel Catone. Cohen is an Academy Award-winning producer for American Beauty and has also produced Big Fish and Pushing Daisies and Catone is an art consultant in New York. Earlier this month, Villaraigosa said he would "marry as many people as possible," but a trip to Israel made him miss the first couple......

Tuesday came and went, but not without history being made. Same-sex couples around California signed their marriage licenses, made their vows and rejoiced in a right that they should have had long ago. Hundreds turned out to West Hollywood Park as a new marriage licensing facility opened just that morning. A few quiet protesters showed up, but other than that, the park was full of laughter and smiles. Wandering through the crowd, you could hear......

Photo taken yesterday at West Hollywood Park by Tom Andrews/LAist Now that same-sex marriage is here for a joyful four-point-five months before Californians determine the fate of the institution when voting on the California Marriage Protection Act in November, it's going to be a fight. Each poll varies on the outcome of what Californians think, but for the most part, results are negligible and the state seems split 50-50. KNBC's political commenter, Sherry Bebitch......

AP Photo/Hector Mata To help open West Hollywood's new facility to issue marriage certificates, actor George Takei and partner Brad Altman standby before getting their marriage certificate permits themselves this morning. They spoke to The Early Show yesterday and said their wedding will be in September (video below).......

After a handful of marriages last night (including the couple that challenged the ban on same-sex marriage and got it overturned), this morning marked the beginning of M Day as thousands of couples across the state celebrated love and rights. For Los Angeles, the first official marriage within city limits was officiated by Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti. And this one was close to home: Shane Goldsmith (flower dress) and Monica Granados (shirt/pants)......

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/world_news/Photos_from_1st_Gay_Marriage_in_CA_in_Beverly_Hills'; The two women who challenged California's law denying same-sex couples the right to marry that ultimately led to the state's Supreme Court ruling, were one of the first to receive a marriage certificate in the state early this evening. Diane Olson and Robin Tyler have attempted to marry at the Beverly Hills courthouse for the past eight years, each time being denied. The two, who live in Los Angeles' San Fernando......

Photo by Jonathan Alcorn via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr The Los Angeles Times conducted a survey of all 58 counties in California asking about policies relating to same-sex marriage. 35 stated that employees were not allowed to opt out of officiating over marriages for any reason; or, at least, no reservations were expressed by clerks in those counties. "We're not going to make accommodations for someone to practice illegal discrimination," Nevada County Clerk-Recorder......

Interchangeable wedding cake toppers as seen at the Renellie warehouse in Costa Mesa, CA (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The big day has arrived and today, as of 5:01 p.m., the first same-sex couples in California will be married. But like in most counties, Los Angeles County will not officially begin ceremonies until tomorrow morning. Only three counties throughout the state -- Alameda, Sonoma and Yolo -- opted keep offices open after hours to perform marriages.......

Photo by Donnay via Flickr When officials said counties could begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses at 5:01 p.m. on Monday, June 16, by extending office hours, most still chose to begin the ceremonies on June 17 when it was originally scheduled. Counties that stayed with such action included Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, both of those counties will issue one license on Monday to "commemorate the ruling." In his gay marriage Q &......

The city of West Hollywood is hosting a town hall-style meeting to discuss "information on the latest legal maneuvers surrounding the gay marriage issue -- including the upcoming November ballot measure that would reinstate the ban and the state Supreme Court's refusal to block same-sex marriages in the interim," according to KCBS. Additionally, Rong-Gong Lin II at the LA Times is taking questions and answering them online. Expected attendees include West Hollywood Councilman John Duran,......

"The city of Palm Springs invites same-sex couples to come to our welcoming community and experience this historic opportunity," writes Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet on a website encouraging couples to marry in the desert city. "We are prepared to help you with all your wedding needs and embrace you on this, this most wonderful day of your life." Pougnet, two Palm Springs city council members and former Mayor Rod Oden, all openly gay, have......

See more photos from LA Pride Weekend here | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist A conglomerate of nine pro same-sex marriage groups released a memo today stating that it would hurt the gay rights movement in the long term if gay couples sued states of the federal government for their marriages to be recognized outside of California because. Such action could open the door to bad court rulings. “Pushing the federal government before we have......

Kicking off LA Pride Weekend, the 2008 West Hollywood Dyke March (the first of two lesbian cycle events) hit West Hollywood streets Friday night and was presented by the Lesbian Visibility Committee. The first Portraits of Pride photo gallery from this weekend's events, including the parade, can be viewed here.......

Thousands poured onto West Hollywood and Los Angeles streets this weekend for LA Pride. From the parade to the two Dyke Marches (photos forthcoming), there was much to celebrate as next week is the beginning of recognized same-sex marriage in California. LAist photographer Tom Andrews was there to capture the festivities and here is some of what he saw.......

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has agreed to preside over gay marriages after the ban is lifted at 5:01 p.m. on June 16 -- though, he is scheduled to be in Israel at that time. "I've told a number of couples that I will be happy to preside," the mayor said per Rick Orlov at the Daily News. "I will marry as many people as possible." Same-sex marriage will be challenged on the November ballot and Orlov......

Today, the Office of Vital records told all California counties can start issuing same-sex marriage licenses the minute after the California Supreme Court's order goes into effect, which is June 16, 5:01 p.m. Previously, officials had told county clerks that they could begin officiating gay marriages on June 17. Originally, marriages would have been allowed on June 14, but a request to stay the ban by opponents pushed back the date while justices reviewed a......

Photo LaMenta3 via Flickr Now that same-sex marriages are legalized in California (they begin June 17), this weekend's 38th annual Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender Pride celebration will probably have more energy than ever before. From Friday through Sunday, events including the Dyke March, the two-day Christopher Street Festival (with headliners Joss Stone and Olivia Newton John) and the parade, West Hollywood will be abuzz with activity. And with festivals and parades......

The California Supreme Court denied the request to stay same-sex marriages until after a November vote by a 4-3 vote, it was announced today. That means marriages may be commenced starting June 17 throughout California. The order becomes final on June 16 at 5 p.m., according to a press release sent out by the state's Judicial Council. Last month, enough signatures were collected by opponents of same-sex marriage to put an amendment change proposal on......

Today, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced (pdf) that the initiative to ban gay marriage through a state amendment change qualifies for the November 4th ballot. 1,120,801 signatures were submitted and enough signatures qualified through a random sample signature check. If passed, the amendment would change California's consitutution to define marriage as a union “between a man and a woman.” One poll said that Californians "narrowly" reject gay marriage. LIMIT ON MARRIAGE. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.......

Despite the uncertainty of gay marriages lasting in California, an upswing in travel and wedding plans is expected to bring a boost to the California economy. It could bring in $370-million, according to the research director at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law. The estimate is based on half of the 92,000 same-sex couples in California getting married and using the average of $8,040. This......

Ten states have approached California to ask the state's Supreme Court to stay the ban on same-sex marriages until voters make a decision at the November election. "The attorneys general said they have an interest in the case because they would have to determine if their states would recognize the marriage of gay residents who wed in California," KNBC reported. "They want the court to stay its ruling until after the November election, when voters......