A new poll conducted by the Public Policy Insititute of California has come out showing three state proposition on the November ballot as losing or nearly even in outcome. Prop 8, which seeks to eliminate gay marriage in California, is losing, according to the poll. However, when it comes to favoring gay couples marrying, people are still evenly split. From the document's findings: Proposition 8, which would amend the state constitution to eliminate same-sex marriage,......

Thanks to California's recent legalization of same-sex marriages, one of the world's largest greeting card companies has now expanded their offerings to accommodate those who wish to give the happy couples a sexuality-specific paper token of esteem. Hallmark, based in Kansas City, Missouri, has introduced new cards for same-sex couples, although they do their best to avoid overtly stating that the cards are for two people getting married. Explains the Associated Press (via the Long......

Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist (see more photos here) It's been more than 10 days since California Attorney General Jerry Brown ruled on the official ballot language for Proposition 8. It simply states that, if a majority of voters say yes, it "Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Of course, Prop 8 proponents......

Mother and blogger Cristin at Tales of an Ordinary Housewife went door-to-door in Republican Kern County to garner support of Prop 8, which would eliminate gay marriage in California. Here's a little slice of life from her perspective: "I decided today after going door-to-door in support of California's Proposition 8 , that missionaries would be much better received if they were allowed to carry a baby in their arms... When we were holding Charlie, people......

Comedian ANT, who blogs for NBC on an almost daily basis, is entering the gay marriage debate. The actor and comedian, whose material has included homophobia ("Homophobic means fear of gays. Uhhhh...what are they afraid of? Afraid that we're going to beat them up... and then fuck 'em?") began a blog entry early this morning with what will probably be No on Prop 8's unofficial campaign slogan: "Prop 8 equals hate." Don't be surprised to......

A TV commercial, shown above, appearing statewide this week has ignited a debate on whether it is a political ad or not. Political ads must disclose donor names. The makers, Let California Ring, say it's not, but Prop 8 proponents say "it is a campaign ad," according to the LA Times. The ad, which backs gay marriage, never mentions Proposition 8, the current ballot initiative that proposes to eliminate gay marriage in California. Lawyers......

Reports out of Beverly Hills say that comedienne and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, 50, and her partner, actress Portia de Rossi, 35, were married last night. The Associated Press is calling this "perhaps the highest-profile gay marriage since California legalized the unions." US Magazine predicted that the nuptials would take place this weekend, and that the couple, who've been together for 4 years, were planning to hold "a small, intimate ceremony with only a few......

Autumn Sandeen of Pam's House Blend has gotten her hands on a letter from the American Family Association that has set out a plan to eliminate gay marriage in California. In August, the "Voter Identification Phase," volunteers will find those who are for and undecided among the 16 million CA registered voters. The "Advocacy Phase" in September will be about returning to those identified voters and getting them to vote yes on the initiative. Then......

Photo by brainchildvn via Flickr When the LA Times' editorial board makes decisions on endorsements for propositions, they invite both sides into separate meetings. When they were with supporters of Prop 8 who seek to ban gay marriage, they had a couple of those awkward turtle moments: According to one of the Prop. 8 reps, that 1948 ruling [saying that bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional] was OK because people are born to their......

$2 million was raised at the Los Angeles Equality Awards held in Los Angeles this past Saturday. Most of the donations went towards Equality California's NO on 8 campaign, which opposes the proposed ban on gay marriage in California. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU-California) donated $500,000, the California Teacher’s Association announced a contribution $250,000 and AT&T donated $25,000, according to the WeHoNews. Equality California also donated a half million of their own money not......

Yesterday, the LA Times' editorial board endorsed the opposing side of Prop 8, which would ban gay marriage in California. "Civil rights are commonly hard-won, and not the result of widespread consensus... Fundamental rights are exactly that. They should neither wait for popular acceptance, nor be revoked because it is lacking."......

Photos from the first days of marriage. | Photos by Tom Andrews/LAist The Log Cabin Republicans rolled out a new website last Friday called Republicans Against 8 (it should be noted that it's still in its early stages of development). Proposition 8, which will appear on this November's ballot, seeks to eliminate same sex marriages in California, which have been legal since June. A statement from the group said their "message to California Republican......

Is this a redeeming quality of McDonald's? While they may be banned from opening new stores in South LA, there is also a right-wing group boycotting the fast food franchise. The same group is working on getting troops to vote to ban gay marriage on the November ballot as well. McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and the The American Family Association (AFA) has chosen to make a......

At West Hollywood's 'Wedding Park' in June (more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist We've been following Proposition 8, which seeks to eliminate gay marriage on the November ballot, for some time now. The trend, as of late, has been that new issues and announcements come one at a time, maybe every other day. But more recently, the twists and turns in navigating the proposition has been more than a daily one. Today,......

She's no regional utility who has the capacity to give a quarter million dollars, but the vice president's daughter gave $3,000 to help stop the ban on gay marriage on the November ballot last week. She, who has a one-year old daughter, joins other prominent figures like LAPD Chief Bratton in donating to the cause.......

In what may be a first for a school board in California, the Grossmont Union High School District in La Mesa (outside San Diego) voted to support Proposition 8, which proposes to eliminate gay marriage, on Friday. One gay rights blogger said this move "has zero to do with education and sends a message intolerance and bigotry to students, faculty, and the community."......

In what may be a first for a school board in California, the Grossmont Union High School District in La Mesa (outside San Diego) voted to support Proposition 8, which proposes to eliminate gay marriage, on Friday. One gay rights blogger said this move "has zero to do with education and sends a message intolerance and bigotry to students, faculty, and the community"......

Today, the No on Prop 8 website finally launched, marking an all out assault to make sure gay marriage in California stays put and unbanned. As for the Yes on Prop 8 people, they also announced today that they have relaunched their website... although, it doesn't look much different than it did earlier this week.......

Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Looks like Orson Scott Card (notably, the author of Ender's Game) wants to pull the right of revolution (the right and duty to "throw off" government) card from the Declaration of Independence. Usually, it's cited in liberal texts, but in a conservative op-ed in the Mormon Times has him ready to take direct action if Prop 8, which seeks to eliminate gay marriage, fails: How long before married people answer......

It was hinted towards on Monday and yesterday it came true. Pacific Gas & Electric donated a quarter million dollars to the No on Prop 8 campaign, which seeks to defeat a proposed amendment change that would eliminate gay marriage in California. "The utility also said it will spearhead the formation of a business advisory council that will seek to get other businesses around California to to defeat the ballot initiative," reported the LA Times.......

Photo by Donnay via Flickr Last week, Attorney General Jerry Brown's office changed the language on Proposition 8, the proposed California constitution amendment change that would ban gay marriage if a majority of voters cast a "yes" ballot for it in November. Now, the Yes on Prop 8 people are planning on filing a suit this morning to block the change. The language change basically went from Prop 8 saying it was "to provide......

Pacific Gas & Electric, a utility that most serves Northern California, may join the No on Prop 8 campaign tomorrow at a press conference. "They know exactly what they are doing here. They need some credibility with the left, especially in San Francisco," writes Brian Leubitz at Calitics. "As for other companies, I expect we'll see a few other businesses." Which businesses in Southern California will join in? Will Southern California Edison? How about Southern......

An event this past weekend was put together by the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community to honor California's Speaker of the California State Assembly, Karen Bass. The job of Speaker, which Bass recently got, is pretty much the second most powerful political job in the state with her current top duty is to balance the budget, which is no easy task. According to local writer and activist, Jasmyne Cannick (remember Kiss my Gass?),......

Mayor Villaraigosa was scheduled to speak at tonight's Human Rights Campaign Annual Gala in San Francisco, but canceled this morning after the group was accused of excluding the transgender community. HRC, which is a national gay rights group, is reportedly supporting a federal civil rights bill that protects gays, lesbians and bisexuals from workplace discrimination, but not transsexual and transgender people. The Mayor, who fully supports the HRC's mission, explained his feelings in a statement:......

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......

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......