New Zealand: MP Maurice Williamson Delivers Great Speech During Debate

Brendon Ayanbadejo: Four Gay NFL Players Might Come Out Together

Joe.My.God. reports:

Via SB Nation, an interesting quote from Ayanbadejo: 

“I think it will happen sooner than you think. We’re in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now and they’re trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.”

In today’s interview with MSNBC, host Thomas Roberts brings up the above quote and asks Ayanbadejo about his history of LGBT activism and what may happen for him next.  Ayanbadejo was let go by the Baltimore Ravens yesterday, but he says that move was “just football” and unrelated to his advocacy to same-sex marriage.

United 4 Marriage: Ask NOM To Stop Using Katie Herzig’s Music Cause She’s An LGBT Ally

Carly Rae Jepsen To Boy Scouts: Don’t Call Me, Not Even Maybe

New From Straight Ally & Super Bowl Champion For The Ravens, Brendon Ayanbadejo

Dan Savage Thanks Straight Allies For LGBT Rights

Katy Perry: Trevor Project Hero Award

France: Gay Marriage Gets Seal Of Approval From First Lady Valerie Trierweiler

NDTV reports:

Valerie Trierweiler, the girlfriend of French President Francois Hollande, has given plans to legalise gay marriage with her personal seal of approval by announcing she will be a witness at one of the first ceremonies.

While her partner’s commitment to proposed legislation allowing same-sex marriages has been questioned in recent weeks, Trierweiler revealed she had accepted an invitation to participate in the wedding of gay friends.

“I’m delighted that I’m going to be a witness at one of the very first marriages for all,” Trierweiler said.

A law providing for same sex couples to wed and adopt children is expected to be on the statute book by the middle of next year.

Its passage through parliament is likely to be stormy however given strong opposition from sections of the opposition right, Catholic bishops and other religious leaders.

Hollande attempted to take some heat out of the debate last month by announcing that mayors would not be obliged to preside individually over gay marriages if they did not agree with them on principle.

That prompted allegations of “treachery” from France’s main gay lobby, which accused the president of legitimising homophobia.

Tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets of Paris last month in opposition to the government’s plans but opinion polls suggest most voters support the planned reform.

Representatives of the main parties in parliament agreed on Tuesday that the main debate on the draft legislation will take place in the first week of February.

NORWAY: Princess/Future Queen Mette-Marit Secretly Traveled To India To Care For Gay Staffer’s Newborns

Joe.My.God. reports:

Reuters reports that Norway’s Princess Mette-Marit secretly traveled to India to care for the newborn twins borne by the surrogate mother hired by a gay palace staffer who was unable to get a visa to go himself. 

Armed with a diplomatic passport that granted her immediate access, the future queen jumped on a plane in late October when the employee, who is also a friend, and his husband were unable to travel to care for their newborns.”For me, this is about two babies lying alone in a New Delhi hospital,” Mette-Marit said in a statement. “I was able to travel and wanted to do what I could.” She did not alert Indian authorities and spent several days with the babies at the Manav Medicare Centre, where staff assumed the wife of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon was a nanny. While the princess was away, her name continued to appear in the official palace calendar and her absence from a parliamentary dinner was not explained. A relative of the two fathers eventually took over from Mette-Marit and the fathers received a visa in November, when they brought the babies back to Norway, the palace added.

Norway legalized same-sex marriage in 2009, but the above-linked story notes that paying for surrogacy is a highly controversial topic there.

HRC: Morgan Freeman For Marriage Equality

Canada: Toronto Argonauts’ Joe Epple & Mike Bradwell Talk About Homophobia

Dan Savage Launches Tumblr To Thank The Straight Allies Of Marriage Equality

Joe.My.God. reports:

Dan Savage has launched Straight Up Thanks, a Tumblr site where he invites you to post the photos and stories of our straight allies who were so very important in our unprecedented string of wins last week. 

WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM.

We are LGBT people who want to thank the straight people who helped us win marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, and Washington state, and who helped us defeat an anti-gay marriage amendment in Minnesota.

If you’re a queer person whose straight friends worked hard to win marriage equality—worked phone banks, knocked on doors, spoke out, gave money—send us a photo and a couple of sentences about what your straight friends did. Click on SUBMIT, upload a photo, and thank your straight friends publicly!

If you’re a straight person who worked for marriage equality… THANK YOU!

The caption for the above photo reads: “This is Jessica. For weeks, she phone banked, she knocked on doors and talked to people, she waved signs, and changed people’s minds about what marriage equality means to all of us. She’s wonderful, and we love her.”

Submit your own photos of your straight heroes

MINNESOTA: Chris Kluwe For Marriage Equality

Minnesota: Sen. Al Franken & Wife For Marriage Equality

Sally Field Accepts HRC Ally For Equality Award, Discusses Gay Son Sam Greisman