‘Glee’ on Whitney, ‘gay choice,’ Md. marriage

By Project Q Atlanta | Feb 14, 2012 | 2:06 PM

Valentine episode with “I Will Always Love You” now a tribute to Houston, anti-gays use Cynthia Nixon quote as “ex-gay” justification, Maryland hustles up gay marriage votes, Rick Santorum rallies against Washington marriage, and more LGBT headlines.

• Rick Santorum: Washington’s gay marriage law not the last word. As the governor signed the bill that legalizes same-sex unions in the state, the presidential candidate (top photo) was rallying with gay marriage foes to work them up about overturning it. He also sparred with gay protestors.

• Gay New Jersey celebrates as veto threat looms. As lawmakers prepare to decide gay marriage, a poll suggests that most residents support same-sex unions but also support voting on it in November. The governor is pushing for a ballot vote if the legislature doesn’t pass it without veto-proof support.

• Cynthia Nixon’s comments on choice used to support “ex gay” therapy. NOM co-founder Maggie Gallagher used the quote by the actress (second photo), who later clarified her statement to say that being gay is not a choice for everyone and that she means she is bisexual, to back her idea that gay people find it “quite painful” and that Nixon was pressured to change her statement.

• Maryland still short on votes to pass gay marriage. After opposing rallies at the State Capitol on Monday night, the governor says that even if the House and Senate bills are passed out of committees, the House floor vote as it stands now would defeat it.

• Gay bishop Gene Robinson encounters protestors in North Carolina. In the first of two sermons on inclusion to celebrate a church’s 125th anniversary, Robinson (third photo) had to counter a parishioner who shouted “sodomy is a sin.” After the second service, a crowd of protestors heckled the congregation as they left the sanctuary to “wake up” to “false prophets.”

• Libyan envoy disparages gays at U.N. meeting. At the first meeting in which a Libyan was allowed back to the same committee that called for Muammar Gaddafi’s ouster, the envoy said that LGBT-inclusive policies “threaten the human race.” The comment caused ambassadors to question the commitment of the country’s new regime to human rights.

• “Glee” Valentine episode dedicated to Whitney Houston. Amber Riley as Mercedes (bottom photo, left) shot her version of “I Will Always Love You” for the “Heart” episode weeks ago, but the producers call it kismet that it airs so soon after the pop star’s (right) death. A dedication to Houston’s memory has been added to the episode credits. “Heart” is also the highly anticipated “gay dads” episode.

• Gay activists push for anti-discrimination vote in Houston. Even with a lesbian mayor, the city doesn’t ban bias based on sexual orientation in housing or employment. Houstonians have twice voted down similar measures.

• Hillary Clinton delivers LGBT rights speech at U.N. The Secretary of State spoke eloquently on Human Rights Day Feb. 6 about basic dignity and respect amid international threats in several countries abroad. Watch the full speech:

Santorum photo by AP; Nixon photo via Equality Matters; Robinson photo by Charlotte Observer; “Glee” and Houston photos from E! Online