Once viewed by authorities as a pathology or mental illness to be cured, homosexuality is now more often investigated as part of a larger impetus to understand the biology, psychology, politics, genetics, history and cultural variations of sexual practice and identity. Conversely, gay, a word originally embraced by homosexual men and women as a positive, affirmative term (as in gay liberation and gay rights), has come into widespread pejorative use among young people. The prevalence of the concept owes much to the work of the German psychiatrist Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing and his 1886 work Psychopathia Sexualis. In a narrow sense, gay refers to male homosexuality, but it often is used in its broadest sense, especially in media headlines and reports, to refer to any single-sex context (such as an all-girls' school), today the term is used exclusively in reference to sexual.

Congress And Gay Rights

Uruguayan president signs law legalizing gay couples

Xinhua News Agency - Under the new law which is to take effect on Jan. 1, 2008, gay and straight couples will be eligible for civil unions after living together for five years and will have rights ... The bill was passed by the congress on Dec. 18, after heated debate ... Read more...

Chronology of news events in 2007

Miami Herald - ... is elected first female speaker of the House as Democrats take control of Congress. ... Actor Isaiah Washington apologizes for using a gay slur against a "Grey's ... the ongoing genocide in Sudan's Darfur region was the world's worst human rights ... Read more...

Congress And Gay Rights

HRC | 300 Activists Lobby Congress for Gay Rights
3/1/2007 all Americans, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, Congress .300 Activists Lobby Congress for Gay Rights

Gay-rights proposals gain in Congress - The Boston Globe
of government inaction, gay-rights proponents in Congress have gotten several that could result in the greatest expansion of federal protections for gays and

ABC News: Gay Rights Advances Likely in Congress
Congress likely to pass the first major federal gay-rights bills. Churches and small businesses would be exempt.Gay Rights Advances Likely in Congress

Philippine Congress Passes Gay Rights Law
LifeSite - Your Life, Family and Culture Outpost partnership between Akbayan and the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network

Breakthrough year seen for gay rights bills -- Queer Lesbian Gay Election News -- Gay.com
. a reshaped Congress likely to pass the first major federal gay rights bills. federal provisions to include acts of violence against gays and lesbians

Gay Rights Advances Likely in Congress
federal provisions to include acts of violence against gays and lesbians. a reshaped Congress likely to pass the first major federal gay-rights bills.

Blabbeando: Colombia: Congress passes gay rights bill
African-Americans and Latinos are more comfortable.Peru: Congress shelves youth rights treaty on fear Tomorrow on Oprah: Gays Around the World

Joint Chiefs chairman not sorry for gay remark -- Queer Lesbian Gay News -- Gay.com
that drew a harsh condemnation from members of Congress and gay advocacy groups. Gay vets appeal "don't ask" verdict.Breakthrough year seen for rights bills

New Congress expected to consider gay bills in '07 - Washington Blade
Congress is expected to take up legislation in 2007 aimed at protecting gays and one of the strongest gay rights supporters in Congress and has signed on as

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Nation -- Historic breakthroughs expected for gay-rights bills in Congress
a reshaped Congress likely to pass the first major federal gay-rights bills. federal provisions to include acts of violence against gays and lesbians.