

The Presbyterian Church made marriage equality available to committed same-sex couples yesterday with vote in the General Assembly taking place in Detroit. The church’s Book of Order will be revised to refer to marriage rites as between “two persons” instead of “a man and a woman.”

While a full amendment must make its way through the Church’s 172 presbyteries, ministers in states with marriage equality can begin marrying same-sex couples immediately.

“This vote is an answer to many prayers for the Church to recognize love between committed same-sex couples,” said Alex McNeill, director of the inclusive More Light Presbyterians.

Presbyterian Elder Nathan Sobers, who moderated the vote, added, “as a gay man in a committed relationship for 27 years, I celebrate with Presbyterians and fair-minded people everywhere.”

The federal government announced today that a wide range of benefits available to married couples will be extended to same-sex couples, including the right to care for an ailing partner. The change will affect couples even if they’re in a state that doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage.

“In almost all instances, federal benefits and obligations for same-sex married couples will be provided, regardless of where the couple lives,” a White House official said Thursday.

The American Family Association doesn’t like the new Harvey Milk stamp—so much so that its refusing mail that bears the slain activist’s visage and writing “Return to Sender” on it.

A Wonkette reader recently sent AFA a $10 donation in an envelope bearing Milk’s stamp and, sure enough the letter was returned unopened. The reader commented, “Doesn’t the AFA care for the patriotic civic servants at the USPS? Those who had to walk this poor Harvey Milk envelope back to me…? ”

Hey, money is money. If anyone wanted to give us $10 in an envelope with Pat Robertson on it, we’d take it! (Mainly because you have to be dead to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.)

The FCC has received complaints about Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend when he learned he had been drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

Deadspin dug up all 20 complaints (yes, 20), which include rants about “images of two homosexual men on television kissing, played over and over for the viewing audience” and the horror of seeing “bedroom activity on NATIONAL TELEVISION”

“I’m watching my the draft with my son, trying to teach him right from wrong, and ESPN, yes, I said ESPN, the Total Sports Programming Network, shows some kid who got drafted kissing another man and then licking cake off each other.,” railed another nut. “The government needs to get involved ASAP.”