The gay father of a two-year-old boy being raised by lesbian parents in the UK has won the right to have access to his child.

Three Appeal Court judges ruled that the father, identified only as A, should not be treated as a 'secondary' parent because his son was living with two women.

Judges at the court of appeal ruled that three parents are as good as two, saying 'a two-parent lesbian nuclear family' might be 'essentially selfish and may later insufficiently weigh the welfare and developing rights of the child'.

As Dustin Lance Black celebrates the success of last weekend's benefit performance of his play 8 in Los Angeles, the Oscar-winning writer and LGBT activist is thinking of his older brother, Marcus, who died in January from cancer.

Black made an arduous road trip from Michigan to Virginia with his brother in December so they could spend Christmas with their mother. They arrived at her house on Christmas Eve morning after traveling through Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. 

A day after he signed a gay marriage bill into law in Maryland, Gov. Martin O'Malley shared how his action was, more than anything, about families.

Rather than expound on a general belief that full equality should be awarded all gay and lesbian Americans, the governor kept the focus on the dignity of the children of same-sex couples who want to be married.

Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a bill into law on Thursday (1 March) to officially make Maryland the eighth state in the US to allow gay marriage.

'The way forward is always found through greater respect for the equal rights of all,' O'Malley said during brief remarks prior to signing the legislation. 'If there is a thread that unites all of our work here together, it is the thread of human dignity. … Let's sign the bill.'

Maryland Senate approved Governor Martin O'Malley's bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday night (23 February) and he plans to sign it into law next week.

The Senate chambers burst into cheers after the 25-22 vote was read aloud. A group of seven gay and lesbian lawmakers from the House of Delegates then dashed to embrace supportive senators.

A joint panel of the Maryland legislature has approved a draft bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Valentine's Day.

The Committee’s approval of the measure in a 25-18 joint vote has moved Maryland closer towards becoming the eighth US state to legalize gay marriage.

The measure is expected to go to the House of Representatives on Wednesday (22 February).

In the same week that a gay marriage bill was signed into law in Washington and passed by the New Jersey State Senate, the Maryland House of Delegates is expected to debate a marriage equality bill of its own on Wednesday (15 February).

The bill passed through two House committees on Tuesday - following 11 hours of debate last Friday - and the proposed legislation has the support of Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said Tuesday (24 January) that a marriage equality bill he has introduced focuses more on protecting religious freedom than a failed measure last year.

'One does not have to be an advocate for same-sex marriage in order to support equal rights under the law,' the governor said.

The new bill, introduced by O'Malley on Monday, makes clear that religious groups retain control over their own theological doctrine, policy teachings and beliefs.