Illinois Makes Sixteen

Illinois became a member of the Matrimony Club when Governor Pat Quinn signed the recently passed Marriage Equality bill into law yesterday before an estimated crowd of 3000 supporters.  Governor Quinn used the same desk upon which Abraham Lincoln penned his Inaugural address.   Illinois joins 15 other states and the nations capitol which legally recognize Same Sex Marriage.   The Matrimony Club could expand further before the end of the year if the New Mexico Supreme Court rules in favor of Marriage Equality as expected.  Marriages in Illinois are set to begin on June 1, 2014, however it could be sooner if proposed legislation to move the date forward is passed in the next legislative session.  

Also in the news today, the Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Municipal Equality Index which demonstrates the ways that many cities can—and do— support the LGBT people who live and work there, even where states and the federal government have failed to do so.  291 cities were rated in this years report with a great many cities scoring a perfect 100.  My hometown of Fort Worth scored a 91 on the index, which is really pretty good considering Texas as a state is officially hostile to those of us of the LGBT persuasion.  Check out the report and find out how your city fared.

Your Musical Moment for today features Piano Concerti Numbers 1, Opus 23 and 2, Opus 44 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The play list is live 1991 recording of a performance from the Alte Oper in Frankfurt by the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev and featuring Mikhail Pletnev as Piano Soloist.

Then to wrap things up (or unwrap as the case may be) is another collection of denim delights in this week's edition of Men In Jeans.  Thanks for sharing part of your day with me, see you again soon!  Until next time as always, Enjoy!