The editorial board of the Austin American-Statesman has endorsed openly lesbian candidate Rosemary Lehmberg for Travis County, Texas district attorney. The board wrote that Lehmberg is the best candidate in her intense runoff election versus fellow Democrat Mindy Montford.

The American-Statesman claimed that Lehmberg has “experience running the office that Montford… can’t match.” The paper also criticized Montford’s “lobby-laden” contributor list.

The paper writes:

Should she win, Lehmberg will face the challenge of establishing her independence from Earle. We believe she can do that.

Should Montford win, the contributor list will always inform public opinion about her decisions. Fair or not, this is one instance in which perceptions matter.

To contribute to Rosemary’s campaign, click here.

A poll commissioned by an Irish gay rights group has revealed that 84 percent of Irish citizens support either gay marriage or civil partnerships. Furthermore, the number of respondents who only favored civil partnerships dropped from 33 percent to 26 percent.

The poll arrives as LGBT advocates wait for the government to submit proposals on the legal recognition of same-sex partners. Justice minister Brian Lenihan is expected to bring forth proposals soon, according to Pink News.

While the momentum for civil partnerships has gathered steam, full marriage equality seems unlikely due to what officials see as a potentially divisive national referendum to amend the country’s constitution.

Pink News reports:

In December Mr. Lenihan rejected the possibility of a referendum to allow gay marriage.

Article 41 of the Irish constitution says:

“The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of marriage, on which the family is founded, and to protect it against attack.”

It does not give any definition of marriage itself, and critics and constitutional scholars argue it does not outlaw gay marriage.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network last year, Mr Lenhian said he was keen to guarantee equality to gay people.

“This government, as our agreed programme reflects, is committed to full equality of opportunity for all in our society.

“In particular, we are committed to providing a more supportive and secure legal environment for same-sex couples” he said.

“I believe equality for same-sex couples can be achieved through a diversity of legal arrangements.

“I am very keen that in the interests to your community we should proceed now to bring in a law that will give recognition and protection to same sex couples who are involved in loving stable relationships.”

The Minister said that the expected law should allow couples to formalise their relationships, undertake mutual rights and obligations, obtain legal protection and legal benefits for their relationships.

Last year, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said that pro-gay union legislation would be approved during his tenure.

Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern made a surprising move today by meeting with representatives from the group Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and announcing her stand against workplace discrimination against gay people.

PageOneQ reports that Kern is also considering another meeting with a local chapter of PFLAG.

Meanwhile, The Advocate writes that Kern did not, however, apologize for any of her anti-gay remarks:

The group had requested an earlier meeting with the legislator following a March 18 rally at the state capitol, but she refused. In Thursday’s meeting, Kern conceded that gays and lesbians should not be fired from their jobs because of their sexual orientation, according to a press release by the PFLAG chapter. Kern did not, however, apologize for her earlier statements.

“We appreciate Representative Kern taking the time to meet with us and consider an important, ongoing dialogue about our families and loved ones,” chapter president the Reverend Loyce Newton-Edwards said in the press release. “Representative Kern expressed a commendable desire to consider every family, every Oklahoman, and every constituent. Today she took an important first step forward that, we hope, will be the beginning of many conversations with our families and our community.”

Thirty-seven Florida legislators have co-sponsored a non-discrimination bill for gays and lesbians in public and private employment, housing and public accomodations, according to The Advocate.

The amendments to the Florida Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, introduced by State Sen. Ted Deutch, would add sexual orientation to as a protected class. Passage of the amendments would make Florida the twenty-first state to pass such a bill.

The house version of the bill, introduced by State Rep. Kelly Skidmore would also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

Both lawmakers filed their bills at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. Republican Gov. Charlie Crist has not indicated whether or not he would veto such a bill.

Gay, lesbian and transgender Cubans have found an ally in Mariela Castro — the daughter of President Raul Castro.

According to the BBC, Mariela serves as the head of the government-funded National Centre for Sex Education. In this role, she has been trying to change peoples’ attitudes toward sexual minorities and lobby the country’s National Assembly to adopt one of Latin America’s most liberal LGBT laws.

The law, which is set to be considered today, would recognize same-sex couples, pass inheritance rights and give transgender individuals the right to free sex-change operations and allow them to switch their gender on their identification. Despite this, the word “marriage” is not mentioned in the legislation and adoption rights are not addressed.

“In Cuba marriage is not as important as the family and at least this way we can guarantee the personal and inheritance rights of homosexuals and transsexuals,” Castro said.

She mentioned to the BBC that her father is supportive of her work, although he wants her to move slowly. Castro’s mother, was a renowned women’s rights advocate.