Federal law blocks Studds’ gay husband from pension—A report by Evan Lehmann in the Lowell Sun that relates how “the federal government for the first time will deny death benefits to a congressman’s gay spouse.�

Family Values—A video clip from Countdown with Keith Olbermann (via one good move) that shows how “the christian right is upset about Condi [Rice] praising the…family valuesâ€? of Mark Dybul, a gay man recently appointed as Global AIDS Coordinator.

Amid debate over rights, number of gay judges rising—An article by Joan Biskupic in USA Today that discusses “the rising number of openly gay judges, and the situations they face, at a time when gay civil rights is a key issue.�

Some Seek ‘Pink Purge’ in the GOP—An article by Johanna Neuman in the Los Angeles Times that explores the growing debate in the GOP about “including gays whose political views may conflict with the goals of the party’s powerful evangelical conservatives.�