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Richard Socarides

Read the latest news about Richard Socarides, a former LGBT adviser to President Bill Clinton and a founding leader of Equality Matters, a branch of Media Matters that responds to homophobic media messages and applies pressure to elected officials. Learn more about Richard Socarides, a frequent cable news pundit on LGBT issues, who also practices law in New York in addition to his duties as an activist. He is also a profilic writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and more.

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Year in Review

The Advocate's Person of the Year: 'Idiotic' or 'Important?'

When we named Pope Francis as the publication's Person of the Year, we expected some reaction -- but the scope and range of opinion on our pick is more global than we could have imagined.

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Michelle Garcia

Op-ed: No More Chastity Diplomas

Why can't religious colleges stop policing sex among students?

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Voices

Op-ed: Bill Clinton's Wasted Opportunity at the GLAAD Awards

The president who signed "don't ask, don't tell" and DOMA had the chance to address his role in these laws and use his turnaround on them as a teachable moment. But that didn't happen.

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Marriage Equality

What's Missing From Clinton's DOMA Op-Ed?

The 42nd President of the United States says it's time to abolish the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which he signed into law in 1996. But LGBT advocates say he's not telling the whole story.

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Religion

WATCH: Joel Osteen Didn't Choose to Be Straight

The conservative pastor of a Houston megachurch told a CNN panel that he did not choose his sexual orientation, but that same-sex attraction is sinful.

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Election

Photos from an LGBT Welcome Party at the DNC

The Unity Through Community LGBT welcome event was held at the new North Carolina Dance Theatre building, just blocks away from official convention venue sites in Uptown Charlotte.

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Books

Victory Author Linda Hirshman Tells Us Why Gay History Will Repeat Itself

Linda Hirshman, the author behind the recently-released VICTORY: The Triumphant Gay Revolution, clues us in on what to expect when DOMA or Prop. 8 reaches the Supreme Court.

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Politicians

Former NY Gov Eliot Spitzer Is Never Going Back to Chick Fil A

"I used to love Chick-Fil-A," Spitzer said. "Their sandwiches were great. Their lemonade was amazing. I'm never going back."

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Marriage Equality

WATCH: Former White House Aide: Supreme Court Will Overturn DOMA

Richard Socarides, who was LGBT adviser to President Clinton, tells Eliot Spitzer there's reason for optimism.

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World

Chad Griffin Named President of HRC

The Los Angeles-based political consultant whose central role in the Proposition 8 lawsuit turned him into a national LGBT rights figure has been named president of the Human Rights Campaign.