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Shortly after telling his parents he was gay, Ahmet Yildiz was gunned down inside his car by his father in Istanbul. It was Turkey’s first officially recognized gay “honor killing.”

An award-winning film partly inspired by Yildiz’s story, which opened in dozens of cinemas across Turkey in mid-January, is putting the spotlight on gays in a Muslim country that is seeking European Union membership but remains influenced by conservative and religious values.

Maryland First Lady Katie O’Malley isn’t mincing any words when it comes to describing why she thinks gay marriage legislation failed last year.

The first lady, speaking at the 24th annual Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality, said “there were some cowards that prevented it from passing.’’

The UCLA's annual survey noted changes in attitude on same-sex marriage, affirmative action and access to higher education for undocumented students.

The Santa Fe, N.M. City Council voted this week for a resolution urging state lawmakers to defeat an anti-gay marriage bill.

Earlier in the week, New Mexico state Rep. David Chavez introduced legislation to enact a constitutional amendment defining marriage in the state as the union of a man and a woman and to deny recognition of legal same-sex marriages from other states.

Ecuador will investigate and act forcefully against any clinics found to be trying to force gays to change their sexual orientation, a health ministry official said this week.

Gay rights activists in the South American country say four clinics that engaged in coercive practices, three in the capital, have been shut down in recent months but that others still to operate clandestinely.

The White House’s public engagement office and other federal agencies will hold a series of conferences around the country this year to focus on LGBT issues.

The conferences will begin in February and continue through June, according to a news release from the White House.

A former student who endured severe anti-gay harassment throughout junior high and high school won a major settlement from the Aberdeen School District.

The ACLU of Washington represented Russell Dickerson III in the lawsuit against school district officials who knew the student was being harassed but did not take steps to end the torment.

Two of New Jersey's most influential black leaders blasted Gov. Chris Christie this week for proposing gay marriage be put to a popular vote in November, but the Republican governor insisted he's offering a reasonable compromise amid his personal opposition to same-sex nuptials.

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Newark Mayor Cory Booker said in separate forums that civil rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and don't belong on the ballot, according to AP.

NAACP President Benjamin Jealous said this week that the civil rights group supports legislation in Maryland to extend rights to transgender residents.

Jealous spoke at a national conference on rights for the LGBT community, the 24th national conference on LGBT equality.

A new study finds that children with low intelligence are more likely to gravitate to right-wing ideals and prejudices as adults.

Researchers participating in the study discovered a vicious cycle whereby low-intelligence people identify with socially conservative principles that stress attitudes that contribute to prejudice, such as hierarchy and resistance to change.

U.S. presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich this week said legalizing marriage for gays and lesbians is an example of paganism’s rise.

Gingrich made the comment in a conference call with Christian right leaders aiding his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.

The father of slain gay college student Matthew Shepard said this week he is disturbed by legislation in Tennessee that would ban public schools from teaching about gay issues.

Dennis Shepard spoke at a Nashville news conference and said the proposal, dubbed the “Don't Say Gay” bill, is an example of legislation that could be harmful to gays.