EDGE Miami

Communities of faith have not always been strong advocates for gay civil rights. But in Rhode Island, more than 100 clergy and faith leaders have been active in the fight to secure marriage equality.

The Rhode Island legislature introduced two pro-marriage equality bills this week that will handily pass through the House, but face tough opposition from the Senate.

Lawmakers in Rhode Island and Illinois will introduce bills this week that could legalize same-sex marriage in the states. Illinois legislators are expected to fast track theirs.

Rhode Island AIDS service organizations gathered at the State House for World AIDS Day, but admitted that without additional funding, HIV will continue to be a serious public health problem in the Ocean State.

In the wake of the stunning Nov. 6 victory, marriage equality advocates are setting their sites on Illinois, Rhode Island, Delaware and New Jersey.

Thanks to the hard work of Lise Iwon, whose partner died last march, Rhode Island sex couples who are married or joined in civil unions will be allowed to take the same marital deductions as opposite-sex couples.

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday held a hearing on a bill that would allow gays and lesbians to marry in Rhode Island.

Gay former Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Todd Giroux is taking on incumbent U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in the state’s Democratic primary.

With no hearings scheduled on a marriage equality bill and other pro-gay measures, an increasing number of activists in Rhode Island have grown frustrated that the state’s LGBT rights movement has stalled.

A Brown University poll in February found that freshman Congressman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) has a dismal 15 percent approval rating. In spite of a tough re-election campaign, LGBT organizations and some of Cicilline’s constituents continue to back him.