The 100 Best Companies to Work For list compiled by Fortune magazine all have sexual orientation-inclusive non-discrimination policies in effect, for the first time in history. In 2008, 95 of the top companies had policies in place to improve the work environment for gays and lesbians, but in 2012, all 100 had enacted some sort of company-wide policy. Topping the list is Google, who also offers comprehensive health-care benefits to employees and domestic partners.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was on hand on Jan. 12 as dozens of gay couples lined up to register with the city as domestic partners. While the registry does not provide all the same rights and privileges as marriage, activists are calling it an important move. Florida has a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and Orlando is the first city in the Sunshine state to open a registry for gay and lesbian partnerships. After just a few days of operating , more than 100 gay couples registered with the city. The registry allows them to visit one another in hospitals or jails, make health decisions and plan funerals for each other. Insurance companies that offer domestic partnership benefits also recognize the registry as legal.

SLAP: Romney’s anti-gay marriage plan Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has a three-tiered plan to prevent gay marriages from occurring and he shared it in great detail with the editorial board at the Boston Herald. His first step is to pass a Constitutional amendment banning any more gay marriages from occurring in any state. Second, he’ll make the marriages already performed stay legal, to avoid confusion. And third, he’ll define marriage as strictly for straight couples and permit them to have all the rights and privileges of a government-recognized union. Flip-flop Romney was the governor of Massachusetts when the state legalized gay marriages.

The 'ex-gay' Christian clinic Exodus International is reportedly fighting to stay alive and holding board meetings predicting the demise of the organization. The meeting was called by the president of Exodus, Alan Chambers, who said the meeting was a "Hail Mary." The group is seeking to climb out of devastating debt. Just three years ago, during the height of the real estate bubble, it purchased a building for more than $1.1 million. While shedding as many financial obligations as possible, according to IRS documents Exodus burned through more than $200,000 in savings in 2010 alone. If the group continues on its current trajectory, it's likely that it will be forced to close in the near future.

The anti-gay National Organization for Marriage is offering the chance to win $100 Visa gift cards for Minnesota voters who pledge to cast their ballots banning same-sex marriage in the state. The form, which is sponsored by the Minnesota branch of NOM, Minnesota for Marriage, passed the legal litmus test because it is not technically buying votes, but buying pledges to vote. There are state and federal statutes that prohibit the purchase of votes for candidates or initiatives, but because it is a raffle before the election, it is technically legal.

SNAP: Alaska judge backs tax breaks for gay couples A state judge in Alaska ruled that elderly gay couples are entitled to the same senior citizen property tax discounts that are given to married elderly couples. Judge Frank Pfiffner said the state marital classification violates Alaska’s constitutional promise

SLAP: Gays at higher risk of lonelier old age Gays and lesbians are more likely to end up living alone and having less contact with family than heterosexuals, according to a report released by the British queer-rights group Stonewall. The survey highlights the societal pressures that many gays...

SLAP: Lesbian mom booted from Boy Scouts One Virginia mother is in a committed relationship with her partner of more than 20 years, and the two have raised two smart and friendly children. Denise Steele felt it was important to bond with her son and encourage him to participate in the Boy...