First, the headline: "Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's former in-law speaks out for gay rights." Deane certainly does speak out for gay rights, but it seems odd to emphasize that fact above her trans activism. Next, the photo gallery: It begins with a series of photos of Deane applying makeup, hair-spray, and pantyhose, as if to emphasize the fact that Deane's  beauty regimen (quite typical, for a woman) is somehow relevant to that activism.

And then there's this:

For years, Deane, a man who is in the process of becoming of woman, had considered revealing her lengthy but largely unknown connection to Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R). She had told no one that this would finally be the moment she went public.

From whose perspective is Deane "a man who is in the process of becoming of [sic] woman"? The state of Virginia? The Washington Post? Deane's herself?

The Post identifies Deane with feminine pronouns. It also implies that Deane very much considers herself a woman—it mentions that "she changed her name from Bob to Robyn, and transformed herself from a cleanshaven, dark-haired man to a blond woman saving her pennies for sex reassignment surgery." The story states outright that Deane previously "came out as a woman" to her family. What criteria is the Post using to classify Deane as "a man" in the process of "becoming" a woman? The paper doesn't say.

Capital City Public Charter School students Keonie Smith, 17, and Clara Lincoln, 14, created the above video to show the support of gay rights among their peers at the Columbia Heights school. Prepare to clutch your pearls, wingnuts: The video was made as part of a school geometry project meant to apply logical proofs to real-life issues. Lincoln on the effort: "We want people on the fence or who oppose this issue to see that youth really do care about gay rights. And for those who support the issue, we want them to know that a multicultural group of students back them up."

Minority Whip Eric Cantor appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos to talk about how fucked the Republican party is. GLBT blog Towleroad summed up Cantor's remedy with this headline: "Rep. Eric Cantor: GOP Needs to Be Inclusive on Gay Rights." Is Eric Cantor really pushing for the G.O.P. to incorporate gay rights into its new party platform? Not exactly:

Here's what Stephanopoulos asked Cantor: "But Governor [Jon] Huntsman says that you're not going to be reaching out to broaden the base of the party, reaching out to young people who have left the Republican party in droves unless you do have that positive agenda on the environment, unless you move to the middle on issues like gay rights. Are you prepared to do that in the House?"

Here's how Towleroad phrased it: "Are you prepared to [move to the middle on positions like gay rights] in the House?

And here's how Cantor replied:

There is no question the Republican Party has to return to be one of inclusion, not exclusion. And we are a party with many ideas. And we have in that a commitment to make sure that we have positive alternatives, if we don't agree with this administration, or the House Democrats, and to continue to put those ideas forward and again the problems facing this country . . . are not just Republican or Democrat problems. They are so big. They are so challenging . . . Let's come up with solutions that actually produce results for a change, instead of making matters worse, which Washington is famous for.

So: In response to Stephanopoulos' vague question about the environment, and gays, and such, Eric Cantor has said on the record that the Republican party is one of "ideas," "inclusion," and "change."

Meaning: Eric Cantor has not said anything.

From Sunil Pant, the country's "first openly gay member of Parliament": “Reading this decision my eyes were filled with tears and I felt we are the most proud LGBTI citizens of Nepal in the world. It is the most beautiful news.”

Last night, president-elect Barack Obama included gay Americans in his message of unity between all citizens, "rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight." But Obama and VP-elect Joe Biden don't support gay marriage—and success of several anti-gay ballot initiatives around the country mirror that distinction.

* Prop 8, the initiative that would rescind existing marriage rights from gay Californians, is set to pass.

* A similar measure in Arizona, Prop 102, is a preemptive strike against gay marriage in the state. Arizona voters passed it yesterday.

* Florida's Amendment 2 passed with 62% voter support, banning gay marriage and also preventing gay couples from claiming many of the same civil union benefits as straight couples.

* In the most backwards initiative of the night, Arkansas voted against the right of gay couples to adopt.

Photo of San Francisco's Castro Theater by davitydave shows Californians celebrating Obama's victory . . . even as many lamented the poll numbers showing support for Prop 8.