Despite Democratic Losses Tuesday President Obama Still Sees Opportunity To Repeal Military Ban On Openly Gay Service Members, Record Number Of Openly Candidates Run In Mid-Term Election Including Victoria Kolakowski Whose Win Makes Her First Transgender Judge In History, Russian Orthodox Church Condemns European Court Pro-Gay Rights Ruling, Kiss-In Protest Set For Sunday In Spain As Pope Consecrates Church, Evangelical Jim Swilley Coming Out Was Not Nearly As Well Received By Christians As You Might Hope

President Obama, despite conceding to having taken a “shellacking” last night during mid-term primaries, said Wednesday that he still sees an opportunity to overturn the American military’s 17 year old ban on openly gay service members during Congress’ upcoming lame-duck session, reports the Washington Post. Obama said that the repeal should not be a partisan issue, adding that legislators must end the uncertainty created by the rulings in recent lawsuits that leave gay service members and the Pentagon in a legal limbo. A report on the ramifications of the repeal commissioned by the Pentagon is due December 1st, and previously leaked details reveal a majority of those active and on-reserve armed forces personal support a repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

Tuesday, there were a record number of openly gay candidates running for office in the United States – 123 to be exact – according to CNN, and of those five were elected. Among them, the first transgendered trial judge elected in history, Victoria Kolakowski elected in Alameda County, California and former Providence, Rhode Island Mayor David Cicilline, elected as a United States House of Representative. Perhaps most notable, Mark Dayton appears to be on his way to being elected as governor of Minnesota, defeating the anti-gay MN Forward, Target-funded Tom Emmer, although, once again, that state’s electoral decisions appear headed for court, or at the very least a recount that will not take place until at or near the end of November.

Interfax is reporting that the Russian Orthodox Church is condemning a recent ruling by the European Court which ordered Russian authorities to pay fines for continually refusing to authorize several gay pride parades, the church contending that the decision insults the majority of Russians. Father Filaret says that “The decision made in Strasbourg essentially constitutes violence against the feelings and morals of the majority of (Russian) society. That will hardly help achieve the stated purpose to cultivate tolerance and achieve accord, mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence.” He added that the church may call upon Russian officials to “reconsider the forms of participation in international treaties related to human rights.”

Gay rights activist plan to stage a kiss-in Sunday in Spain, the AFP reporting that organisers intend for same sex couples to assemble and kiss in protest when Pope Benedict XVI arrives to consecrate the city’s Sagrada Famila church and celebrate mass November 7th. Marylene Carole, a spokesperson, said the protest “is to show our unhappiness with an institution which for a long time has been against the sexual and emotional rights of many people who do not practice exclusively reproductive sex or people who do not love each other in the way that the institution thinks is right.” The organisers had advertised the event on Facebook until the social media site removed the page.

Last week, as previously posted, evangelical Jim Swilley came out, the 52 year old head of the Georgia-based Church in the Now, although one would think that the announcement might point to a new direction of acceptance and tolerance, one would wrong, very wrong if the rambling rant of on J. Lee Grady, writing in Charisma magazine (who has fired in his bones, natch) is to be believed, Grady apparently a willing soldier of the Christian army waging the cultural war on homosexuality.