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The Morning Pride: January 27, 2014

Welcome to The Morning Pride, ThinkProgress LGBT’s daily round-up of the latest in LGBT policy, politics, and some culture too! Here’s what we’re reading this morning, but please let us know what stories you’re following as well. Follow us all day on Twitter at @TPEquality.

– Gay basketball player Jason Collins will join Michelle Obama for the State of the Union Tuesday night.

– A Virginia Senate committee killed a bill that would have allowed second-parent adoption for same-sex couples.

– Virginia may consider a bill to allow lawmakers to defend laws the attorney general does not.

– With Attorney General Mark Herring’s announcement that he won’t defend Virginia’s law banning same-sex marriage, the judge says she’s ready to rule without hearing oral arguments.

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– The Nevada Attorney General will have to rethink her arguments now that the Ninth Circuit has granted heightened scrutiny to sexual orientation.

– Though Republican National Committee member Dave Agema has apologized for some remarks about Muslim Americans, he hasn’t apologized for his virulently anti-gay remarks, and despite calls from Party Chairman Reince Priebus to resign, Agema isn’t stepping down.

– Indiana state Rep. Milo Smith (R), chair of the committee that advanced the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage last week, has an openly gay son, who was particularly disappointed in his father’s vote.

– Conservatives in Chattanooga, Tennessee are trying to recall City Councilman Chris Anderson for supporting domestic partner benefits for city employees.

– Though the president who fired him has stepped down, the Washington Catholic school that ousted its high school vice principal for marrying his same-sex partner is not willing to rehire him.

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– Northern Cyprus has decriminalized gay sex, which means that there are no such laws left in Europe, which joins North American and Australia.

– Trinity College in Dublin will boycott Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble for sponsoring the Sochi Olympics because of Russia’s human rights violations.

– Canada has named ice hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser, an outspoken critic of Russia’s anti-gay laws, as its flag-bearer for at the Opening Ceremonies.

– The new World Boxing Association female light welterweight world champion, Ana Laura “La Monita” Esteche, came out moments after her victory.

– During last night’s Grammys, 33 gay and straight couples (including two same-sex couples from Utah), married during a performance of Macklemore’s “Same Love”: