US Names First Global Envoy for LGBT Rights

1. In a historic move, the United States has named Randy Berry the nation's first global envoy for LGBT rights. Former consul general to The Netherlands, Berry will step into this newly created role designed to promote the rights of LGBT individuals around the world. "Defending and promoting the human rights of LGBT persons is at the core of our commitment to advancing human rights globally -- the heart and conscience of our diplomacy," Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. He went on to add that overturning laws in 75 countries that criminalize same-sex activity would be a priority. [Associated Press]

2. A Swiss legislative committee has overwhelmingly backed a move to extend marriage rights to same sex-couples. Switzerland has registered partnerships, which it legalized in a 2007 national referendum (Switzerland is a direct democracy). [Pink News]

3. Recent polls have shown that many Republican voters in key primary states believe that a candidate opposed to same-sex marriage would be unacceptable. Perhaps as a means to offset that, Jeb Bush has chosen openly gay Republican Tim Miller for his team. [Advocate]

4. In a country still reeling from the devastating terror attacks at Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket, French President Hollande has vowed to introduce tougher laws against homophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic crimes. [Pink News]

5. In a remarkably pope-like comment, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church, said this to a group of students when asked about gay marriage: "I see my own selfishness and weakness and think who am I judge them for their sins, if they have sins." He's been vocal in his opposition to gay marriage, but in the same address he went on to say that he has gay friends, despite initially struggling to accept the idea of gay relations. Nonelethess, he remains opposed to marriage. [The Independent]

6. And here's a video that recently went viral. Three Australian dads with gay sons read, I Think I'm A Poof. Watch below: