Gay Republicans on the rise...

Some mainstream press recognition from the New York Times. More and more Gay Republicans are making an impact!

For gay Republicans today, identity politics may be a challenge in the conservative wing of the party, but they are making friends elsewhere. They may break with President Bush on same-sex marriage, but they are building relationships with grass-roots Republicans on city councils and boards who have real power over nondiscrimination laws. Curiously, as the party moves to the right on many social issues, the number of gays who identify themselves as Republican is growing, advocacy groups say, with gays saying that they want to influence a party that is (a) theirs and (b) politically ascendant.

"We have gay Republicans starting chapters in South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, all over the heartland," said Christopher Barron, political director of the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay-rights group. "Gay conservatives use a lexicon that conservative politicians understand, be it about freedom, fairness or other values we have in common."

And, yes, the same is going to happen in Canada as well.