SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A Republican leader in the Illinois House said Monday that his support for legalizing gay marriage in the state could persuade colleagues to join him on an issue he says has “tremendous momentum,” while the Governor told reporters he’s confident same-sex marriage will soon become law in Illinois.

Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. of Mundelein said his position is influenced by his mother-in-law, who has been in a lesbian relationship for about 20 years.

(Editor's note: Melanie Nathan is Editor of the O-blog-dee-o-blog-da blog, where this story was first published. She is a frequent contributor to San Diego Gay & Lesbian News.)

South Africa is a leader in the world of equality, enjoying an all inclusive constitution, where same-sex marriage is legal and discrimination against LGBTI people outlawed. However that has not stopped homophobia and fear to embrace LGBTI South Africans as fully equal.

(Editor's note: Abby Bergman is a junior at Vistamar High School in California and an activist. She blogs at the Huffington Post.)

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – The Uruguay Senate voted 28-8 today to approve a marriage-equality bill.

In December 2012, the lower house of Congress voted 81-6 in favor of a bill. President José Mujica has vowed that he will sign the bill into law.

Uruguay will join Argentina as the only two South American countries to provide marriage for all its citizens. Same-sex marriage is offered in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and parts of the United States, Mexico and Brazil.