Ever since the California State Legislature approved making “Harvey Milk Day” a state Day of Recognition (no closing of state offices, but schools will mark the event) last year, activists and the expected crop of fundraisers have seized on the day as a more political counterpart to traditional Pride festivities. 20 states, plus Washington, D.C. have marches or festivals planned, and judging by Equality Across America’s directory of events, most events are focused on demanding full federal equality, plus various local issues. Minnesota’s own Harvey Milk Day March will start at 1pm tomorrow in Minneapolis’ Loring Park, across from St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Elsewhere…

D.C. – Madonna and President Barack Obama have both issued statements condemning the guilty verdict handed down to Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga. The two were accused of “indecency” for holding a traditional engagement ceremony and sentenced to 14 years’ hard labor. (Towleroad)

D.C. – Straight rapper Wale, originally scheduled to headline DC Black Pride, has pulled out after contracting a case of homophobic cold feet after the initial distribution of marketing materials were made. Wale’s publicist reportedly told the Pride committee that the artist wasn’t aware that Black Pride was an LGBT event. (MetroWeekly)

D.C. – Again, international military representatives told an audience at a Brookings Institution panel that they had no problems integrating out LGBT people into their armed forces. (CNN)

D.C. – The FDA has begun its review of the gay blood ban. (The Washington Blade)

D.C. – Pam’s House Blend has photos from a protest on Capitol Hill by GetEQUAL and trans activists. Meanwhile, ENDA is reportedly being postponed until mid-summer. (Pam’s House Blend, MetroWeekly)

Chicago – A 13-person “flash mob” descended on the offices of Illinois Senator Dick Durbin yesterday, holding a sit-in to protest Durbin’s lack of response over requests to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. (Towleroad)

Russia – Not only has Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov banned Moscow Gay Pride for the 5th year in a row, he may be behind Russian authorities’ censoring of the Pride organizers’ website. (Towleroad)

Teh Interwebs, Dept. of Fan Service – Jake Shears poses shirtless and almost pantsless for the French magazine Tetu. In case you can’t read French, that headline says “How Could You Believe I Was Straight?” (Tetu)