gay marriage

The Big Gay Shrug

Here's a fun thing to do to calm your frazzled, saddened nerves in the wake of the CA Supreme Court's very unfortunate, but also merely annoying and karmically fleeting Proposition 8 decision:

Head on down to your local high school -- hell, make it a junior high or even an elementary -- and take yourself an informal survey. Ask the various wary, bepimpled youth of Generation Tweet what they think about those scary gay people getting married.

Posted in civil rights, gay marriage

Proposition 8 Ruling: Separate and Unequal

The marriage rights of Californians now fall into three categories. Heterosexual couples have access to all rights, responsibilities - and the name - of marriage. Gays and lesbians who were married between May 15 and Nov. 4 can remain so - but cannot remarry in the event of death or divorce. And all other gays and lesbians are prohibited by law from marrying the partner of their choice.

There is a word for this type of unequal treatment:

Discrimination.

Posted in civil rights, gay marriage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2009
2:52 PM

CONTACT: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

(202) 466-3234
Joe Conn
Rob Boston
Sandhya Bathija

Americans United Criticizes California Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Ban on Same-Sex Marriage to Stand

WASHINGTON - May 26 - Americans United for Separation of Church and State today expressed disappointment with the California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in the state.

"Marriage is a civil right and should not be subject to majority rule or a religious litmus test," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

###

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State Links:

Posted in gay marriage, prop8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2009
2:13 PM

CONTACT: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Inga Sarda-Sorensen, Director of Communications
(Office) 646.358.1463 (Cell) 202.641.5592
isorensen@theTaskForce.org

Task Force Profoundly Disappointed in California Supreme Court Decision Upholding Proposition 8

More than 18,000 marriages of same-sex couples that took place before ban remain intact

WASHINGTON - May 26 - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is profoundly disappointed in today's California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8, a ballot measure approved by a slim majority in November 2008 that amends the California Constitution to eliminate the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. The court did allow the 18,000 marriages of same-sex couples that occurred prior to the enactment of Proposition 8 to remain intact.

Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

###

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, building the organizational capacity of our movement and generating groundbreaking research through our Policy Institute.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Links:

Posted in civil liberties, Equality/Justice, gay marriage, prop8

California Upholds Gay Marriage Ban

The California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8 -- the controversial ballot question that banned same-sex marriage.

At the same time, the ruling will allow about 18,000 same-sex couples already married, to retain the rights they attained during the brief six-month period that gay marriage was legal in the state.

"There it goes," said Jim Schnobrich, who married his partner of 27 years in Pasadena, Calif., last September. "We have to keep going."

Posted in Equality/Justice, gay marriage, glbt, prop8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2009
4:39 PM

CONTACT: Human Rights Campaign
Brad Luna 202/216.1514 Cell: 202/812.8140
Trevor Thomas 202/216.1547 Cell: 202/250.9758

Human Rights Campaign Update on New Hampshire Marriage Equality Bill

WASHINGTON - May 20 - The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released the following statement today from National Field Director Marty Rouse, who is on the ground working in New Hampshire. For the latest updates, please visit: www.HRCBackStory.org.

###

The Human Rights Campaign represents a grassroots force of over 750,000 members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, HRC envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

Human Rights Campaign Links:

Posted in Equality/Justice, gay marriage, glbt

Gay Marriage Putting Down Strong Roots

Last summer, I could almost smell the glorious fragrance of my favorite flowers, sweet peas, as I planted them in the warm, sunny, well-drained soil that the seed packet promised they would thrive in.

They sprouted quickly but never became more than seedlings. Actually, "seedlings" sounds way more robust than they looked. "Threads" is more like it.

Posted in gay marriage, lgbt

Pain, Progress, Pride on Day Against Homophobia

MONTREAL - The International Day Against Homophobia, initiated by a Quebec organization, will be celebrated in more than 50 countries Sunday, decrying discrimination against gays and lesbians.

"There are 192 countries at the UN, and half of them still ban homosexuality, notably most countries in Africa, in Asia and Arab countries," said Laurent McCutcheon, president of Quebec's Emergence Foundation, an activist group behind the annual fete.

Five countries punish homosexual acts with death, said its website.

Posted in gay marriage, lgbt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2009
12:26 PM

CONTACT: Equality California (EQCA)
Vaishalee Raja (916) 284-9187
vaishalee@eqca.org

Equality California Marriage Director Receives Mass. Democratic Party’s Top Honor

Gov. Deval Patrick presents EQCA’s Marc Solomon with Franklin D. Roosevelt Award

LOS ANGELES - May 14 - Marc Solomon, Equality California (EQCA) Marriage Director, received the 2009 Franklin D. Roosevelt Award for his leadership in securing marriage for same-sex couples in Massachusetts. At a ceremony last night, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick presented Solomon with the award, the state Democratic Party's top honor.

###

Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.

Equality California (EQCA) Links:

Posted in gay marriage

The Year of Same-Sex Marriage!

It was not necessarily supposed to be this way.

After California joined the agonizingly long list of states that barred same-sex marriage following a referendum vote last year, supporters of LGBT rights were frustrated and angry.

And it seemed as if America might not be ready for the future -- and for the demand that this country's promise of equality under the law be made real for all our citizens.