Gay Marriage Watch: February 15th-21st
Woody Award:
Our woody award this week goes to Linda Lou Taylor, a woman in Indiana who is considering her 24th marriage. She makes a mockery of the so-called "sanctity of marriage", and the idea that someone who can marry gives the concept so little value while there are so many of us who can't is downright insulting. Enjoy your woody, Miss Taylor.
Gay Marriage Watch:
Now on to this week's Gay Marriage Watch. The blog is now organized almost entirely by area, with news of the week, upcoming marriage equality events, and great recent articles and columns. For a longer history of past news stories, just click on one of the older Gay Marriage Watch blogs from our archives.
To subscribe to this blog, or if you have any thoughts about how we can make this feature better or easier to use or any updates on the issues covered here, let me know at info@purpleunions.com.
We had a problem with our RSS feed, so if you're subscribed that way to this blog, you may have noticed a bunch of postings after long silence. Sorry about that!
Enjoy the rest of the Watch!
--Scott
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BOLIVIA:
--news-->
2/18: Bolivia’s new constitution, approved by 61 percent of voters last month, bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The constitution took effect Feb. 7. Source
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CHILE:
--news-->
2/14: Santiago’s Plaza de Armas was the setting of something never before seen in Chile: a mass wedding for the country’s sexual minorities. Source
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CHINA:
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2/18: A gay couple have been jailed over a wedding scam set up to allow a Malaysian man to live permanently in Hong Kong, the city's immigration department said. Source
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COLUMBIA:
--articles-->
Gay Life in Colombia: An Interview with Marcela Sánchez of Colombia Diversa Source
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ISRAEL:
--news-->
2/17: Incoming Meretz MK Nitzan Horowitz on Monday announced plans to bring to the Knesset as early as next week a bill that would allow marriages or civil unions between two partners regardless of their religion, ethnic background, or gender. Source
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NIGERIA:
--news-->
2/16: The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs has told a UN review of human rights in the African nation that there is no gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans community in his country. Source
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--news-->
2/18: David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party, said: “I stood up… and said that marriage was important, and as far as I was concerned it didn’t matter whether it was between a man and a woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman” Source
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VENEZUELA:
--news-->
Venezuela Lagging on Reform, by Lyndon Barnett Source
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USA:
--news-->
2/16: ABC's "All My Children" featured daytime's first lesbian wedding. Source
--articles-->
Is Gay Divorce a Reason Not to Have Gay Marriage? by Lez Get Real Source
Same-sex marriage movement looks to 'Obamify', by Joe Garofoli Source
Overcoming the 'ick' factor by Diane Silver Source
America must change its views on homosexuality by Andy Source
Abby: Couples separate church, state in marriage, by Dear Abby Source
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USA, CALIFORNIA:
--news-->
2/15: Bill Clinton took a six figure fee to undermine a boycott of Doug Manchester’s San Diego Hyatt on Sunday. Source
2/16: Protesters gathered at California's State Capitol on Feb. 16, 2009 and rallied against Proposition 8 that banned gay marriage in the November 2008 general election. Source
2/18:
--700 gay rights advocates journeyed to Sacramento to lobby for a pair of resolutions saying that Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage in California approved by voters in November, was an illegal revision of the state Constitution and should be overturned. Source
--The Assembly Judiciary Committee managed to get its meeting in and passed HR5, by rookie Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco, on a 7-3 vote. Source
--Floor sessions forced the state Senate's Judiciary Committee to cancel a hearing on SR7, the anti-Prop. 8 resolution by San Francisco's Mark Leno. Source
--In an effort to build public support for marriage equality, the "I Do" education campaign was launched last weekend to start conversations among family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors about why same-sex couples should have equal rights. Source
--upcoming events-->
2/25: Family Law Conference, San Francisco, CA, February 2009 co-sponsored by: Legal Aid Association of California & Administrative Office of the Courts, San Francisco More Info
2/25-2/29: One Struggle One Fight's march from San Francisco to Sacramento More Info
2/26: 6:30-9 PM, A Town Hall-style meeting addressing what went wrong with Prop 8, at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco. More Info
3/3: Laguna Beach's anti-gay marriage supporters are planning a rally outside the city council to protest the city's support of the lawsuit against Prop 8, Laguna Beach. More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - A Candlelight Vigil for True Equality, Sacramento More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - Gather at Olvera Street in Downtown from 5-7pm for vigil program, recommittment ceremoney and speakers, walk to CA Supreme Court (Ronald Reagan Building 300 South Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90013) at 8:00pm for moment of silence, Los Angeles More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - 7:00 p.m. at 1010 10th Street in Downtown Modesto. Walk to the CourtHouse. Walk kicks off at 7:15ish. Rally at the Courthouse at 7:30 p.m, Modesto More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - San Diego will have a community rally with speakers and singing converging on the Hall of Justice at 330 W Broadway, San Diego CA 92101 from 4-6pm . A candle light vigil will then line the streets of Downtown San Diego Starting at 6pm, San Diego More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - Gather at Market and Castro from 5-6pm for pre-march rally, step off at 6pm, arrive at CA Supreme Court (Civic Center) at 6:30pm for short program. San Francisco More Info
3/4: March Forth on March 4th - 6:00pm meet at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 2737 Pacific Ave Stockton, CA 95204 (209) 466-7743, Stockton More Info
3/5: The state Supreme Court has scheduled a March 5 hearing date for oral arguments in a series of lawsuits seeking to overturn Proposition 8, San Francisco. More Info
3/13: Movie for Equality, Los Angeles More Info
3/15: Dining Out for Equality, West Hollywood More Info
4/20: Queer Youth Advocacy Day, State Capitol, Sacramento More Info
5/16-5/17: Long Beach Pride More Info
5/30: Statewide Rally at Capitol Building to Kick off Pride, Sacramento, More Info
6/12-6/14: Los Angeles Pride More Info
6/27-6/28: San Francisco Pride More Info
7/18-7/19: San Diego Pride More Info
11/7-11/8: Palm Springs Pride More Info
--articles-->
How Constitutional is Proposition 8? by Mengfei Chen Source
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USA, COLORADO:
--news-->
2/17: A House committee yesterday backed legislation that would make it easier for unmarried couples to make end-of-life and estate planning decisions for each other. Source
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USA, FLORIDA:
--news-->
2/20: The School Board of Nassau County has come under fire for prohibiting gay-straight alliances at Yulee High School and Yulee Middle School. Source
--upcoming events-->
3/16: Rally in Tally: 11 am-2 pm, Tallahassee More Info
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USA, GEORGIA:
--news-->
2/20:
--A judge’s order to a gay father telling him not to allow "his children to [be exposed to] his homosexual partners and friends" is being challenged in Georgia by Lambda Legal. Source
--Three Republicans running for lieutenant governor in 2006 made strong opening pitches to religious conservatives during the Christian Coalition of Georgia’s annual gathering on Feb. 19, with all three taking a swipe at same-sex unions. Source
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USA, HAWAII:
--news-->
2/18: House lawmakers voted 33 to 17 on the measure that could put Hawaii alongside just three other states that allow the legal unions. Source
--articles-->
The hate debate, by Adrienne LaFrance Source
Ex-judge proud of stance on gays, by Ken Kobayashi Source
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USA, ILLINOIS:
--news-->
2/14: Over 300 Chicago activists for lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual (LGBT) civil rights celebrated Valentine's Day this year with a loud, spirited picket of the Cook County Marriage License Bureau in protest of the state's same-sex marriage ban. Source
2/20: An openly gay Illinois state representative, Greg Harris (D-Chicago), has authored and introduced legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry in that state. Source
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USA, MAINE:
--news-->
2/15: An estimated 1,000 people gathered Sunday for the Stand for Marriage Rally, an anti gay marriage rally, at the Augusta Civic Center. Source
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USA, MASSACHUSETTS:
--news-->
2/15: The anti-gay group Mass Resistance is attempting to pass several bills, including one that would require parental notification for school discussions of ’sexual orientation issues, and one that would abolish the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth, which provides recommendations to the state on LGBT youth-related policy and programs. Source
2/19: Senator Benjamin B. Downing is spearheading an effort to protect transgender residents under the state's hate crime statutes. Source
--upcoming events-->
3/8: 4-7 PM, GLAD Winter Party - Join us to hear about the next chapter in our fight for marriage equality! More Info
3/13: Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage: Valuing All Families Under the Law, with Nancy Polikoff, Boston More Info
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USA, MICHIGAN
--news-->
2/20: Michigan courts can oversee a custody dispute between lesbian parents who adopted in Illinois even though Michigan doesn't formally recognize gay relationships, the state Court of Appeals said Friday. Source
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USA, MINNESOTA
--news-->
2/19: The office of state Sen. Paul Koering, a gay Republican, responded to criticisms over his decision not to vote for a bill that would make gay marriage legal in Minnesota, saying legislators can’t “waste their time” with “pointless legislation.” Source
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USA, NEW JERSEY
--news-->
2/19: A new poll of registered voters in New Jersey finds there is a 10 point spread in favor of same-sex marriage. The survey, by Monmouth University for Gannett newspapers, found 50 percent of voters support marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, while 40 percent said they were opposed. Source
--upcoming events-->
2/28: Garden State Equality's 2009 Legends Dinner will include Andrea McArdle, the original Annie who has done sold-out concerts across the world, Fran Drescher, Ugly Betty's Judith Light, Star Trek's George Takei, Queer As Folk's Michelle Clunie, Hairspray's Marc Shaiman, Movin' Out's Miche Braden, public service legends Jeannine LaRue, Steve Rothman and Christine Quinn in an evening you'll never forget. Source
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USA, NEW MEXICO:
--news-->
2/20: State senators in New Mexico are likely to vote on a bill that would create gay and straight domestic partnerships in the state next week. Source
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USA, NEW YORK:
--news-->
2/17: The Ulster County Legislature last week rejected by a vote of 24-5 a proposal to extend county health insurance to the unmarried partners of heterosexual county employees. Source
--upcoming events-->
2/24: Weddings, Civil Unions, Love and Politics: The LGBTQ Community and Marriage Rights? A diversity, dialogue, and desserts event at Hofstra University, Long Island, More Info
5/9: 7:30pm, Off Center will present “Are We Tying the Knot Too Tight?: Gains and Losses in the Rush to Normalcy.” This moderated panel will address some of the issues the LGBT community faces when dealing with whether and how to support the movement for same-sex marriage, New York More Info
9/9: Family Law Day, In Conjunction with Lavender Law 2009, Brooklyn, NY, Co-sponsored by the National Lesbian & Gay Law Association and the National Family Law Advisory Council of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Brooklyn More Info
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USA, NORTH CAROLINA:
--news-->
2/17: Officials in Rowan County, North Carolina, unanimously passed an anti-gay resolution targeting gay and lesbian families. Source
2/19: Two state senators are asking local county commissioners to support a resolution that would let North Carolina voters decide if the state constitution should be amended to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Source
2/21: Sen. Kay Hagan is speaking tonight before the Carolinas chapter of the Human Rights Campaign. Source
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USA, OHIO:
--news-->
2/18: Presbyterian church leaders from central and southern Ohio have approved the idea of clergy members who are in same-sex relationships. Source
2/19: After failing in their effort to abort a gay partner registry from taking effect, a group of ministers in Cleveland say they are resolved to ending it. Source
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--upcoming events-->
5/3: National Equality Rally at Independence Hall, Philadelphia More Info
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USA, RHODE ISLAND:
--news-->
2/20: Rhode Island legislators to take up annual gay marriage debate. Source
--news-->
2/26: The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on this year’s version of a same-sex marriage bill. More Info
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USA, TENNESSEE:
--news-->
2/20: A controversial ad is calling on West Virginia lawmakers to take immediate action and amend the Constitution to rule out same-sex marriage. Source
--upcoming events-->
3/1: Anti-gay marriage groups are organizing churches for a rally. More Info
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USA, UTAH:
--news-->
2/17:
--Utahns opening their Sunday editions of The Salt Lake Tribune or the Deseret Morning News were shocked to discover a full-page ad, created by the group America Forever, imploring them to "Stand Up & Stop the Homosexual Movement". Source
--Salt Lake County will again take up the issue of benefits for domestic partners with a proposal that would grant health benefits to domestic partners and live-in adults. Source
2/18:
--A bill that would have offered unmarried couples - straight or gay - inheritance rights and the power to make medical decisions when the other partner is incapacitated, Wednesday in the legislature. It was the fifth defeat for a group of bills called the Common Ground Initiative that would have expanded LGBT civil rights in Utah. Source
--Defending his wife's $100,000 gift for California's anti-gay marriage Prop. 8, Robert Garff, of the Ken Garff car dealerships, said: "We do believe in the proposition of marriage as being between a man and a female. ... But we reserve the rights of others to believe and act as they wish. … We want our friends who are gay to know that we respect them." Source
2/20: Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, was kicked off a judicial committee he chaired after he drew criticism for comparing gay activists to radical Muslims in an interview aired this week. Source
--articles-->
What’s Up, Utah? by Marty Davis Source
Regarding Queer Issues by Jennifer Henke Source
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--news-->
2/20: Dozens of students at George Washington University were "married" in mock ceremonies performed in University Yard to show their support for marriage equality. Source
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USA, WEST VIRGINIA:
--articles-->
Straight hysteria hits Atlanta, by James Withers Source
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USA, WISCONSIN:
--news-->
2/19: Same-sex couples could form domestic partnerships and receive dozens of the same legal benefits as married people under a proposal by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle. Source
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fini
posted by Mark & Scott at
2/22/2009 07:55:00 AM
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