Gay Marriage Watch: May 11th, 2009

Here's the latest news on gay marriage from around the world on Monday, May 11th. 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. We now publish a daily news blog, and a weekly recap on Sundays. 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. You can also now find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc Enjoy the rest of the Watch! --Scott ---------------------------------------------- CANADA: --upcoming events--> Vancouver: Day of Decision: Gather at 6pm at Morton Park (corner of Davie Street and Denman Street). More Info ---------------------------------------------- SLOVENIA: --news--> 5/10: Interior Minister Katarina Kresal this week reopened the debate on gay marriage in Slovenia by saying that the family law act should be amended to include same-sex unions. Source ---------------------------------------------- USA: --news--> 5/10: Obama pokes fun at gay marriage at the White House Correspondents Dinner: talking about his friend and adviser David Axelrod, he said: "David and I have been together a long time," Obama said, explaining that many years ago he called Axelrod and said, "you and I could do wonderful things together. He said what partners all over America are saying to me right now. Let's go to Iowa and make it official." Source 5/11: --Openly gay head of ACLU says gay marriage is second only to national security issues as a priority for the ACLU. Source --Miss California Carrie Prajean's voice is now being used on robocalls to urge voters to sign a pettiion against gay marriage. Source --Uniting American Families bill to allow gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor same sex partners from other countries making its way thru congress. Source --upcoming events--> --5/17: International Day Against Homophobia. More Info --Day of Decision: Rallies country-wide on the day of the CA Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info --articles--> ALABAMA VOICES: Equal rights issue, by Arthur M. Carlton Source ---------------------------------------------- USA, ARIZONA: --upcoming events--> Phoenix: Day of Decision : Gather at 6pm at the southwest corner of Camelback at 7th Avenue for a rally and then march. More Info ---------------------------------------------- USA, CALIFORNIA: --news--> 5/10: A new lawsuit has been filed against Prop 8, claiming the measure violates the Federal Constitution. Source 5/11: --Equality California (EQCA), the advocacy group fighting to win back gay marriage in California, is seeking to enlist 1,000 clergy members to help change attitudes in the state. Source --Cybill Shepherd on who's to blame for passage of Prop 8: "The Mormons and Catholics. Most of the money came from Utah, it’s very unfortunate." Source --upcoming events: northern california--> Auburn: Day of Decision: Gather at 5:30pm at the Placer County Courthouse (101 Maple Street). More Info Davis: Day of Decision: Gathering at Central Park at the new stage south of the carousel from 6-7:30pm. More Info Eureka: Day of Decision: Gather at Arcata plaza and County Courthouse in Eureka.  6PM. More Info Palo Alto: Day of Decision: Gather at Corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero (across from Stanford University entrance at Galvez/El Camino).  11AM. More Info Sacramento: --5/18: EQCA Equality Awards at the Sheraton Grand, VOP Reception 5 PM, General Reception 5:30 PM-7 PM. Source --5/30: Statewide Rally at Capitol Building to Kick off Pride More Info --Day of Decision: Gather at 5:30pm at the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center (1927 L Street, Midtown). More Info San Francisco: --5/16: West SF Team Goes Door to Door in the Sunset: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. This is the very first canvassing event for West San Francisco. We will be canvassing the Sunset district in teams of two in an effort to create discussions around marriage equality and recruit new volunteers. More Info --Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info San Jose: Day of Decision: Gathering at 5:30pm at the Billy de Frank LGBT Center at 938 The Alameda. For more information, contact Gloria Nieto at glorianieto@comcast.net or 6 PM, gather at Plaza de César Chávez  at S. Market St. and Park Ave. We will march to SJ City Hall at 200 E. Santa Clara St. for a rally. More Info Santa Clara: 5/9: Santa Clara: Equality Team Second Canvassing Event with Courage Campaign, 3:15 PM. More Info Santa Rosa: Day of Decision: Gathering on the steps of the Santa Rosa City Hall (100 Santa Rosa Avenue and corner of 1st Street) at 6pm. More Info Ukiah: Day of Decision: Gather at 6pm at Alex Thomas Plaza (State Street). More Info --upcoming events: central california--> Bakersfield: Day of Decision: Gathering in three locations at 5pm. Rally location #1 - Mall View & Mt Vernon; Rally location #2 - Outback Steakhouse on Stocdale Hwy; or Rally location #3 at Rosedale and Coffee. More Info Delano: Day of Decision: Gather at Delano Cecil Park at 5:30pm. More Info Fresno: --5/10: Equality Team Second Canvassing Event with Courage Campaign, 3:15 PM. More Info --5/11: Meet in the Middle Planning Meeting, 6 PM, Westley UMC. More Info --5/17: Equality Team Second Canvassing Event with Courage Campaign, 3:15 PM. More Info --5/18: Meet in the Middle Planning Meeting, 6 PM, Westley UMC. More Info --5/25: Meet in the Middle Planning Meeting, 6 PM, Westley UMC. More Info --6/1: Meet in the Middle Planning Meeting, 6 PM, Westley UMC. More Info --Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. Source --Saturday after Day of Decision: Meet in the Middle - statewide gathering in Fresno with Charlize Theron attending. More Info --Every Monday: Meet in the Middle 4 Equality Planning Meeting, 6 PM, at the Wesley United Methodist Church. More Info Modesto: Day of Decision: Community gathering at 5:30 pm at Graceada Park, 401 Needham St. downtown Modesto. More Info Monterey: Day of Decision: Gather at 5pm at Colton Hall at 580 Pacific Street.  Event is co-sponsored by the Monterey County Chapter of Marriage Equality and Salinas Valley Equality.  More Info Salinas: Day of Decision: Gather at 4:30pm at the Monterey County  Courthouse at the corner of W. Alisal Street & Church Street. Event is co-sponsored by Salinas Valley Equality and the Monterey County Chapter of Marriage Equality USA. More Info Visalia: Day of Decision: Gather at 6pm at the Tulare County Courthouse (221 S. Mooney Blvd). More Info --upcoming events: southern california--> Costa Mesa: Day of Decision: Gather at the Fairview Community Church, 2525 Fairveiw Road from 5:30 to 7 p.m. More Info Long Beach: --5/16-5/17: Long Beach Pride More Info --Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info Los Angeles: --5/11-5/12: Divorce! The Musical will create two special reading presentations to benefit the Courage Campaign. These performances will take place at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Los Angeles and showcase a lesbian couple on Monday, May 11 and a gay couple on Tuesday, May 12. 100% of the proceeds will go toward the Courage Campaign's efforts to restore marriage equality. More Info --Day of Decision: Two Locations: Gathering in two locations at 6pm: Rally location #1 in Hollywood at 647 N San Vincente Boulevard (Santa Monica and San Vincente); Rally location #2 in Santa Monica Courthouse (1725 Main Street). More Info --Every Monday: LA Equal Roots Meeting. More Info Orange: 5/23: Team Courage OC Canvass for Equality in Orange/Santa Ana, 12:00 PM. More Info Rancho Cucamonga: Day of Decision: Gathering at the corner of Day Creek and Foothill Boulevard at 7pm.  More Info San Diego: --5/17: Canvass! Mama Bear Alliance Equality Team in San Diego. 2 PM. --Day of Decision: Two Locations: Gather at 6pm at the Escondido City Hall (201 North Broadway) in Escondido; Gather at 5pm at Balboa Park (6th Ave & Laurel Street) in San Diego.Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info San Luis Obispo: Day of Decision: Gather at 5:30pm at the City Hall Steps (990 Palm). More Info Santa Ana: Day of Decision: Gather at 6pm at the Old Orange County Courthouse (211 W. Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana). More Info Ventura: Day of Decision: ather at 5:30pm at the Ventura County Government Center on the corner of Telephone Road and Victoria Avenue.  More Info West Hollywood: --5/9: The Teach-in will be a day-long event where participants will learn about our LGBTQ community's shared history, and connect with their LGBTQ predecessors through a series of break-out sessions, performances, and speakers, at Plummer Park, 9 AM-5:30 PM. More Info --Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. Source --upcoming events: statewide--> --5/22: Harvey Milk Day. More Info --5/31-6/6: AIDS Life Cycle - Team Marriage Equality. Contact Email ---------------------------------------------- USA, COLORADO: --upcoming events--> Denver: Day of Decision: Gather at the Wellington Webb Building (intersection of Colfax and 15th). More Info ---------------------------------------------- USA, FLORIDA: --news--> 5/11: At a meeting with the Democratic Party Chairman in Ft. Lauderdale, gay activists asked the Obama administration to do more on gay marriage, Don't Ask Don't Tell. Source --upcoming events--> Tampa: Day of Decision Gather at 6:30pm at the Joe Chillura Courthouse (corners of Morgan, Kennedy, Pierce & Madison). More Info ---------------------------------------------- USA, GEORGIA: --upcoming events--> Atlanta: --5/14: National Black Justice Coalition hosts an evening of conversation, food, drinks, music and a very special guest speaker at NBJC's first fundraising event in Atlanta. At Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 3081 Peachtree Rd. More Info --Day of Decision: Gathering is being planned. More Info ---------------------------------------------- USA, HAWAII: --upcoming events--> Honolulu: 5/21-5/24: Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival. More Info Hilo: 5/29-5/30: Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival showings on the Big Island. More Info --------------------------------------------- USA, ILLINOIS: --news--> 5/6: Members of the local and national chapters of the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) convened in Andersonville on May 2 with local activists to discuss various issues ranging from same-sex marriage to binational couples. Source --upcoming events--> Chicago: Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info Springfield: Day of Decision: Gather at 5:30pm at the Illinois Supreme Court Building (202 E Capitol). More Info --articles--> Iowa ruling renews gay marriage push in Illinois, by Allison Ryan Source --------------------------------------------- USA, INDIANA: --upcoming events--> Indianapolis: Day of Decision: Gather at City County Building - Corner of Washington and Delaware St. 2PM until nightfall. If you can't make it at 2PM, We will be there ALL DAY. Please join us as soon as you are done with Work or School. We need EVERYONE out in FORCE to make this a success!!! More Info --------------------------------------------- USA, MASSACHUSETTS: --upcoming events--> Boston: Day of Decision: Gather at 7pm at Copley Plaza. More Info --------------------------------------------- USA, MISSOURI: --news--> 5/4: Missouri's only gay state senator married in Iowa last weekend. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, NEW HAMPSHIRE: --news--> 5/11: Gov. Lynch has three choices with the bill, which legalizes civil marriage between two men or two women but exempts religious institutions from having to perform marriages between same-sex couples: He could sign the bill into law, he could veto it, or he could let it become law without his signature. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, NEW YORK: --upcoming events--> Albany: Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. Source New York: --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. More Info --Day of Decision: Gathering planned the day of decision. More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, NORTH CAROLINA: --upcoming events--> Charlottesville: Day of Decision: Gathering planned at 6pm. More Info Durham: 5/12: The International Day Against Homophobia (Idaho) Conference will take place at County Hall on Tuesday, when speakers including Durham Constabulary’s assistant chief constable Michael Barton and Chris Enzor, chief prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, will focus on hate crime. More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, PENNSYLVANIA: --upcoming events--> New Hope: 5/15-5/17: New Hope: Pride More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, TEXAS: --upcoming events--> Dallas: --Day of Decision: Queer Liberaction, a local direct action group organized in the wake of Prop 8's passage last November, is already planning to hold a rally at 7 p.m. at the intersection of Cedar Springs Road and Oak Lawn Avenue on the Day of Decision, when the CA Supreme Court announces their decision. More Info --Ongoing: Dallas: Queer Liberaction meetings, 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at Buli Cafe, located at 3908 Cedar Springs. Meetings start at 7 pm. More Info Houston: Day of Decision: Gathering planned at 5:30pm on the day of decision. For more information, contact Meghan Baker: More Info San Antonio: Day of Decision: Rally on the day of the California Supreme Court decision on Prop 8. More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, WASHINGTON --upcoming events--> Seattle: Day of Decision: Gather at 5pm at Westlake Corner Park, 400 Pine Street. More Info ----------------------------------------------- fini