Gay Marriage Watch: June 14th-20th
Here's our Sunday weekly recap of the latest news on gay marriage from around the world. Our favorite thing of the week?
Hero of the Week:
This week, our hero is the straight, once conservative but now staunchly liberal blogger Gad at Daily Kos,
against a particularly nasty right winger who asked "If your lifestyle isn't wrong, then why are you always so ashamed when we tell you what we think of you?"
A (small) part of Gad's response:
"You have also made the ridiculous assumption that LGBT people are ashamed. This could not be further from the truth. I marched with hundreds of gay and lesbian people and have never sensed such unity and confidence in my life. They do not fight because they are ashamed, they fight because they want equality from our government. They do not care what you think of their relationship, they only desire the simple protection and equal recognition from our government. So, to quote your picture, why are they so ashamed when you tell them what you think of them? They're not. Your false sense of superiority is laughable. Your inflated sense of self importance would be funny if it weren't so unbelievably hurtful."
Go, Gad, go!
Woody Award:
Our woody award this week goes to Greg Nelson in Michigan, a columnist who wrote this week about why he dislikes gay marriage. He can't really give much of a reason, other than "It's just not natural."
But here's what tops the cake for me on this one:
"And I'm certainly not a homophobic. I know several homosexuals and I don't have a problem with them living together, but I just can't see any reason good enough to permit two men or two women to legally marry."
OK, first things first. Whenever someone says "I'm not homophobic" and then goes on to call us "homosexuals", you know, at the very least, that there's some casual homophobia going on here.
Just like when someone says "some of my best friends are black", or worse, "some of my best friends are colored," this is one of those things you don't need to say if you don't have at least some negative feeling towards gays and lesbians.
And the word itself, homosexual, focuses solely on the sexual aspect of our lives. You know, the one that makes many straight guys go "eeew." It's an intentional tool that's often used to slant stories against our community - check out One News Now, or any of the other far right sites, and you'll regularly see the word "gay" taken out and replaced with the word "himosexual." Why? Because the use of that word devalues us - it reduces our community to the lowest common denominator, something that brings out the worst in people when they react to us.
And as for not seeing any good reason for gay marriage, how about to provide security to our relationships? How about to prevent us from having to pay extra taxes because we can't file as a married couple? How about for any of the more than a thousand rights and responsibilities that come with marriage which are denied to our community? And how about the simple fact that "we're married" gets you in to see your partner when they are mortally ill in the hospital, while "she/he's my partner does not?
I'm sorry, Mister Nelson. Sure, you may not be actively homophobic. You may not be out on the street calling us queer and faggot. But your casual attitude toward the gay and lesbian community causes just as much damage, maybe more.
Enjoy your woody, Mister Nelson!
Runner-up goes to David Usher, who wrote a chapter in a new book on gay and lesbian families, where he claims that allowing gay marriage is in fact "organized statutory discrimination based on sex (particularly with regard to natural reproductive ability and the social, political, parental , and economic rights that exist only when one is a fully-vested participant in heterosexual marriage)" - in other words, gay marriage does not right a societal wrong against gay couples - it actually discriminates against straight couples by no longer allowing them to be the only ones who can get married.
Take a moment to wrap your head around that one. By Mister Usher's logic, the civil rights laws of the 60's were actually discriminatory against whites, because they were no longer allowed to be the only ones who had those civil rights.
Nice try, Mister Usher - no woody for you!
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 now publish updates daily, and a weekly recap on Sundays.
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
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AUSTRALIA:
--news-->
6/16: A new poll showing about 60 percent of Australians support same-sex marriage has prompted a new push for changes to the Federal Marriage Act. Source
6/19: Ian Hunter, a South Australian Labor MP spoke in Parliament yesterday about how much he wants to marry his partner, and how wrong it is for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to continue to stand in the way of gay marriage in Australia. Source
--upcoming events-->
Sydney: 8/1: The organisers of a huge protest for gay marriage in New South Wales hope over 400 same-sex couples set a world record by sharing vows on Saturday 1 August, as Australia's LGBT community continues to fight for gay marriage. Source
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GUAM:
--news-->
Guam- Senators Frank Blas Jr. and Tina Muna Barnes have introduced a measure to change the definition of marriage in Guam from two persons to one man and one woman. Source
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NETHERLANDS:
--news-->
--upcoming events-->
Amsterdam: 7/31-8/2: Organizers of Amsterdam Gay Pride have announced that during the celebration in August, Mayor Marius Job Cohen will marry five same-sex couples compromised of one American and one Dutch national. The action commemorates the 400 years of links between the Dutch and the American city they called New Amsterdam, with the hope it will inspire progress toward full marriage equality in the United States. More Info
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RUSSIA:
--news-->
6/15: A lesbian couple has challenged authorities' refusal to register their marriage at the Moscow Tverskoy District Court, sexual minority organizations said on Monday. Source
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UGANDA:
--news-->
6/18: Gay rights activists have held a three-day workshop on human rights at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe. Source
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UNITED KINGDOM:
--upcoming events-->
Cardiff: 10/4: Gay wedding show. More Info
Manchester: 10/18: Gay wedding show. More Info
Brighton: 11/15: Gay wedding show. More Info
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USA:
--news-->
6/15: The mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco on Sunday joined the chorus of voices rising against the new U.S. Department of Justice brief that defends the Defense of Marriage Act, reports the Los Angeles Times . Source
6/16:
--Howard Dean on the Obama administration DOMA brief: “The language in this brief is really offensive and it really is a terrible mistake,” said Dean. “I doubt very much the president knew this was coming. I don’t think for a minute this represents the president’s position. But he is now going to have to dig himself out of this, because people are really upset about this, not just in the gay and lesbian community, but in the community of people who are interested in equal rights.” Source
--A prominent gay-rights organization, long supportive of President Barack Obama, sent him a scathing letter Monday to protest the administration's recent legal backing of the Defense of Marriage Act. Source
--Two prominent gay figures, activist David Mixner and widely-read blogger Andy Towle, have pulled out of a Democratic National Committee fundraiser later this month amid growing calls to confront the administration at what was supposed to be its first large scale opportunity to bring in gay cash. Source
--President Barack Obama, under growing criticism for not seeking to end the ban on openly gay men and women in the military, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Source
6/17:
--A plaintiff in a lawsuit against the federal Defense of Marriage Act will be allowed to get a U.S. passport in his married name, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders announced on Wednesday. Source
--A survey carried out by the Williams Institute has predicted that legalising gay marriage across America could boost US Economy by $9.5 Billion. Source
-- It's President Obama's first foray into the issue since taking office, but now a delay in rewarding federal workers time off to care for sick partners has angered gay rights supporters and is drawing fire from all sides. Source
6/19:
--Vermont Senator Shumlin withdraws from the DNC fundraising event - Shumlin was scheduled to be an honored guest. Source
--The White House said Thursday it was seeking ways to include same-sex marriages, unions and partnerships in 2010 Census data, the second time in a week the administration has signaled a policy change of interest to the gay community. Source
--articles-->
Being Gay is Not a Choice, by Bill Griffith Source
Straight Parent for Marriage Equality & Homosexual Education in School, by Gad Source
NYT Slams 'Disturbing' Department of Justice DOMA Brief, from Towleroad.com Source
A Bad Call on Gay Rights, from the NY Times Source
Obama's Defense of Marriage Defense, by Jon Carroll Source
President Obama Has Not Betrayed the Gay Community, by Chris Geidner Source
Why the Gay Rights Movement Has No National Leader, by Jeremy W. Peters Source
Every Gay Wedding Should Be Pink and Green, by Sterling Kekoa Source
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USA, ALASKA:
--news-->
6/19: An Anchorage, Alaska gay protections bill is likely doomed as public sentiment turns sour, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Source
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USA, CALIFORNIA:
--news-->
6/15: A lesbian was barred from visiting her partner and giving advice about her treatment at a Fresno hospital. Source
6/19: A new Los Angeles Times poll shows that a substantial majority of voters in Los Angeles support the right of same-sex couples to legally marry, with 56% in favor and 37% opposed. Source
--upcoming events-->
Aliso Viejo: 7/25: Team Courage OC Canvass for Equality, 12 PM. More Info
Cotati: 6/22: "Make it Work" kickoff canvassing event! 6 PM. More Info
Eureka: 6/21: Equality Team "Make it Work" Kickoff Meeting, 6 PM. More Info
Fresno:
--6/22: "Make it Work" phone banking For Equality, 5:30 PM. More Info
--6/27: Gala at the Galleria (Fundraiser): Get refreshed, body and spirit! Come join us at Teazer’s in Downtown Fresno’s Galleria from 2-4pm, Saturday, June 27, as we work to help the Courage Campaign fund more Camp Courage trainings! 2-4 PM. More Info
--6/29: Phone banking For Equality, 5:30 PM. More Info
Fullerton: 8/9: Canvassing for Marriage Equality with Team Courage OC- Fullerton, 12 PM. More Info
Hayward:
--6/12: Canvass Training! Alameda County Equality Team, 2 PM. More Info
--7/18: Come Canvass in Hayward! Alameda County Equality Team, 1 PM. More Info
Hollywood: 6/21: Equality Team "Make it Work" Kickoff, 5 PM. More Info
Irvine: 6/27: Get engaged tour event, 4:30-7 PM. More Info
Laguna Niguel: 7/25: canvassing for marriage equality, 12 PM. More Info
La Jolla: 6/27: "Make it Work" Kickoff Meeting with San Diego Metro Equality Team, 12 PM. More Info
Los Angeles:
--7/9-7/19: Outfest is the oldest continuous film festival in Southern California. Since its founding in 1982, Outfest has presented more than 4,500 films and videos for audiences of over half a million people. More Info
--8/1: Los Angeles Equality Awards. More Info
--Every Monday: LA Equal Roots Meeting. More Info
Los Banos: 6/22: "Make it Work" phone bank, 6:30 PM. More Info
Mendocino: 6/30: Get engaged tour event, 7:30-9:30 PM. More Info
Merced: 8/22: Merced County Equality Team introduction, 6 PM. More Info
Mountain View/Sunnyvale: 8/22: Canvassing event, 11 AM. More Info
North Hollywood: 6/21: "Make it Work" San Fernando Valley Equality Team Kickoff, 3 PM. More Info
Oceanside: 6/24: Get engaged tour event, 6:30-8:30 PM. More Info
Pacifica: 7/14: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
Palm Springs:
--10/17: Palm Springs Equality Awards More Info
--11/7-11/8: Palm Springs Pride More Info
--7/8: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
Palo Alto: 6/29: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
Rocklin: 6/21: Equality Star Search II & "Make it Work" Team Meeting, 6 PM. More Info
Sacramento: 6/28: Neighborhood Walk (aka Canvassing) in Natomas, 12 PM. More Info
San Diego:
--7/18-7/19: San Diego Pride More Info
--6/22: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
--7/1: Get engaged tour event, 6-8 PM. More Info
San Francisco:
--6/25: One Struggle One Fight general meeting, 7-9 PM. More Info
--6/27-6/28: San Francisco: Pride More Info
--7/3: Panel: Prop 8 is Going Down! Winning Gay Marriage in California, 7-9 PM at the Women's Building on 18th St. More Info
--7/15: Torie Osborn: The Fierce Urgency of Now: Toward a New American Movement in the Obama Era (Special Presentation), at The Commenwealth Club, 5:30-7:30. More Info
San Jose: 6/30: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
San Mateo: 6/22: Get engaged tour event, 6-8 PM. More Info
Santa Rosa: 7/1: Get engaged tour event, 7-9 PM. More Info
Sunnyvale: 8/22: Canvassing in Mountain View/Sunnyvale with the Santa Clara Equality Team (Equality Team Event), 11 AM-4 PM. More Info
Tustin: 7/12: Canvassing for Marriage Equality with Team Courage OC- Tustin, 12 PM. More Info
Victorville: 6/21: High Desert "Make It Work" Kickoff Meeting. More Info
Walnut Creek: 7/12: Get engaged tour event, 2-4 PM. More Info
--articles-->
California’s Next Gay Marriage Vote, by Josh Goodman Source
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USA, GEORGIA:
--articles-->
6/18: The new leaders of the Georgia Supreme Court provide a mixed bag on gay issues. Source
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USA, ILLINOIS:
--upcoming events-->
Westmont: 6/30: Green Party Forum “Civil Unions, Equal Marriage and Straights: How marriage equality in Illinois benefits everyone.” The forum will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, at the Westmont Public Library, 428 N. Cass, Westmont, IL. More Info
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USA, MAINE:
--news-->
6/18: Gay marriage foes in Maine have hired the California firm that led the successful Prop 8 proposal to overturn same-sex marriage The public relations firm Schubert Flint Public Affairs will manage the campaign to repeal Maine's gay marriage law, just as it did in California. Source
6/21: Signature gatherers for an anti-gay-marriage petition are telling signers the petition is in support of gay marriage. Source
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USA, MICHIGAN:
--articles-->
MY TAKE - Hate leads to terror, by Mike Bergman Source
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USA, NEW HAMPSHIRE:
--news-->
6/21: Anti-gay marriage activist named to the New Hampshire Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Source
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USA, NEW JERSEY:
--news-->
6/15: One of the first towns to embrace the state's civil union and domestic partnership laws is now pushing to expand the rights for same-sex couples they established. Source
6/21: Gov. Corzine has made "marriage equality" for gays and lesbians a prominent piece of his reelection campaign, taking another step in his conversion on the issue and encouraging gay-rights advocates who hope to see same-sex marriage approved in New Jersey this year. Source
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USA, NEW YORK:
--news-->
6/15:
--Sen. Hiram Monserrate has confirmed speculation that he'll return to the Democratic fold (at least for today), deadlocking the Senate at 31-31 unless his erstwhile fellow renegade, Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., decides to follow suit. Source
--NY gay marriage advocates keeping up the fight. Source
6/18: A national organization that lobbies against gay marriage is threatening to boot out Republican senators that vote in favor of a gay marriage bill waiting for Senate approval to become law in New York. Source
6/19: NY city has revoked the marriage license of two men who obtained it while one of them was dressed as a woman. Source
6/20: The New York State Bar Association now backs gay marriage. Source
6/21: Gov. David A. Paterson is threatening to call a special session of the State Senate for Wednesday if senators don’t quickly approve dozens of important measures that have been languishing since the June 8 coup. Source
--upcoming events-->
Brooklyn: 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. More Info
--articles-->
40 Years After Stonewall: New York's Role in the Movement, by Andy Hamm Source
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USA, NEVADA:
--news-->
6/17: Nevada Senator John Ensign admitted Tuesday he had an affair with a former staffer, the Los Angeles Times reported. Source
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USA, OHIO:
--news-->
6/20: Ohio’s leading anti-gay group says it will come to Cleveland to organize an effort to put the city’s new partner registry on a 2010 ballot--if local opponents invite them. Source
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USA, PENNSYLVANIA:
--news-->
Repiblican state senator John Eichelberger on why gay couples in Pennsylvania should be happy the state wants to deny them marriage: "They’re not being punished. We’re allowing them to exist... We’re just not rewarding them with any special designation." Source
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USA, RHODE ISLAND:
--news-->
6/15: Supporters and even some opponents expect that Rhode Island will legalize same-sex marriage, although they say that legalization is two or three years away. Source
6/21: A bill to legalize gay marriage continues to languish, along with many other bills. Source
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USA, TENNESSEE:
--news-->
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USA, UTAH:
--news-->
6/20: A record number of supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community gathered Saturday for the fifth annual Human Rights Campaign Gala and Silent Auction, held this year at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. Source
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USA, WASHINGTON DC:
--news-->
6/15:
--The Washington D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics is expected to rule this week on whether to allow a gay marriage question to go before voters. Source
--DC Pride focuses on gay marriage. Source
6/16:
--Yesterday the DC Board of Elections and Ethics rejected Bishop Harry Jackson's efforts to put recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states to a referendum. Source
--The group behind an unsuccessful effort to get the D.C. elections board to put the issue of same-sex marriage to a referendum plans to challenge the board's decision in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday. Source
6/21: Obama officials plan conference call for 6/22 with DNC LGBT Caucus. Source
--articles-->
Gay Marriage Referendum Goes to Court, by Kirk Source
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USA, WISCONSIN:
--news-->
6/18: a long-fought battle for domestic partnerships in Wisconsin was won as the Senate passed the biennial state budget by a vote of 17-16. Source
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