Gay Marriage Watch: May 31st-June 6th

Here's our Sunday weekly recap of the latest news on gay marriage from around the world.  Our favorite thing this week? New Hampshire becoming the 6th state to legalize gay marriage! Hero of the Week: OK, heroes this time - the students at Palm Springs High School, who held mock gay wedding ceremonies to protest Prop 8. A big shout out to the school's gay-straight alliance, 70 teenagers who know more about equality than many adults. Go, guys, go! Woody Award: Our woody award this week goes to letter writer Alan Laird on Ottumwa.com, for this lovely screed: Recently, I have read many letters comparing mixed-race marriage to gay marriage, but none have pointed out a major difference between the two. Mixed-race marriage is still a natural union between one man and one woman. Gay marriage is still a unnatural union between two men or two women. Mixed-race marriage is right, but gay marriage will never be right. Hmm... think I remember those good old "unnatural" mixing of the races arguments back when... Sadly, disagreeing with gay marriage is a crime in Canada and will be here if the gays have their way. Also, gay marriage does brainwash children by teaching the unnatural as “natural,” and such propaganda is clearly child abuse. OK, first off, disagreeing with gay marriage isn't a crime in Canada, or anywhere else, for that matter. While simply being gay is a crime in many countries, punishible by imprisonment or death. So let's try to keep a little perspective here, Mister Laird. And wow, child abuse? Really? Leaving aside the fact that being gay and gay marriage really isn't taught in the VAST majority of schools, even in gay Massachusetts, you really equate learning about how the world works with someone forcing sex on an underage child? Really? Some people claim that not allowing gays to “marry” is hateful, hurtful and oppressive. Really? How many gays have been driven from their homes and put in a detention camp or on a reservation? Have they been denied the right to vote, to hold public office or discriminated into the gutter? Such acts of hate have happened to Native Americans, Irish and others in this country. To my knowledge, this has not happened to gays. Let's see... how many gays were put into concentration camps and killed before and during WW2? From wikipedia: "Between 1933-45, an estimated 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals, of which some 50,000 were officially sentenced.... an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 of those sentenced were incarcerated in concentration camps.. the death rate of homosexuals in concentration camps may have been as high as 60%." OK, you've got me on the right to vote, but many gay and lesbian candidates have lost elections because of prejudice against their orientations. And thousands have been beaten, maimed and killed for being LGBT. Mister Laird has one thing right - our suffering and discrimination has not been exactly the same as any other minority group. But by that standard, no group should be given any rights - after all, were the indians kept as slaves? Were African Americans herded onto reservations? Were the Jews told they couldn't marry the Irish? We are equal under the law, but should people’s behavior be made equal? If equality for behavior is the goal, then ironically, most laws must be abolished since they do not allow certain types of behavior to be practiced freely. Do we really want a society where everyone has the “right” to do whatever they please regardless of how destructive and harmful that behavior is? Such a path will lead only to our ruin. Ah, the crown jewel. Gay people don't choose to be gay, so being gay is a behavior, so gay people deserve no rights. Mister Laird, when, exactly, did you choose to be straight? How long did you fight against the overwhelming urges to become gay? How alluring was the prospect of being scorned, spit upon, beaten, and deprived of your rights that you had to struggle to stay straight? I didn't think so. This, my friends, is the root of 90% of the prejudice out there. So let me spell it out, plaiun and simple. I didn't choose to be gay. I didn't wake up one morning and think, "Gee, I think I'll love a man today." I was born this way. I knew it, deep down inside when I was little, and all the fighting in the world will never change that fact. And I'm not going to sit down and shut up just because someone else's ignorance wants me to. Enjoy your woody, Mister Laird. And go out and meet a few gay people - you might be surprised what you discover. 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 ---------------------------------------------- CANADA: --news--> 6/2: In the first five years that gay marriage was legal in Quebec, more than 2,200 same-sex couples tied the knot in the province, a new study has found. Source ---------------------------------------------- CHINA: --news--> 6/4: The Domestic Violence Ordinance will have an amendment to include same sex couples, the Hong Kong Government have announced. However, the Government has been keen to stress that this will not mean the government will legally recognise same sex marriages or relationships in any other respect. Source ---------------------------------------------- GUAM: --news--> 6/2: Vice-Speaker BJ Cruz Wednesday introduced a bill on behalf of the Guam Youth Congress that would allow for same sex civil unions on Guam. Source 6/4: Governor Felix Camacho says he wasn't aware of Vice-Speaker B.J. Cruz's same-sex civil union bill, and Catholic leaders are coming out against it. Source ---------------------------------------------- NETHERLANDS: --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 ---------------------------------------------- PUERTO RICO: --news--> 6/5: Anti-gay marriage resolution 99 has falied. Source ---------------------------------------------- RUSSIA: --news--> 6/3: Gay rights activists in Moscow plan to take the city's rampantly homophobic mayor to court for insulting their dignity during an interview in which he said "queers" undermined a morally healthy society. Source ---------------------------------------------- SPAIN: --news--> 6/2: The Spanish Supreme Court has ruled that judges in lower courts or in local town halls cannot refuse to marry gay and lesbian couples. Source ---------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------- USA: --news--> 6/1: --Dick Cheney comes out in support of gay marriage. Source --President Obama issues proclamation on gay rights. Source 6/4: New Pew Reasearch Study shows 35% of all linked news stories from the blogoshere last week were on gay marriage, while the mainstream media devoted only 5% of its coverage to the topic. Source 6/5: A number of US newspapers are refusing to publish gay/lesbian wedding announcements. Source --upcoming events--> 6/3: Washington, DC: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). UAFA would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow a citizen to sponsor a same sex partner for citizenship. More Info --articles--> "Why can't you just be silent or ignore this issue? Why must you advocate for Gay Marriage?" by math4barack Source Gays push for partner immigration rights, by Matthew B. Stannard Source ---------------------------------------------- USA, ARIZONA: --news--> 6/3: Republican lawmakers plan to take away domestic partner benefits from state workers. Source ---------------------------------------------- USA, CALIFORNIA: --news--> 5/31: Hundreds of people waved signs and rallied at Fresno City Hall on Sunday to show support for the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage in California, a day after thousands marched in the area against the ban. Source 6/6: A handful of “marriage equality torches” were carried on foot, in cars and even on a unicycle to city halls around San Diego county yesterday by people protesting Proposition 8, the November state ballot initiative that stripped gays and lesbians of the right to marry. Source --upcoming events--> Elk Grove: 6/13: Canvassing event to legalize gay marriage, 9 AM. More Info Fresno: --6/14: Phone banking for Equality, 3 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 Fullerton: 6/9: Canvassing for marriage equality at Chapman Park, 12 PM. More Info Laguna Niguel: 7/25: canvassing for marriage equality, 12 PM. More Info Los Angeles: --6/12-6/14: Los Angeles Pride More Info --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: 6/14: Kickoff meeting for Merced County for Equality, 5-8 PM. More Info Mission Viejo: 6/7: Team Courage canvassing, 12 PM. More Info Mountain View/Sunnyvale: 8/22: Canvassing event, 11 AM. More Info Palm Springs: --10/17: Palm Springs Equality Awards More Info --11/7-11/8: Palm Springs Pride More Info Sacramento: 6/20: Sacramento Pride More Info San Diego: --6/7: Canvassing with Mama Bear Alliance Equality Team, 2 PM. More Info --7/18-7/19: San Diego Pride More Info San Francisco: --6/10: Team West San Francisco is holding a canvassing event in the Western Addition, 6:30 PM. More Info --6/10: One Struggle One Fight protests proposed HIV/AIDS budget cuts at SF City Hall, 10 AM-5 PM. More Info --6/11: One Struggle One Fight general meeting, 7-9 PM. More Info --6/27-6/28: San Francisco: Pride More Info San Jose: --San Jose Pride, 9 AM. More Info --6/20: San Jose Canvassing. More Info Santa Rosa: 6/14: At this meeting we will be discussing how Meet in the Middle went, current public relation strategies, our photo project fundraiser, and how we as a group can work with Marriage Equality to strengthen the local movement. At the Santa Rosa Dem Clubhouse, 4-5 PM. More Info Seal Beach: 6/20: Team Courage OC canvassing, 12-4 PM. More Info Tustin: 6/12: canvassing for marriage equality, 12 PM. More Info Visalia: 6/18: Come out and join the newest force to hit the central valley! The Tulare County Equality Team is gearing up for action! Join us and learn about the ways you can make a difference and get involved! 5:30-7:30 PM. More Info --articles--> Prop 8 is brain dead, by Arthur Salm Source ---------------------------------------------- USA, COLORADO: --news--> ---------------------------------------------- USA, GEORGIA: --news--> 6/3: Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears was “stumped” Tuesday on the issue of gay marriage. Source --------------------------------------------- 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 --------------------------------------------- USA, IOWA: --upcoming events--> 6/6: --Des Moines: A gay wedding expo is being organized Sunday by wedding planner Beau Fodor, who specializes in arranging weddings for same-sex couples from other states who wish to marry here. Iowa's Gay Wedding Expo is being held Sunday at the Downtown Holiday Inn. More Info --Appanoose, Davis and Monroe County has had no applicants. Jefferson County issued four licenses. Wapello County filed nine licenses. Polk County, which covers Des Moines, issued 193 same-sex marriage licenses in a little over a month. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, KANSAS: --news--> 6/6: For the first time in its history the Johnson County Community College is extending health benefits to domestic partners. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, KENTUCKY: --upcoming events--> Cincinnatti: 6/20: Equality - Don't Stop Believin', Kentucky Equality Federation's first major fundraiser will take place at Adonis in Cincinnati, with after party events taking place at Yadda Club in Covington, KY. More Info --------------------------------------------- USA, MARYLAND: --news--> 6/1: Maryland's attorney general is looking into whether the state can recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, MAINE: --news--> 6/1: A leader of efforts to repeal Maine's new gay marriage law through a people's veto referendum said nearly 5,000 petitions have been distributed so volunteers can collect signatures. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, MASSACHUSETTS: --news--> 6/2: Illinois Assembly adjourns without voting on civil unions bill. Source 6/4: Gay friendly church in Quincy, MA vandalized for the fourth time. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, NEW HAMPSHIRE: --news--> 6/1: House and senate to vote on amended gay marriage bill Wednesday, 6/3. Source 6/2: Pro gay marriage democrat elected to state House of Delegates in close special election race in New Hampshire. Source 6/3: --State senate votes for amended gay marriage bill, 14-10. Source --House passes gay marrriage bill 198-176, sends it to Governor Lynch for signature. Source --Governor Lynch signs the gay marriage bill - it will take effect January 1st, 2010. Source --------------------------------------------- USA, NEW YORK: --news--> 5/31: The group Western Queens for Marriage Equality co-sponsored a rally attended by close to 2,500 supporters. Source 6/1: --Proponents and opponents of gay marriage in New York have taken their duel to the airwaves as a gay marriage bill heads to the Senate. Source --New York legislators making last minute push for gay marriage bill. Source --According to Manhattan's Sen. Thomas Duane, he's got 32 senators locked up to pass the gay marriage bill, though he's not yet naming names. Source 6/2: Another four no votes and New York becomes another state that tries and fails to legalize same-sex marriage. That's the findings from the public survey of 62 senators Capital Tonight conducted Tuesday. Source 6/4: --Gay marriage bill still awaiting action in the state Senate. Source --Governor Paterson pushes for Senate action on gay marriage bill. Source 6/5: New York Senate leader says there aren't enough votes in the Senate to pass the gay marriage bill. Source 6/6: --Gay marriage debated in Binghampton, NY as Pride begins. Source --Republican Senator moves from undecided to no on gay marriage. Source --Buffalo's mayor opened gay pride there while reiterating his support of civil unions - not gay marriage. Source --Gay marriage is the main theme for Staten Island Pride. Source 6/7: --Democratic Senator from Buffalo seen as swing vote on gay marriage bill. Source --Democratic Senator from Oneida moves from "no" vote to undecided on gay marriage bill. Source --Democratic Senator from the Bronx also undecided on gay marriage bill. Source --As Albany celebrates gay pride, there's uncertainty in the air over gay marriage. 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--> Vote on Gay Marriage, from the NY Times Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, NEVADA: --news--> 5/31: --The state Senate voted 14-7 to overturn Gov. Gibbon's veto of domestic partner bill. Source --The Assembly followed suit, voting 28-14 to complete the override - the bill takes effect on October 1st. Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, NORTH CAROLINA: --upcoming events--> Asheville: 6/13: Join us in Asheville as we stand together in solidarity for the civil rights of LGBTQ people in North Carolina. 12-3PM. More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, OHIO: --news--> 6/6: Columbus City Schools is poised to become one of the first public districts in Ohio to offer benefits to most employees' same-sex partners, a move that is drawing fire from some in the union. Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, PENNSYLVANIA: --news--> 6/3: Evangelist sues Philadelphia for the third time over free speech issues at gay pride events. Source --upcoming events--> Philadelphia: 6/14: Philadelphia Pride More Info ----------------------------------------------- USA, RHODE ISLAND: --news--> 6/2: State senate unanimously approved a bill giving "domestic partners'' the right to claim the bodies of - and make funeral arrangements for - their loved ones. Source 6/6: Supporters of same-sex marriage are rallying at the Rhode Island Statehouse in support of a bill that would allow gay couples to wed. Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, WASHINGTON --news--> 6/2: Members of Washington-based WhoSigned.org plan to shine a light on those who sign petitions for Referendum 71, an attempt by religious and conservative groups to overturn the state's 2009 Domestic Partner Expansion Bill. Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, WASHINGTON DC --news--> 5/31: Organizers of Meet in the Middle, a Fresno-based same-sex marriage rally, announced an October 10th-11th march on Washington, D.C. Source 6/2: 100 DSC clergy members came out in support of gay marriage. Source --upcoming events--> 6/10: Hearing on public referendum on gay marriage. More Info --articles--> Same-Sex Marriage Bill Divides District Clergy, from News8.net Source ----------------------------------------------- USA, WISCONSIN --news--> 6/2: On Friday, a Wisconsin trial court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of lesbian state employees and their partners seeking domestic partner health insurance and family leave protections. Source 6/4: Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee approves extending health insureance, retirerement benefits, and more to domestic partners of state employees. Source ----------------------------------------------- fini