Tag Archives: marriage equality

NY Sen. Malcolm Smith: No Gay Marriage For NY This Year

Speaking at a Human Rights Campaign function on Saturday, New York Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said there was not yet enough support for marriage equality in the Senate for a winning vote in 2009. Mr. Smith said that while he and his fellow Democrats were committed to legalizing marriage between gay and lesbian couples, there were not yet enough …

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Wyoming: No Prop 8 For Us

Today the Wyoming legislature voted down a public referendum on same-sex marriage. The Wyoming House has voted down a bill that would have allowed Wyoming voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to deny state recognition of same-sex marriages. Rep. Owen Petersen, R-Lyman, sponsored House Joint Resolution 17. It failed by a vote of 35-25 after frequently emotional …

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Vermont Marriage Bill Introduced

A marriage equality bill was introduced today in Vermont’s House of Representatives, although it may not be voted on during the current session. A bill that would allow same-sex unio A bill that would allow same-sex unions was introduced in the Legislature, causing a crowd of about several hundred supporters to gather at the Statehouse in celebration. “This really is …

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Please Don’t Divorce Us – The Video

Six weeks ago I told you about the Courage Campaign’s request for photo submissions to their “Please Don’t Divorce Us” project. Here’s the lovely video they’ve created from the photos.

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9th Circuit Court Rules Against DOMA

This is MAJOR, people. Via Jen Nedeau at Change.org: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals just ordered Federal Health Insurance Benefits for same sex married couples. The case involves Deputy Federal Public Defender Brad Levenson, who married Tony Sears last July 12, and 9th Circuit staff lawyer Karen Golinski, who married Amy Cunninghis last year. The LA Observer reported today …

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NY Man Wins Inheritance Rights To Partner’s Estate

In the first case of its kind, a New York judge has ruled that the surviving partner of a gay couple married in Canada has the right to inherit his deceased partner’s estate. Recognizing the validity of a same-sex marriage between New Yorkers contracted in Canada, a Manhattan surrogate has ruled that a man is entitled to inherit the entire …

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Gay Nazis Are After Maureen Mullarkey!!!

New York artist and art critic Maureen Mullarkey is pissed off about all the negative attention she’s getting after the NY Daily News uncovered her $1000 donation to Yes On 8. Artist Maureen Mullarkey, known in the gay community for paintings depicting drag queens and scenes inspired by gay pride parades, responded to criticism of her donation to the campaign …

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Prop 8 Hearing On March 5th

Via the National Center For Lesbian Rights: The California Supreme Court announced today that it will hear oral arguments on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in the Proposition 8 legal challenge. The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU—with support from civil rights groups, religious organizations, labor unions, and legal scholars—argue that Proposition 8 is invalid because the …

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Maureen Mullarkey, Prop 8 Supporter

Maureen Mullarkey, the art critic and artist well-known to the gay community for her iconic portraits of drag queens and gay pride parades, was yesterday revealed by the NY Daily News to have contributed $1000 to Proposition 8. Maureen Mullarkey, 66, made her sizable contribution to the National Organization for Marriage’s “Yes on 8” fund in June, a Daily News …

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Divorce For Mass.’s First Gay Marriage

The lesbian couple who were the lead plaintiffs in the case that brought marriage equality to Massachusetts is divorcing after four years. The gay couple whose court battle led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts has filed for divorce. Hillary and Julie Goodridge, who share custody of their 12-year-old daughter, filed divorce papers in Suffolk Probate Court last …

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Arranged Marriage Reality Show For CBS

Forget the Bachelor, Married By America, and all those other reality shows that demonstrate the God-ordained sanctity of one-man/one-woman marriage. CBS is treading into potentially controversial reality TV territory again. The network has ordered a new series from the producers of “Top Chef” that puts lovelorn singles into arranged marriages. The show introduces four adults age approximately 25-45 who are …

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Broadway Friday

— Equus star Daniel Radcliffe had his caricature added to the walls of Sardi’s this week. The show closes on Feb. 8th. — Tom Wopat returns to the cast of Chicago on Feb. 16th. — Drag king stand-up comedian Murray Hill will host his annual Oscars party at Joe’s Pub on Feb.22nd. $15 advance, $20 at the door. — Freebie: …

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Virginia Marriage Ban Repeal Fails

Today Virginia lawmakers refused to allow a bill repealing that state’s ban on same-sex marriage to come to a vote. Lawmakers on the Privileges & Elections subcommittee in the Republican-controlled state House voted 7-1 to pass indefinitely on the initiative, meaning lawmakers would not take up the measure again this session. The measure, H.J. 657, would have repealed the Marshall-Newman …

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Six Ohio Churches Join In Marriage Protest

Congregations at six Ohio churches have agreed that their clergy will not sign marriage licenses until same-sex marriage is legal there. Clergy at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Cleveland no longer will sign state marriage licenses until gay unions are legal in Ohio. That means heterosexual couples exchanging wedding vows at the 461-member church in the Tremont neighborhood …

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CA Readies For Prop 8 Hearing

All the parties have submitted their briefs in advance of the March hearing by the California Supreme Court as to whether to overturn Proposition 8. The marriage equality side contends that Prop 8 is invalid for three reasons: — It had such a drastic impact on individual rights that it amounted to a revision of the Constitution, not merely an …

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Washington State Goes For
“Everything But Marriage”

Lawmakers in Washington state are submitting a bill that will offer same-sex couples all the rights and responsibilities of marriage – but not the name. Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, who sponsored the state’s domestic partnership law in 2007, is sponsoring the expansion bill in the Senate this year; Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, is sponsoring the measure in the House. A …

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HRC’s “State To State” Report

The Human Rights Campaign has published their “State To State” report, a comprehensive listing of what legislation may be coming regarding LGBT rights in every state in 2009 as well as what happened in 2008. Their summary for the coming year: · Marriage equality: Maine, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont are expected to take up legislation. In addition, Iowa’s …

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No On 8 Says “We Messed Up”

Rex Wockner has posted a recapping of the Equality Summit now going on in California, where leaders of the marriage equality movement there have expressed regret over hiring professional lobbyists to run the No On 8 campaign. An excerpt: More than 400 gay activists gathered at the Los Angeles Convention Center Jan. 24 to organize and strategize to win back …

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Just Issued: Guide To Your Rights As A Gay New Yorker Married Out Of State

The Empire State Pride Agenda, the ACLU, the NYCLU, and Lambda Legal have collaborated to create a document called Your Government Respects Your Marriage: Developments in New York State Agency Recognition of Same-Sex Couples’ Out-of-State Marriages. View the complete publication here. (PDF) From the NYCLU press release: “Couples in New York who have never known true security for their families …

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Texas Blocks Gay Divorce

The Texas Attorney General has blocked the divorce of the first gay couple to test state laws on the issue. Attorney General Greg Abbott said that since Texas law prohibits same-sex marriages and civil unions, the men could not be divorced in Texas since their union is not recognized to exist in Texas. The men, who have asked that their …

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