Tag Archives: marriage equality

Same-Sex Marriage Legalized In Costa Rica [VIDEO]

Agence France-Presse reports: Costa Rica legalised same-sex marriage on Tuesday, becoming the first Central American country to do so and sparking an emotional response from rights campaigners as the first weddings were held overnight. Celebrations were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but a special program about LGBT rights was broadcast on public television and online after a court ruling …

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Prop 8 Attorneys Seek To Block Release Of Trial Video

Law.com reports: The attorneys who defended Proposition 8, the ill-fated 2008 ballot initiative that barred same-sex marriage in California, are pressing a federal court to block the public release of the video recording of the landmark 2010 trial that concluded the ban was unconstitutional. Charles Cooper, founding member of the Washington litigation boutique Cooper & Kirk, argued in a motion …

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Putin Backs Constitutional Ban On Same-Sex Marriage

Reuters reports: President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia would not legalize gay marriage as long as he was in the Kremlin. He made clear he would not allow the traditional notion of mother and father to be subverted. “As far as ‘parent number 1’ and ‘parent number 2’ goes, I’ve already spoken publicly about this and I’ll repeat it …

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Same-Sex Marriage Begins In Northern Ireland [VIDEO]

RTE news reports: Two Belfast women have become the first same-sex partners to get married in Northern Ireland. Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, tied the knot at 2pm in Carrickfergus, just outside Belfast, following the landmark law change last year championed by the Love Equality campaign. “We didn’t expect to be the first couple, it’s coincidental,” said Ms …

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South Dakota Rep Seeks To Ban Same-Sex Marriage

Sioux Falls’ CBS News affiliate reports: Rep. Tony Randolph, a Republican from Rapid City, introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit the state from enforcing, endorsing or favoring policies that cover a range of activities that involve members of the LGBTQ community. In short, the bill wants the state to not enforce, endorse and favor policies that allow same-sex marriage, …

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Church Of England: Sorry For Hurting Your Feelings By Saying Sex Is Only For Straights But Rules Are Rules

File this one under sorry not sorry: The Church of England will not be withdrawing guidance that said sex is only for “heterosexual married couples”. But the archbishops of Canterbury and York are “very sorry and recognise the division and hurt” last week’s statement caused. Justin Welby [photo] and John Sentamu say the statement “jeopardised trust”. It came ahead of …

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Texas AG Sides With Judge Who Won’t Marry Gays

The Waco Tribune-Herald reports: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will not defend a state agency being sued for its decision to sanction a Waco judge who refuses to perform same-sex marriages. Dianne Hensley, a justice of the peace who officiates marriages between men and women but refuses to perform marriages for same-sex couples, received a public warning late last year …

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Virginia House Repeals 2006 Same-Sex Marriage Ban

So many advances in Virginia with more to come: Virginia’s House of Delegates on Tuesday officially repealed a 2006 amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage. “We just voted for Del. @nancyguyva’s bill to repeal the statuary [sic] code that unconstitutionally and unenforceably bans marriage equality in Virginia,” tweeted Virginia Del. Danica Roem (D), the first openly trans woman …

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Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal In Northern Ireland

The BBC reports: From Monday, same-sex couples will be able to register to marry, meaning the first ceremonies will take place in February. For couples who are already married, their marriage will now be legally recognised in Northern Ireland. However, those who are already in a civil partnership will not be able to convert it to a marriage at this …

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Franklin Graham “Sad” Over Split In Methodist Church

“I’m not a Methodist, but I do appreciate and want to encourage those in the United Methodist Church who are standing with what the Word of God teaches. After voting to ban same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy last year, reports now say that the denomination will soon split over the issue. That is sad news. “Pray for the United Methodist …

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Methodist Church To Split Over Same-Sex Marriage

The New York Times reports: Leaders of the United Methodist Church, the second-largest Protestant domination in the nation, announced on Friday a plan that would formally split the church after years of division over same-sex marriage. Under the plan, which would sunder a denomination with 13 million members worldwide, a new “traditionalist Methodist” denomination would be created, and would continue …

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Tennessee Hate Group Files To Undo Marriage Equality

Nashville’s Fox News affiliate reports: Eleven Christian ministers and the Tennessee Independent Baptists for Religious Liberty (TIBRL) are challenging the legality of marriage certificates issued to same-sex couples. The group filed a Declaratory Order with the Tennessee Department of Health on Thursday, arguing while the state is following a federal order allowing same-sex couples to wed in the state, there …

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TEXAS: Judge Sues After Being Reprimanded For Not Performing “Offensive” Same-Sex Marriages [VIDEO]

The Waco Tribune reports: McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley is suing the Texas agency that investigates judicial misconduct for issuing her a public warning earlier this month for refusing to perform same-sex marriages while continuing to marry [opposite sex] couples. Hensley, backed by the First Liberty Institute, filed a class-action petition in Waco’s 170th State District Court …

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Mormons Include Gay Couples On Genealogy Site

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: A year and a half ago, FamilySearch.org projected it would include same-sex parents and same-sex couples in its genealogy website sometime in 2019 — and it has, with three weeks to spare. The site, which is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced Tuesday that FamilySearch Family Tree now …

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Jury Orders Big Tobacco To Pay $157M To Gay Man After Husband Dies From Smoking-Related Cancer [VIDEO]

NBC News reports: A Florida jury has awarded a gay man more than $157 million in a wrongful death lawsuit after his husband died from lung cancer caused by smoking cigarettes, in what an attorney said is the first such case involving a same-sex married couple. Edward Caprio was diagnosed in 1996 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It would be …

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Cayman Islands Overturn Marriage Equality Ruling

The Cayman Compass reports: The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the government, overturning Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s previous ruling that legalised same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands. At the same time, however, the court ordered government to “expeditiously” provide Chantelle Day and her partner, Vickie Bodden Bush, with legal status equivalent to marriage, according to …

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TONIGHT: Northern Ireland To Get Marriage Equality

The Irish Post reports: Same-sex marriage and abortion are set to become legal in Northern Ireland for the first time. The changes are the result of amendments to a routine Commons Bill on the governance of Northern Ireland tabled by Labour Party backbenchers Conor McGinn and Stella Creasy. McGinn put forward a proposal calling for Westminster to legislate for same-sex …

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Hong Kong Court Rules Against Same-Sex Marriage

The South China Morning Post reports: A Hong Kong court on Friday turned down the city’s first judicial challenge for same-sex marriage and civil union partnerships, but urged the government to “undertake a comprehensive review” to save time and money from court actions arising from discrimination. Court of First Instance judge Mr Justice Anderson Chow ruled against a lesbian woman …

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Marco Rubio Blasts Elizabeth Warren’s Gay Marriage Joke As “Elitist Ridicule Of Traditional Values” [VIDEO]

The Hill reports: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) criticized Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) response to a town hall question about same-sex marriage earlier this week. On Warren’s response, Rubio tweeted Saturday, “Vividly captures the condescension of elites & their incessant ridicule of Americans with traditional values. It elicits glee among celebrities & blue check brigade.” “But for the millions sick of …

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Philippines High Court Boots Marriage Equality Case

CNN Philippines reports: The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea to legalize same-sex marriage in the country. The high court, in a statement Tuesday, said it junked the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Atty. Jesus Falcis due to its “lack of standing” and for “failing to raise an actual, justiciable controversy.” The court, despite acknowledging that the 1987 …

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