Marriage Equality

We know somebody who’ll be VERY unhappy about this. CNN Philippines reports: Should he win the national elections, presidential candidate Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte said he would consider legalizing same-sex marriage if a proposal is presented to him. “If it reaches me in whatever capacity, I’ll consider it,” Duterte said on Thursday (February 18). The Davao City mayor said the law …

This is major, especially for a Japanese corporation. Rocket News 24 reports: Panasonic, the Japanese electronics producer and one of the Olympic Games’ biggest sponsors, announces sweeping policy changes. LGBT rights in Japan have been in the headlines quite a bit the last few years, but today it looks like the LGBT community can count another win: Osaka-based Panasonic has …

Tomorrow Colombia may join Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay and become the fourth South American nation to legalize same-sex marriage. From our very own Perchy Bird: Originally, the [Supreme] Court’s website wrote that the debate on the issue of whether gay couples can marry and if existing marriages performed by civil court judges should be annulled was planned on February 4th, …

Finland’s parliament today finalized the details of the marriage equality law which goes into effect in March 2017: Parliament has approved legal changes that will allow same-sex couples in registered partnerships to convert their legal status to ‘married’ by notifying the authorities. MPs voted in favour of the legislation by 106 votes to 42. The move also eliminates registered partnerships …

Ohio Gov. John Kasich was confronted today by a gay college student who demanded to know his positions on same-sex marriage and LGBT rights. What followed was interesting: “If I see discrimination in anything, like I said earlier, I’m willing to do what I can,” Kasich said. “Whether it’s executive order or legislation. That’s fine with me. As for marriage …

Via USA Today: Spc. Shane Adriano and Pfc. Tristian Resz chose the Greene County Courthouse as a venue because they wanted something small and intimate for their Feb. 11 wedding. It was to be just the happy couple, a few supportive friends and a judge. But after they shared their “first married kiss” photo on Facebook, their small ceremony turned …

Sky News reports: Lyle Shelton, the head of the Australian Christian Lobby, says if Australia legalises same-sex marriage people could assume heterosexual men such as himself are gay. Speaking to Sky News on Sunday Mr Shelton says if there is a change to the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples it could no longer be assumed that ‘millions of …

Moments ago President Obama tweeted the above image with this message: “No matter who you are or whom you love, celebrate #Valentines Day with pride. #LoveIsLove.” We’re sure Ryan Anderson is unhappy. As you’ll see below, Ben Shapiro definitely is.

Marco Rubio has recruited some anti-LGBT activists to create an advisory board on how to repeal same-sex marriage. Topping the list of recruits is crackpot Heritage Foundation hater Ryan T. Anderson. Via press release from the Rubio campaign: This morning, the Marco Rubio for President campaign is excited to announce the formation of Marco Rubio’s Marriage & Family Advisory Board. …

Last month the head of the Russian Orthodox Church declared that young men become terrorists because they are outraged about gay pride parades. Today he is in Cuba with Pope Francis for the first meeting between the heads of their churches in over 1000 years. With ten centuries worth of bickering to discuss, naturally the first thing they did was …

By a 20-19 vote, today the Virginia Senate approved a bill which allows government employees to refuse to officiate same-sex marriages because Jesus. The bill was sponsored by GOP state Sen. Charles Carrico [photo], who has introduced a slew of other anti-LGBT bills. Democratic Virginia state Sen. Adam Ebbin reacts via press release: Senator Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria) expressed deep …

The Associated Press reports: Already indicted on felony securities fraud charges, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will face an ethics investigation for advising local officials they could refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses on religious grounds. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal in June. A month later, a complaint filed and co-signed by more than 200 attorneys said …

The Kentucky County Clerks Association says it wants to avoid having to ask “which is which” when they fill out the bride and groom portion of marriage licenses for same-sex couples. The Richmond Register reports: A state Senate committee gave approval to a bill that would alter Kentucky marriage licenses to accommodate county clerks who don’t want to sign licenses …

You may recall that in May 2013 a mob of 20,000 rioters attacked a small gay rights rally in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi. The attackers were led by priests from the Orthodox Church, which doesn’t want a repeat situation after a man this week filed a same-sex marriage lawsuit. Eurasianet reports: In a first for the Caucasus, a Georgian man …

Donald Trump yesterday continued to contradict himself on same-sex marriage. The Daily Mail reports: Donald Trump gave a perplexing answer this morning on This Week with George Stephanopoulos when asked to better articulate his position on gay marriage. “We’ll see what happens,” Trump said, using similar phrasing several times while saying he would appoint the “absolute best judges” and then …

The same federal judge who last year struck down Nebraska’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage today issued a permanent injunction against the now moot law. The move was largely a formality but Judge Joseph Bataillon’s order comes after gay parents complained that the state had barred them from listing both their names on the birth certificates of their children.

The Perchy Bird reports: Following unanimous approval in both the Greenlandic and Danish Parliaments, the same-sex marriage and adoption bill was given the ceremonial Royal Assent on Wednesday. The island’s new Civil Code will become gender-neutral and couples will begin marrying the day the law comes into force on April 1st. Greenland’s Bishop had been looking forward to couples being …

Former Tennessee state Sen. David Fowler, now head of his state’s Family Action Council, has filed a lawsuit against a second county clerk which intends to nullify the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling. Fowler’s first such suit came two weeks ago. The Times-Free Press reports: Bradley County Commissioner Howard Thompson and a local pastor have filed a lawsuit to stop the …

Franklin Graham appeared on CNN today where he declared that the US government has only been secular for “the last few years.” He then called for a national referendum on same-sex marriage. Franklin is on a 50-state tour where he is commanding evangelicals to only vote for “bible-believing Christians.” More from Raw Story: The reverend warned that the nation is …

Freedom To Marry has relaunched its website to serve as an instructive tool for overseas activists pursuing marriage equality in their own nations. Evan Wolfson writes: What a journey it was – full of pain, injustice, loss, and sacrifice, but also, of course, love, hope, confidence, trust, transformation, and, ultimately, triumph. Through hard work, we held America to its promise, …