Marriage Equality

The New York Times reports: Lawmakers in Chile on Tuesday legalized same-sex marriage, a landmark victory for gay rights activists that underscores how profoundly the country’s politics and society have shifted in the past decade. By overwhelming majorities in both chambers, lawmakers put the unions of same-sex couples on par with others, making Chile the 31st nation to allow gay …

The Associated Press reports: A measure to legalize marriage and adoption by same-sex couples was approved by the lower house of Chile’s Congress on Tuesday, moving it close to final adoption. It had already passed the Senate. The bill approved 101-30 now awaits only final modifications related to the rights of same sex couples. President Sebastián Piñera has indicated he …

The Associated Press reports: Switzerland’s executive body announced Wednesday that same-sex couples can get married starting on July 1 next year, making good on the resounding support Swiss voters expressed in a referendum. The Federal Council officially said that starting Jan. 1, Switzerland would recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who wed in in other countries instead of continuing to …

“I love my sister very much and am so proud of her. It took a ton of courage to admit that she was wrong back in 2013 when she opposed marriage equality. That is something few politicians would ever do. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the strength of character she continues to show on a daily basis. …

Mediaite reports: During her 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) admitted she was wrong for opposing same-sex marriage in 2013. Her sister, Mary Cheney, is gay, and she told Chris Wallace during a 2013 interview that she “believe[s] in the traditional definition of marriage.” “I love Mary very much. I love her family very much. This is …

The BBC reports: Swiss voters have backed same-sex marriage in a referendum, according to projections. More than 60% supported the measure, which would bring the country into line with most of western Europe. In the build up to the vote, church groups and conservative political parties opposed the idea, saying it would undermine the traditional family. Switzerland has allowed same-sex …

Reuters reports: Swiss voters decide on Sunday whether to allow same-sex couples to wed and adopt children after a highly charged campaign pitted gay rights activists against conservative opponents in one of the last Western European countries to still ban gay marriage. The federal government and parliament approved opening civil marriage to same-sex couples, but opponents forced a referendum on …

The Associated Press reports: Tens of thousands protested in Switzerland on Saturday for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Alpine country. The protests came ahead of a national referendum on Sept. 26 on the legalization of gay marriage, which has already been introduced in many other European countries. So far, same-sex couples in Switzerland can only get official approval …

Politico reports: In interviews with Republican operatives, former Trump administration officials, and conservative leaders, there is a widespread acceptance that debate over marriage equality is settled. There is no serious discussion about trying to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled states are required by law to recognize the marriage of same-sex couples. There were openly …

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade: The Chilean Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. The vote took place less than a month after President Sebastián Piñera announced he supports marriage equality and urged lawmakers in the South American country to quickly act on the issue. The bill now goes to the …

The Waco Tribune-Herald reports: Travis County judge has thrown out McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley’s lawsuit against the state panel that sanctioned her in 2019 for refusing to perform same-sex weddings. Neither Hensley nor her attorney, Jeremy Dys of the First Liberty Institute, returned phone messages Monday from the Tribune-Herald. In dismissing the suit, Soifer also ordered …

Gallup reports: U.S. support for legal same-sex marriage continues to trend upward, now at 70% — a new high in Gallup’s trend since 1996. This latest figure marks an increase of 10 percentage points since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages. Republicans, who have consistently been the party group least in favor …

The Hill reports: A majority within all partisan groups, including Republicans, now support same-sex marriage, according to a poll from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released on Tuesday. In 2019, less than half of those who identify as Republican — 47 percent — backed gay marriage, but the survey indicates that number rose to 51 percent last year. Approval …

The Associated Press reports: A Japanese court ruled Wednesday the government’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, recognizing the rights of same-sex couples for the first time in the only Group of Seven country that doesn’t acknowledge their legal partnership. Even though the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ demand for government compensation, the precedent is a major victory for same-sex people …

From the Public Religion Research Institute: The vast majority of Americans (70%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, compared to 28% of Americans who oppose it. Majorities of Democrats (80%) and independents (76%), as well as half of Republicans (50%), support same-sex marriage. White evangelical Protestants stand out as the only major religious group in which a …

The Guardian reports: Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Pete Buttigieg, who married his husband Chasten in 2018, indicated that the court’s 2015 decision that made same-sex marriage legal was among a number of rulings a strong conservative majority could look to overturn. Republicans are seeking to seat Barrett before the 3 November general election. The Senate judiciary committee will vote …

Via email from hate group leader Mat Staver: Although the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to grant review of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision involving former Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis and regarding the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity, Justices Thomas and Alito appear to invite future challenges to the 2015 Obergefell marriage case. Justice Clarence Thomas …

Reuters reports: The Supreme Court is leaving in place a decision that allowed a lawsuit to move forward against a Kentucky clerk who was jailed in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The high court said Monday it would not take the case involving Kim Davis, the former clerk of Rowan County, and two same-sex couples …

CBS News reports: A large crowd of people gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court on Friday night after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Well-wishers left flowers and signs and broke into applause and songs, and the American flag outside the Supreme Court was lowered to half-mast. “I think it’s a testament to who she was as …

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: Ten years after a historic trial in San Francisco on the right to same-sex marriage, a federal judge on Thursday ordered a videotape of the proceedings unsealed next month so that the public could finally view it. The non-jury trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker included testimony by gay and lesbian couples and …