New Maine Marriage Polling Numbers

A new public poll from Democracy Corps was released yesterday, showing us with a slight lead this race 50% to 41%, a significant jump from kos's numbers from the other week of 46-48. The numbers are encouraging, but it's that 9% undecided that will determine this race. The investment of our supporters has allowed us to get on TV before our opponents and counter every lie they have tossed at us. ...

Daily Kos • Sep 30, 2009

The Many Ways to Contribute to No on 1/Protect Maine Equality

In Maine, the No on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign has to win - and we need help. We have to win in Maine not only to secure full equality for Maine's same-sex couples, but to help shut down the conservative agenda. In addition to sending Adam to Maine, you can donate to our campaign via OpenLeft's very own ActBlue page. Help us make sure we have the resources to keep our ads on the air. ...

Open Left • Sep 28, 2009

Discovery Fight in Suit Challenging Calif. Ban on Gay Marriages

Gay marriage opponents trooped into Northern District of California Chief Judge Vaughn Walker's courtroom Friday to quash requests for internal campaign e-mails and other documents from last year's "Yes on 8" effort. Marriage supporters, meanwhile, argued that the motivations of those behind the ballot initiative are highly relevant because discriminatory intent would undermine opponents' claims o...

Law.com • Sep 27, 2009

Restore Equality 2010 campaign chapter unveils statewide plan, elects leadership

Once the campaign's ballot language is accepted, its signature drive will begin, most likely this November, Brooks said. After that, the campaign will have 150 days to collect 1.2 to 1.3 million signatures to qualify its referendum on the November 2010 ballot....

Gay and Lesbian Times • Sep 26, 2009

Prop 8 Campaign Seeks To Shield Internal Memos

A federal judge is considering whether to order the sponsors of California's voter-approved gay marriage ban to produce their internal campaign records to lawyers now suing to overturn the law....

KPIX • Sep 25, 2009

Groundbreaking study on LGBT Parents Released by APA

Last week the American Psychological Association published Dr. Abbie E. Goldberg's Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children: Research on the Family Life Cycle, a comprehensive summary and analysis of the research on gay and lesbian parents and their families to date. Goldberg's new book is the first full-length analysis of the research on gay parenting, summarizing research data on the subject f...

Windy City Media Group • Sep 25, 2009

2010 Prop 8 repeal ballot language submitted

As expected, ballot language to repeal Proposition 8 in 2010 was submitted to the state attorney general's office, though it is unclear whether the language submitted this week will be the actual wording of any proposed ballot measure. The proposal, submitted Wednesday night by Love Honor Cherish, removes Prop 8's language in the state constitution that says, "Only marriage between a man and a wo...

Bay Area Reporter • Sep 25, 2009

New Study Proves this Ad Works - Watch it here and support Equality in Maine and California

Yes! The focus group study of this ad by HCD Research reported the ad was considered effective by 83% of Democrats, 77% of Independents and 58% of Republicans. "Happiness" and "Inspiration" for both Democratic and Independent voters, were the most often reported reactions to the ad studied by HCD. Republicans reported feeling "Disturbed" (24%) with "Happiness" (20%) being a close second. Complete ...

Daily Kos • Sep 22, 2009

September 27- National Day Of Action to Save Marriage Equality in Maine!

**All you need is a phone and a computer with an internet connection. No long distance fees, no dialing- the web-based software does it all.** With 500 people ACROSS AMERICA, donating 2.5 hours of time, we can accomplish 1250 volunteer hours! This is a VIRTUAL PHONE BANK on Sunday, September 27th to SAVE MAINE FROM RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS, and pave the way for a repeal of Proposition 8 in Californ...

Pam's House Blend • Sep 22, 2009

When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

So gay marriage seems to be good for gay people: how does it affect straight people? According to the conservative commentator Stanley Kurtz, it hastens moral decline by separating the act of procreation from the act of marriage. He points to decreasing marriage rates in the Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands, the increase in unmarried heterosexual couples, and increasing numbers of childr...

PopMatters • Sep 22, 2009

Poll: Gay Marriage Trailing in Maine

A new Research 2000/Daily Kos poll in Maine suggests that the state's marriage equality law would be repealed if the issue went to voters today. The survey of 600 likely voters between September 14 and 16 posed two questions pertaining to marriage equality, according to Daily Kos. In each instance, a greater percentage of respondents with a firm opinion chose an anti-equality position, although a...

Advocate • Sep 20, 2009

Poll: Marriage Equality Trailing in Maine; Don't Let Another Prop 8 Happen!

Results from a Research 2000/Daily Kos poll indicates that if Mainers voted on the new marriage equality law today, they would vote to overturn it, repeating what happened in California with Proposition 8....

Unite the Fight • Sep 20, 2009

It's a three-year campaign before us

Smart leaders of ballot measure campaigns have three key factors at the top of their minds: coalition, money, and timing. All three loom large in weighing how to go back to California voters with a measure to overturn Prop 8. For those of us whose goal is regaining the right to civil marriage for committed same-sex couples, evidence should drive our decisions. On all three fronts, a growing corps ...

Gay and Lesbian Times • Sep 18, 2009

Political Notebook: Gay GOPer has star role in same-sex marriage fight

Last year Karger was astounded to read how much money anti-gay groups pushing Proposition 8, the voter-approved same-sex marriage ban, were able to raise in San Diego, a place he knew well from his political campaign work. "It was surprising because it is not a socially conservative place," said Karger, who was especially irked to see hotel mogul Doug Manchester "gloating" about donating $125,000...

Bay Area Reporter • Sep 17, 2009

Gay Latino Americans are 'coming of age'

The Latino community has long had a reputation for being notoriously homophobic. But some surprising developments within the Latino world -- in the United States and abroad -- suggest that may be changing, gay scholars and activists say....

CNN • Sep 16, 2009

In spite of hard times in Sacramento, LGBT rights advance

What's next? The resolutions have all passed, but the five bills -- on Harvey Milk Day, the status of couples married out of state, the Equal ID Act and the domestic violence bill -- are awaiting the signature of Governor Schwarzenegger. Then it is time to look ahead to next year. We already know we'll keep working to preserve the critical infrastructure and HIV/AIDS services that our community ha...

California Ripple Effect • Sep 16, 2009

Rep. Barney Frank Won't Co-Sponsor DOMA Partial Repeal; Bill Author Rep. Nadler Responds

Openly gay Rep. Barney Frank has declined to co-sponsor Rep. Jerry Nadler's partial Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) repeal because he doesn't believe in the strategy and feels different issues are more pressing for the LGBT population. "It's not anything that's achievable in the near term," Frank told the Washington Blade. "I think getting [the Employment Non-Discrimination Act], a repeal of 'Don'...

Unite the Fight • Sep 14, 2009

Large Legal Conference Split by Prop 8 Hotel Boycott

An ongoing dispute regarding a San Diego hotelier's support of the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 has caused a spilt amongst attendees of the annual California Bar Association Annual Meeting. The Conference of Delegates has moved to a new venue apart from the annual State Bar meeting being held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, which is under regular protest due to part-owner Douglas Manchester's c...

XETV • Sep 14, 2009

The Lesson of Danny and Marilyn

Advances in Iowa and Colorado -- where it took a coordinated and determined coalition of progressive voters and donors to oust antigay state representative Danny Carroll and Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave -- are a perfect model for the first step in winning full federal equality. But what comes next? The Gill Action Fund's Tim Gill and Patrick Guerriero have it all mapped out....

Advocate • Sep 11, 2009

Overwhelming Support for Repealing the Defense of Marriage Act

Efforts are underway in Congress to introduce a bill calling for a repeal of DOMA, with Rep. Jerry Nadler from New York taking the lead. Going hand-in-hand with the proposed legislation is an initiative from the Human Rights Campaign -- RepealDOMANow.org -- that hopes to mobilize tens of thousands of letters from folks urging their Congressional Reps to overturn DOMA. You can take action here to...

Change.org • Sep 11, 2009

Interview with John Marcotte, Author of the 2010 California Protection of Marriage Act

Rob Cockerham: John Marcotte. You've filed a petition with the Secretary of State, in an effort to get a voter's initative on the California 2010 ballot. John Marcotte: Yes. Filed the paperwork on September 1. It's the "2010 California Marriage Protection Act." I am trying to ban divorce in the state of California. RC: Ok. So your act, if it became law, would make marriage undissolvable. John: ...

Rob Cockerham • Sep 11, 2009

New wrinkle in Perry case: conservative group appeals denial of intervention

The Campaign for California Families, which had sought to intervene as additional defenders of Prop 8 in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, has filed a notice that it is appealing the denial of its intervention motion. What's afoot here is an intra-movement split on the anti-gay side....

Reeuq • Sep 11, 2009

Maine: An easy way to double your money

For the next 48 hours, a generous Projector has made an offer to the Bilerico community that can't be ignored! Our reader will match up to $1000 total raised on Bilerico if at least 12 people donate in the next 48 hours....

Bilerico Project • Sep 8, 2009

Where's The Change? Gay Activists Ask

Vermont on Tuesday joined five other states that have given same-sex couples the right to marry. That situation was almost unimaginable a decade ago, when, after rancorous debate, the state became the first in the union to enact same-sex civil unions. But despite the historic gains made by the nation's gay community, this year has largely been one of disappointment for many whose hopes were pinne...

NPR • Sep 6, 2009

Defense of Marriage Act Repeal Bill to Circulate U.S. House in Weeks

Politico reports that U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, who announced in July he would be working on a partial repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), will be ready to circulate his bill to his colleagues to garner support in a matter of weeks, putting the Obama Administration on the spot. Politico believes it will garner dozens of co-sponsors....

Unite the Fight • Sep 5, 2009

Coalition developing structure for 2010 Prop 8 repeal effort

Marriage equality advocates from across the state hoping to repeal Proposition 8 in 2010 met last weekend in San Francisco to adopt a structure for a statewide signature gathering campaign and elect an interim leadership team to develop a political action committee....

Bay Area Reporter • Sep 5, 2009

The road to Marriage Equality runs through Maine

Maine has been through statewide elections on LGBT equality issues before. In 2005, I managed the campaign against a people's veto of the new law adding sexual orientation and gender identity to our human rights act. We won 54% - 46%. I'm a lifelong Mainer and I do believe the people of this state are inherently fair-minded. But, Markos is right: A victory here for the forces of equalit...

Daily Kos • Sep 4, 2009

Paterson Re-ups N.Y. Marriage Pledge

New York governor David Paterson recommitted himself to including same-sex marriage on the agenda if he has to call a special session this fall in order to shore up the state's budget woes. "I am anticipating a special session and I am anticipating this is one of the issues that we will address," Paterson told The Advocate Thursday night, shortly after leaving a meeting that included representati...

Advocate • Sep 4, 2009

Increase in Iowa's tourism could help federal case against Prop 8

The city of San Francisco was given permission to intervene in the case to argue a unique perspective regarding government concerns. District Attorney Dennis Herrera will bring up financial concerns on the negative impact Proposition 8 has on tourism income, public health care costs, and small business revenue....

Examiner • Sep 3, 2009

Alice B Toklas LGBT Dem. Club: LGBT Community Needs a Cohesive Plan

We propose that a new campaign structure be formed that will govern the longer-term aspects of both the 2010 and 2012 efforts that are compatible. Campaign structures must be set up to govern both the 2010 and 2012 efforts anyway, and there is no time to lose. The new organization that we propose will have two distinct branches, both responsive to a central, governing body. One branch will focus...

Calitics • Sep 1, 2009

Interim group elected to oversee 2010 Repeal Prop 8 signature gathering campaign

More than 80 activists from across California met last Saturday as part of the California Coalition for Marriage Equality, an ad-hoc group comprised of more than 75 organizations across the state that are dedicated to the single and common goal of restoring marriage equality in California as quickly as possible. The group met at San Francisco State University to create a structure for the signatur...

Examiner • Sep 1, 2009

Olson + Boies Want to Prove Sexuality Is Not a Choice. Is That a Terrible Legal Strategy?

If a decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger concludes that sexuality is not a choice and cannot be the basis for denying marriage rights, what we could end up with is a federal ruling that says, flat out, gay Americans cannot be discriminated against. And while we certainly expect Congress to pass ENDA before Perry wraps up, wouldn't it be lovely to have both legislative decisions and court rulings b...

Queerty • Sep 1, 2009