Breaking Marriage Equality News Headlines from 365Gay

	Prop 8 news: Suit calls for full release of Prop 8 Trial video "Although Proponents expended tens of millions of dollars on a public campaign to restore discrimination in California that the state Supreme Court had struck down, they now seek to prevent the public from ever observing first-hand their efforts in a public courtroom to defend that discrimination and the exposure of those efforts to the acid test of cross-examination in open court. The present mot... 365Gay • Apr 20, 2011

	Prop 8 lawyer David Boies: 'SCOTUS won't give a gay-bashing opinion' Will the Court be willing to go against the 45 states that don't allow same-sex couples to marry? Don't they usually prefer to wait until only a few states are lagging behind, as was the case when the Court finally threw aside the bans on interracial marriage? "There are a number of historical examples of the Court getting ahead of most states," he said. "When Roe v. Wade was decided, only a hand... 365Gay • May 10, 2010

	NJ gay rights group closes its wallet Garden State Equality has decided to play hardball. New Jersey's largest gay rights organizations has suspended donating cash to political parties. "No political party has a record good enough on LGBT civil rights that it can rightfully claim to be entitled to our money on a party-wide basis," said Steven Goldstein, the group's chairman. "No longer will we let any political party take our money ... 365Gay • Feb 11, 2010

	Prop 8 afternoon update: Witness says gays face job bias Lawyers for two same-sex couples suing to overturn the voter-approved ban known as Proposition 8 are trying to prove that deep-seated prejudice motivated the measure. Plaintiffs' attorney David Boies asked Miller, "You do agree there are some gays and lesbians who are fired from their jobs, refused jobs and paid less because of their sexual orientation?" "I have no reason to disagree with that. ... 365Gay • Jan 26, 2010

	Prop 8 trial judge has history with gay rights activists The appointment of Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Richard Walker to the bench was held up for two years during the late 1980s in part because he had angered gay rights activists. Now, he is presiding over the most important gay civil rights case in a generation.... 365Gay • Jan 20, 2010

	Pro-gay provisions may be stripped from health bill According to The Hill, a newspaper that serves Capitol Hill readers, leaders of the House and Senate decided Tuesday evening to stick with the Senate version of the health care reform bill -the one without any pro-gay provisions--rather than go through a conference committee negotiation to merge the two versions. The paper said the decision was made on Tuesday night in a meeting that included only... 365Gay • Jan 8, 2010

	Vanasco: Live in NJ? Call your senator on gay marriage Garden State Equality's quick form will tell you who your senator is and the number to call.... 365Gay • Dec 9, 2009

	Some gays seek renewed focus on civil unions Dan Hawes, the head organizer for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, agrees that it makes sense to seek even limited legal protections in states where gay people have none, but disagrees that fighting for marriage has detracted from that work. "It's not that these fights are mutually exclusive of each other, so that's why we don't think it makes sense to negotiate against ourselves," Hawes ... 365Gay • Nov 30, 2009

	Are gay churchgoers more devout, more active? The survey indicates that not only do a majority of gay and lesbian Americans consider themselves Christian, but the pollster's anecdotal findings suggest that gays and lesbians who actively attend church may be more invested and committed participants in their church than their straight counterparts.... 365Gay • Aug 10, 2009

	Calif. removed from federal gay marriage case The U.S. government remains a defendant. The U.S. Department of Justice is arguing to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act. The department's position has angered equal rights activists, who see it as a betrayal of President Obama's campaign pledge to work for the act's repeal.... 365Gay • Jul 18, 2009

	Nation's mayors support gays' freedom to marry The U.S. Conference of Mayors today passed a resolution in support of ending the exclusion of gay couples from marriage. The resolution, titled "Equality and Civil Rights for Gay and Lesbian Americans," included support for the freedom to marry along with endorsement of federal bills such as Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, the Uniting American Families A... 365Gay • Jun 15, 2009

	Support grows for federal DOMA repeal How soon a bill will be filed in Congress to overturn DOMA is anyone's guess. If it were to pass President Obama has said he would sign it, although he prefers civil unions to marriage. Even if the bill is filed this session, it may find difficulty getting to a vote. In addition to opposition from Republicans and anumber of conservative Democrats, mainly from Bible belt states, Speaker Nancy Pel... 365Gay • May 12, 2009

	Vote for Equality gets the message Fleischer and Clemente's first session focused on contrasting the ads the GLBT community tends to use with the ads of anti-gay marriage activists. Ads for our team tend to be focused on fairness and rationality, because duh: If you really think it out, same-sex marriage bans make no sense. Unfortunately, the other side bypasses the brain and goes straight for the gut and the adrenal glands. Our c... 365Gay • May 9, 2009

	NH gov mum on marriage bill Lynch has said he believes the current civil union law works fine, but is avoiding questions on what he will do when the marriage bill hits his desk. On Wednesday, the state Senate passed the marriage equality bill on a 13-11 vote. It passed the House last month 186-179.... 365Gay • Apr 30, 2009

	Maine committee endorses gay marriage bill A vote in the Senate could come as early as next week. In New Hampshire, a vote on a similar bill is set for an initial vote Wednesday in the state Senate.... 365Gay • Apr 29, 2009

	The cost of gay marriage in Vermont The figures show that the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task force spent more than $168,000 on advertising and lobbying. The Vermont Freedom to Marry Action Committee spent $60,000. The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBT civil rights organization, reported it spent just over $2,000 on lobbying.... 365Gay • Apr 29, 2009

	Nevada Senate passes partner bill The Nevada Senate has approved a legislation that would allow same-sex couples to register as domestic partners and receive many of same rights as married couples have in the state. The bill also would include opposite-sex couples who do not wish to marry. The measure still needs approval by the Assembly. But, even if it passes, Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) has threatened to veto it. The Senate's 12 - ... 365Gay • Apr 23, 2009

	Large crowds expected as Maine takes up gay marriage bill Maine's tourism industry has said legalizing same-sex marriage in the state could save them from disaster as the state's economy continues to turn sour. Industry spokespeople pointed to a recent study by the Williams Institute, a think tank at the University of California Los Angeles, that found extending marriage to same-sex couples would boost Maine's economy by $60 million over three years, wh... 365Gay • Apr 22, 2009

	We can't be afraid of the debate We need to seize that momentum every where we can in order to force the debate.... 365Gay • Apr 17, 2009

	Bloomberg, Quinn call for gay marriages to be counted in Census New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city Council Speaker Christine Quinn are blasting a Census Bureau decision not to count same-sex couples, saying it will make it harder for the city to balance its budget. Quinn, a lesbian, is the second highest elected official in New York City. The next census will take place in 2010, but in July the bureau said it would report legally married same-sex coup... 365Gay • Apr 11, 2009

	It's time for New York to join the battle So with divorce rights and support from major political hitters, it's time for New York to get on the front lines when it comes to marriage rights. While polls seem to show that voters are supportive, it's foolhardy to think a gay marriage push would be a walk in the park. Just ask Senate speaker Malcolm Smith. The topic almost killed his leadership bid and he announced at an early February Human... 365Gay • Apr 3, 2009

	BREAKING: VT House to vote on marriage tomorrow Congratulations to House Judiciary Committee Chair Bill Lippert for his years of work for GLBT equality. With Governor Jim Douglas (R) threatening to veto the bill, supporters of marriage equality need to get as close to 100 votes as possible in order to have a solid chance to override the expected veto.... 365Gay • Apr 1, 2009

	Gay marriage no, divorce yes Gays and lesbians may not be able to get married in New York - but they can get divorced. In what is believed to be the first ruling on the issue of gay divorce in the state, a judge in Binghamton, New York has granted a divorce to a lesbian couple. Justice Molly R. Fitzgerald based her ruling on an executive order issued last May by Gov. David Paterson recognizing the marriages of New York gay... 365Gay • Mar 31, 2009

	Lesbian mom ordered deported A Northern California family is expected to be torn apart on Friday when Shirley Tan is scheduled to be deported back to the Philippines, leaving behind her life partner and their 12 year old twin sons. Tan and Jaylynn "Jay" Mercado were married in San Francisco in 2004. Their marriage was voided, but even if it still were in effect the federal Defense of Marriage Act prevents Mercado from sponso... 365Gay • Mar 31, 2009

	Vt. gays focus on house LGBT civil rights groups in Vermont are mounting a massive campaign to secure a veto-proof House vote on gay marriage. The House is expected to vote later this week on a marriage equality bill. The measure passed the Senate last week with a massive 26-4 vote. It is expected to pass the House with a much narrower majority. Following Senate passage of the bill, Gov. James Douglas (R) announced he... 365Gay • Mar 30, 2009

	Gay marriage effort shifts back to New England Vermont was the first state to outlaw slavery. Neighboring New Hampshire declared its independence from England before any other colony. Maine led the way with Prohibition. Send / Share Add Comment These days, Yankee activism has another cause - gay rights. Two states in New England already allow same-sex marriage, and lawmakers in three more are considering it, although passage is far from certa... 365Gay • Mar 28, 2009

	Study examines effect of marriage on gay couples Unmarried same-sex couples may suffer greater fear and anxiety around end of life issues than those in state-sanctioned unions, according to the findings.... 365Gay • Mar 25, 2009

	Study examines effect of marriage on gay couples "The bottom line is that those who reside in states that do not recognize relationships or sanctioned marriages between same-sex couples feel less cared for and less cared about and must take extra legal steps to prepare for their later years," deVries said.... 365Gay • Mar 21, 2009

	Gay West Point grads come out In a statement, the group said that they are prepared to help the military college make the transition to LGBT equality once the ban is lifted.... 365Gay • Mar 17, 2009

	Financial fight: spouses fight for federal benefits Married couples in Massachussetts say they're being unfairly penalized by the federal government's Defense of Marriage Act. We talk with the widower of former Congressman Gerry Studds, whose marriage is not recognized at the federal level and thus he is not able to collect Studds' congressional pension just like any other surviving spouse. Ross Palombo reports.... 365Gay • Mar 16, 2009

	Vermont begins same-sex marriage hearings Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee is hearing testimony about equality issues, other states' experiences and the conclusions of a study on the matter. More hearings are scheduled for later in the week.... 365Gay • Mar 16, 2009

	Petition blasts Starr for Prop 8 'lies' The petition drive was featured on EndtheLies.org, launched by the Human Rights Campaign to confront what HRC said are lies and distortions repeatedly used to defeat LGBT equality measures. Starr has referred to the struggle for marriage equality as "seizing and hijacking the marriage relationship in order to achieve apartheid-type values."... 365Gay • Mar 16, 2009

	Hawaii lawmakers cautious on future of civil union bill Last month, after 15 hours of hearings, the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee tied 3-3 on whether to advance the bill to the full Senate. Senate leaders could move the bill from the committee directly to the Senate floor for a vote if they had nine of the Senate's 25 members agreeing. Privately, at least nine senators have told LGBT groups they support the legislation, but are... 365Gay • Mar 7, 2009

	The DOMA Challenge and What It Won't Achieve In an effort to tailor the case to concrete examples of citizen's rights being denied for purely discriminatory reasons, GLAD has chosen not to challenge DOMA as a whole. This means that all of the discriminatory practices that don't fall under Social Security laws, benefits programs for federal employees, retirees and their surviving spouses, and the regulations and practices governing issuance ... 365Gay • Mar 5, 2009

	Thousands attend vigils ahead of Prop 8 hearing Vigils were held in more than 30 cities throughout the state with the biggest in San Francisco. Called "The Eve of Justice," organizers said the turnout exceeded expectations.... 365Gay • Mar 5, 2009

	Vigils set for eve of Prop 8 arguments Same-sex couples and their supporters will hold candlelight vigils in at least 15 cities across California the night before the state Supreme Court hears oral arguments challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8.... 365Gay • Feb 26, 2009

	Idaho LGBT rights bill dies in committee In presenting the bill, LeFavour, the the state's only gay lawmaker, told the committee that gays and lesbians in Idaho "live in fear" that they can be fired. "This is a way of prohibiting the most egregious forms of discrimination," she said.... 365Gay • Feb 24, 2009

	Israeli Parliament to consider gay marriage Currently only a rabbi can perform a marriage in Israel. A bill already before the Knesset would allow civil marriage, but only for opposite-sex couples. Horovitz said his measure would allow opposite-sex and same-sex couples to marry.... 365Gay • Feb 22, 2009

	Indiana GOP nixes anti-gay amendment Indiana's Senate Republican Caucus voted this week not to consider a resolution that would have proposed amending the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.... 365Gay • Feb 19, 2009

	Colorado partner bill advances A bill making it easier for unmarried couples, including gays and lesbians, to make medical decision for incapacitated partners and leave property to their partners is headed to a vote on the state house floor. The measure passed the state house judiciary committee despite stiff Republican opposition. Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D), the bill's sponsor, said that he had wished he could have brought in ... 365Gay • Feb 18, 2009

	Gay marriage foes rally in Maine Damon said the legislation would affirm that no religious organization would be forced to conduct a same-sex marriage. If passed, the bill would recognize same-sex marriages from other areas where they currently are legal.... 365Gay • Feb 17, 2009

	Nationwide protests put human face on gay marriage battle Same-sex couples seeking to wed showed up at marriage license counters nationwide Thursday to highlight a right they don't have in 48 states, part of an annual protest that took on renewed urgency given recent election setbacks.... 365Gay • Feb 13, 2009

	Utah gov. faces wrath after supporting civil unions Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) is facing a backlash from fellow Republicans, the powerful Mormon Church and from evangelical Christians following this week's statement that he would support civil unions for same-sex couples.... 365Gay • Feb 12, 2009

	Illinois takes up gay marriage bill Openly gay state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) has filed legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry in Illinois. The bill is slated for discussion Tuesday in the Youth and Family Committee and a large number of gay and lesbian couples are expected to pack the committee room. But even Harris admits it will be tough to get the measure to a vote in the House. Two years ago, a civil unio... 365Gay • Feb 11, 2009

	Phoenix domestic partnership registry opens Phoenix same-sex couples began registering Monday with the city's new Domestic Partner Registry. Send / Share Add Comment To be eligible domestic partners have to appear in person at City Hall and sign a notarized document stating that they are in a committed relationship, are financially interdependent, and live in the same domicile in the City of Phoenix. They also must state that neither partne... 365Gay • Feb 9, 2009

	Educating our allies We must talk with our colleagues and neighbors at playdates, soccer games, and in the supermarket. We must be on the lookout for ways to begin the conversation, whether by connecting about taxes, parenting, or the new Obama administration. In a less personal but still useful vein, we can leave comments on mainstream parenting and personal finance blogs, Facebook groups, and other online forums. A... 365Gay • Feb 3, 2009

	Ruby-Sachs: Radio personality on new Prop 8 list For those who have had a chance to look through the list of new donors to the Yes on 8 campaign on the California Secretary of State''s website might happen across radio personality Gary Bryan from KRTH 101.1 FM. Other observations include a suprising number of teachers and administrators from colleges in the State.... 365Gay • Feb 2, 2009

	Vanasco: Pro-Prop 8 donor list up Here's what we've been waiting for - a full list of those who gave money to support Prop 8. We're going through the names now. Here are the names that were just released today. I'd love to hear if there are people on the list whom you know personally or professionally, or if you've patronized their establishments.... 365Gay • Feb 2, 2009

	NH gay bill shelved A bill that would have mandated that partners in civil unions be added to all state insurance laws was put on hold just as House committee was about to hold a hearing on the measure. Rep. Edward Butler (D), the bill's sponsor, pulled the legislation, saying there were other measures dealing with same-sex couples that should be considered first. Among those is a proposal to change New Hampshire's... 365Gay • Jan 30, 2009

	GLAAD president Giuliano resigns Giuliano also expanded GLAAD's influence as a national voice and began media programs reaching out to young adults, communities of religion and faith, and sports media. GLAAD also acquired Queer Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and will launch an advertising media program later in 2009 with the assets of the former Commercial Closet Association.... 365Gay • Jan 29, 2009

	Utah gay rights bills get off to bad start Earlier this month, a poll commissioned by Equality Utah found that 63 percent support gay legal protections including some rights for same-sex couples. The survey found that 62 percent believe it should be illegal to fire someone for being gay and 57 percent said it should be illegal to deny housing to someone for being gay. On the issue of partner rights, 73 percent said they would support hea... 365Gay • Jan 29, 2009

	Voter initiative would allow civil partnerships in Arizona Two gay Arizona men have begun a voter initiative to legalize civil partnerships in the state. Send / Share Add Comment Gino Meriano and Philip Cotton filed notice of the proposal with the Secretary of State's Office, the first step to begin collecting signatures to have the question put to voters in 2010. "This was a special moment and one that Philip and I will not forget, at last a new start ... 365Gay • Jan 28, 2009

	Psychoanalysts call for end to military gay ban "It is the position of APsaA that sexual orientation is not germane to any aspect of military effectiveness, including unit cohesion, morale, recruitment or retention," the resolution says. "Empirical evidence, as well as comparative data from foreign militaries and domestic police and fire departments shows that when lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are allowed to serve openly there is no evidenc... 365Gay • Jan 28, 2009

	Calif: Masking pro-Prop 8 names violates disclosure law The brief, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, contends that Proposition 8 supporters do not meet the criteria for the limited exemption to valid campaign disclosure laws - an exemption developed by the Supreme Court to protect the ability of historically persecuted minority parties to engage in political speech. The brief notes that supporters of Propositio... 365Gay • Jan 27, 2009

	Conservatives turn to gay adoption Nationwide polls show that a plurality of Americans think gays should be allowed to legally adopt children and a minority believe otherwise. In Arkansas, less than a month before the vote, a survey by the University of Arkansas found 55 percent of voters opposed to the ban. Also, organizations seeking to ban marriage equality in California, Florida and Arizona generated big money for ballot initi... 365Gay • Jan 27, 2009

	Polls show shift in attitude toward gays A Florida poll shows a majority of prospective voters in that state believe the state's ban on gay adoption should be repealed and that there should be legal recognition of same-sex relationships, though they disagreed on whether that should be marriage or civil unions. The other poll, in Utah, found that a majority support LGBT civil rights.... 365Gay • Jan 23, 2009

	Lawyers argue Ohio Constitution bans gay co-parenting Rita Goodman and her then-partner Siobhan LaPiana planned to have a family. LaPiana gave birth to two children, now aged 11 and 8. Both women equally parented the boys, who love and rely on both of them as their mothers ,according to court documents filed by Lambda Legal which represents Goodman. Before the birth of the first child, Goodman and LaPiana drafted and signed a parenting agreement d... 365Gay • Jan 22, 2009

	The Facebook Cabinet Meet the gay grassroots pushing to get more LGBT representation in the Obama administration.... 365Gay • Jan 17, 2009

	A lesbian mom's letter to Obama I do believe you are the most LGBT-friendly president we have ever had, and that you mean it when you say you are committed to LGBT equality. You have not hesitated to appoint openly LGBT people to high-level posts. Still, I think you have a few more things to learn.... 365Gay • Jan 16, 2009

	EU calls for gay couple rights, end to homophobia Members of the European Parliament have approved a motion calling for the recognition of the rights of same-sex couples and an end to homophobia in all 27 EU countries. "It is high time the EU practices what it preaches," said Spanish deputy Ignasi Guardans. "The European Commission wants to be a champion of human rights, but sadly every day we hear about anti-discrimination laws being flouted by... 365Gay • Jan 15, 2009

	Keep your word, gay group warns Congress Three of the bills - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell - died when the the last session of Congress ended and will need to be reintroduced.... 365Gay • Jan 7, 2009

	Battle to reverse Prop 8 begins The group, GetToKnowMeFirst.org, said the spots will run in both urban and rural markets throughout California. They are currently being previewed on the group's Web site.... 365Gay • Dec 17, 2008

	NJ Governor Urges Action On Gay Marriage Report Corzine said he agreed with the report and that the civil unions law "hasn't done enough to narrow the gap" with married opposite-sex couples.... 365Gay • Dec 11, 2008

	Gay soldiers (not) home for Christmas ...this added burden can bring anxiety, depression and an increased sense of isolation to servicemembers who already feel isolated.... 365Gay • Dec 11, 2008

	Obama set to name first gay to Admin. President-elect Barack Obama has selected a deputy mayor of Los Angeles to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, transition officials said Wednesday. Nancy Sutley is the first prominent member of the gay and lesbian community to earn a senior role in the Democrat's new administration.... 365Gay • Dec 10, 2008

	LA Episcopal diocese OKs gay bishops, unions The weekend vote means the issue will be brought before the Episcopal Church national convention in July.... 365Gay • Dec 8, 2008

	Gays march in Haiti for first time In socially conservative Haiti, discrimination runs especially deep.... 365Gay • Dec 1, 2008

	Harvey Milk Lives Harvey defied the cautious gay leadership of the day who wanted to fight Prop 6 without mentioning the word "gay" or putting the faces and stories of gay or lesbian teachers into the public eye. They wanted to do it by letting our straight liberal allies speak for us instead. And they wanted a top-down, politics-as-usual campaign.... 365Gay • Nov 29, 2008

	Prop 8 Exclusive: Young gay marriage activist leads national protests "Join the Impact" began as a blog post and email template by Willow Witte, a friend of Balliett's who had sent the missive to inspire friends after the passage of California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. The success of similar propositions in Arizona and Florida, as well as an anti-gay adoption measure in Arkansas, only added gravity to the situation. Witte encouraged contacts to forward the... 365Gay • Nov 12, 2008

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