Breaking Marriage Equality News Headlines from NY Times

	Christie Wants Voters to Decide on Gay Marriage Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said Tuesday that he would veto a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, and he challenged the State Legislature instead to put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide. Democrats, who control the Legislature, swiftly rejected the idea, accusing the governor, a Republican, of trying to punt on a politically sensitive issue.... NY Times • Jan 25, 2012

	Same-Sex Marriage a Priority for Democrats in Trenton Democratic leaders in New Jersey are planning to make a bill allowing same-sex marriage the centerpiece of their agenda for 2012, reflecting a key change from two years ago, when a leading Senate Democrat abstained from a vote on the issue.... NY Times • Jan 10, 2012

	On Gay Rights, Obama Lets Aides Take the Lead There is little indication that Mr. Obama plans to endorse same-sex marriage before the presidential election in November, despite recent statements that tiptoe right up to that position. Speaking to a gay-rights group in October, he said, "Every single American -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender -- every single American deserves to be treated equally before the law."... NY Times • Dec 30, 2011

	Proposition 8 Appeals Case Winds Down The panel is expected to release its final ruling soon, possibly early next year. But that decision seems almost certain to be appealed.... NY Times • Dec 9, 2011

	After Pushing Gay Marriage, Cuomo Is Thanked With Money In the aftermath of New York's legalization of same-sex marriage this summer, gay men and lesbians lionized Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, showering him with gratitude, praise and awards. Now, they are rewarding him with something more tangible: campaign cash.... NY Times • Dec 2, 2011

	Cuomo Urges States to Allow Gay Marriage Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, hailed as a hero at a gala dinner for the state's largest gay rights group, issued a passionate plea on Thursday for other states to follow New York's lead and allow gay couples to wed.... NY Times • Oct 28, 2011

	A Campaign Windfall for 4 Republicans Who Voted for Same-Sex Marriage This week, the four Republican state senators who provided the decisive votes to pass the marriage bill are to get a big financial boost from those donors, including Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. A fund-raiser planned for Thursday night in Manhattan is expected to raise about $1.25 million to help finance their re-election bids next year. The senators have come under heavy criticism from conservati... NY Times • Oct 13, 2011

	Denied Veterans Benefits Over Same-Sex Marriage, Ex-Sailor Challenges Law In what experts say is the first case of its kind, a disabled Navy veteran from Connecticut is challenging the constitutionality of two federal laws that define marriage as being between opposite-sex partners, saying the government denied her veterans benefits because she is married to a woman.... NY Times • Oct 13, 2011

	One Country's Big Gay Leap It was only a little more than a decade ago that a country first legalized same-sex marriage, and that happened in precisely the kind of forward-thinking, bohemian place you'd expect: the Netherlands. About two years later, Belgium followed suit. Then things got really interesting. The eight countries that later joined the club were a mix of largely foreseeable and less predictable additions. In ... NY Times • Oct 9, 2011

	Ruling for Open Courts Proposition 8's proponents are appealing Judge Ware's decision. They are plainly concerned that releasing the videotape will further expose the emptiness of their arguments for denying gay people the freedom to marry. But in America, potential embarrassment is insufficient ground for denying the public access to vital court records in such a momentous case.... NY Times • Oct 3, 2011

	In Race for Weiner's Seat, $75,000 From Foes of Same-Sex Marriage On Wednesday, the National Organization for Marriage said it would spend $75,000 to help defeat Assemblyman David I. Weprin, the Democratic candidate in the special election to replace former Representative Anthony D. Weiner. The organization disclosed in a filing with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday that it spent $26,000 on direct-mail advertising in opposition to Mr. Weprin, who vote... NY Times • Sep 8, 2011

	Going to the Videotape The demand to keep the videotapes secret is as flimsy as the arguments for denying gay people the fundamental right to marry. The proposition's backers will not be hurt in any way if the footage is released. The American public, on the other hand, stands to lose something very valuable if it is denied the chance to see and hear what happened in a critically important case on marriage equality.... NY Times • Aug 27, 2011

	Morgan Freeman and Anthony Edwards Will Appear in '8' Reading on Broadway A new play by Dustin Lance Black, about a trial to overturn California's voter-approved ban on gay marriage, has found its first cast members for a one-time staged reading on Broadway. Morgan Freeman and Anthony Edwards will be among the actors performing in "8," written by Mr. Black, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of "Milk," and adapted from reporting and trial transcripts from the case o... NY Times • Aug 17, 2011

	Tax Changes for Gay Married New Yorkers Of course, since the federal government does not recognize same-sex unions, that equal recognition still does not apply for federal tax purposes. So couples will need to maintain a double identity of sorts: one for the state, another for the federal government. So how will couples' tax lives change? And what do they need to do differently? The state tax department recently issued guidance for the... NY Times • Aug 4, 2011

	Among Conservative Rabbis, a Wide Disagreement Over Same-Sex Marriage All but several Orthodox rabbis, from Modern to Hasidic, oppose same-sex marriage largely because of the explicit ban against homosexual sex in Leviticus and would never officiate at a Jewish wedding ceremony, while most, but not all, Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis will do so. The Reform movement and the Reconstructionist movement, an outgrowth of Conservative Judaism, have allowed or encour... NY Times • Aug 2, 2011

	New York Challenges U.S. Defense of Marriage Act Mr. Schneiderman submitted the brief in support of Edith S. Windsor, the plaintiff in Windsor v. United States. Ms. Windsor was married in Canada in 2007 to her longtime partner, Thea Spyer. The couple lived in New York City, and when Ms. Spyer died two years after their marriage, the federal government refused to recognize their marriage and collected estate taxes on her inheritance, prompting th... NY Times • Jul 26, 2011

	After Long Wait, Same-Sex Couples Marry in New York From New York City to Niagara Falls, N.Y., hundreds of gay and lesbian couples across the state began marrying on Sunday -- the first taking their vows just after midnight -- in the culmination of a long battle in the Legislature and a new milestone for gay rights advocates seeking to legalize same-sex marriage across the nation.... NY Times • Jul 24, 2011

	After Long Wait, Same-Sex Couples Marry in New York Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples across New York State began marrying on Sunday -- the first taking their vows just after midnight -- in the culmination of a long battle in the Legislature and a new milestone for gay rights advocates seeking to legalize same-sex marriage across the nation.... NY Times • Jul 24, 2011

	Young New Yorkers on Gay Marriage The New York Times interviewed dozens of people in recent days to get their perspective on the topic. With more teenagers coming out in high school, many said that homosexuality and bisexuality was more mainstream than it was a generation ago. Nevertheless, their gay peers, relatives and siblings still faced challenges.... NY Times • Jul 21, 2011

	How Clergy Helped a Same-Sex Marriage Law Pass The conventional -- and erroneous -- perception of the gay-marriage issue is that it pits secular forces against religious ones. From New York to California, wherever and whenever the battle has flared, news coverage has focused almost entirely on the religious groups who uniformly denounce it: Mormons, Roman Catholics, evangelical Christians and many Hispanic Pentecostals and African-American Pro... NY Times • Jul 19, 2011

	Central Park Chapels to 'Pop Up' for Gay Marriages On July 30, the first Saturday that same-sex marriage will be legal in New York State, two dozen couples will be wed inside two pop-up chapels that will appear for about 10 hours at the Merchants' Gate entrance to Central Park, near Columbus Circle. The designs for the two chapels will be selected from entries to a contest that began last week and ends July 21. The winning design will be announce... NY Times • Jul 19, 2011

	Illuminating California's Proposition 8 Trial, Onstage A new play based on the Proposition 8 trial over same-sex marriage in California, written by the Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black ("Milk"), will be performed in a staged reading on Broadway in September and then produced at Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern, the University of Michigan, and elsewhere. ... NY Times • Jul 18, 2011

	Judges Signing Up for Sunday Duty at Gay Weddings As one of several dozen judges across the state who have volunteered to play an official role in the new law's first day, Justice Raffaele is part of one of the most unusual judicial mobilizations in years. From Buffalo to the Bronx and pretty much everywhere else in New York, judges are signing up for rare Sunday duty. ... NY Times • Jul 14, 2011

	After Backing Gay Marriage, 4 in G.O.P. Face Voters' Verdict The political price for supporting same-sex marriage can be hard to predict. Four years ago, Assemblywoman Teresa R. Sayward, a Republican and a Catholic from a conservative district in the Adirondacks, voted in favor of same-sex marriage after making an impassioned speech about her son's struggle with his gay identity. "The night I took the vote the first time, I was told by my Republican collea... NY Times • Jul 4, 2011

	The Future of Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Measures In short, the future for same-sex marriage looks to be reasonably bright. Most of the states that were fertile ground for passing a constitutional ban on it did so long ago. Minnesota and North Carolina are potential exceptions, but the six states that have gender-neutral marriage laws on the books now are unlikely to see them reversed, while some of those that don't are in a position for gay righ... NY Times • Jul 3, 2011

	Atlanta Closer in Distance Than in Philosophy on Gay Marriage On one hand, Atlanta has a vibrant community of gay, lesbian and transgender people. Its annual gay pride celebration, held in October, is among the nation's largest. The Hotlanta Softball League fills several fields with gay and lesbian players every Sunday. But Georgia and its largest city are still far from approving anything close to New York's law. Georgia voters in 2004 overwhelmingly appro... NY Times • Jun 29, 2011

	Obama's Opposition to Gay Unions to Face New Tests For months, Mr. Obama, who has in the past opposed same-sex marriage, has said his views are "evolving." But last week's vote in Albany has intensified pressure on the president to say where he stands, particularly after remarks he made at a Manhattan fund-raiser disappointed and confused many gay rights advocates, including some of his most ardent supporters. Some are now comparing Mr. Obama unf... NY Times • Jun 29, 2011

	How the Same-Sex Marriage Deal Nearly Collapsed By Tuesday, Mr. Cuomo had received separate assurances of support from two crucial Republicans, Mark Grisanti of Buffalo and Stephen M. Saland of Poughkeepsie, either of whose endorsement could secure passage of the historic legislation. But neither man wanted to be the decisive 32nd vote. The governor settled on a strategy: he informed both that another unnamed Republican would cast a yes vote,... NY Times • Jun 28, 2011

	How Gay Marriage Will Change Couples' Financial Lives Of course, there's still a long list of federal benefits that will remain out of reach. Since the federal Defense of Marriage Act -- which defines marriage as between a man and a woman -- is still being enforced, gay couples in New York will still need to file separate federal tax returns. They will not be eligible for Social Security spousal or survivor benefits. And they will continue to owe ext... NY Times • Jun 26, 2011

	Exemptions Were Key to Vote on Gay Marriage Language that Republican senators inserted into the bill legalizing same-sex marriage provided more expansive protections for religious organizations and helped pull the legislation over the finish line Friday night. The Republicans who insisted on the provision did not only want religious organizations and affiliated groups to be protected from lawsuits if they refused to provide their buildings... NY Times • Jun 26, 2011

	N.Y. State Senate to Vote on Same-Sex Marriage The marriage measure, which was proposed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and approved by the state Assembly, has been publicly endorsed by 31 of the 62 senators -- leaving the measure one vote shy of the votes needed for passage in the Senate. The announced supporters include 29 of the 30 Senate Democrats and 2 of the 32 Senate Republicans. Supporters and opponents alike said that anything could happen wh... NY Times • Jun 24, 2011

	After Talks With G.O.P., Cuomo Expects Passage of Gay Marriage Bill Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday that he expected same-sex marriage legislation to be approved before the end of the legislative session next week, and indicated that to win passage of the measure he is prepared to yield to Republican concerns for greater protections of religious groups. ... NY Times • Jun 20, 2011

	N.Y. Senate Republicans Undecided on a Gay Marriage Vote Senate Republican leaders said on Wednesday that they had not decided whether to take a vote on legalizing same-sex marriage, as advocates were in a full-court press to gain the one vote needed to pass the measure before Monday, the scheduled end of this year's legislative session. Thirty-one members of the 62-seat Senate have now publicly backed the legislation, including two Republicans who hav... NY Times • Jun 15, 2011

	Same-Sex Marriage Within One Vote of Passage in Albany New York is within a single vote of legalizing gay marriage after a second Republican state senator said on Tuesday that he would support the measure should it come to the floor this week. The senator, Roy J. McDonald, from the capital region, made his comments to reporters amid growing indications that Republican leaders would bring the bill to an up or down vote on Thursday or Friday. Three ot... NY Times • Jun 14, 2011

	In Reversal, 3 Democratic Senators Will Back Gay Marriage Three wavering Democratic lawmakers in the State Senate on Monday announced that they now support the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, marking a potential turning point for the long-debated measure. Within an hour of the announcement by the three Democrats, a Republican senator said that he, too, is open to supporting same-sex marriage. "If the bill comes to the floor the way that ... NY Times • Jun 14, 2011

	What a Repeal of the Gay Marriage Ban Means The law in question -- the Defense of Marriage Act, enacted in 1996 -- has two main parts: Section 3 defines marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman, while Section 2 allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. Still, even if the entire law disappeared, gay couples would still need to get married in one of the five states, or the District of Columbia, t... NY Times • Jun 12, 2011

	Conservative Party Is Obstacle to Gay Marriage Michael R. Long works out of a cluttered office above a Greek restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, one block from the liquor store that still bears his family's name, with a replica John Wayne revolver and a photo of Ronald Reagan on the wall. Unlike other political bosses, he fields no phalanx of high-priced lobbyists and consultants. He is virtually unknown to most New Yorkers. But Mr. Long, the ... NY Times • May 22, 2011

	Bloomberg Lobbies G.O.P. Senators on Gay Marriage Urging lawmakers to put themselves on "the right side of history," Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg visited the Capitol on Tuesday and vowed to support the re-election campaign of any Republican senator who votes to allow gay couples to wed. For six hours, the mayor plodded from one office to another in the mazelike legislative office building and the Capitol, across the street, meeting with six rank-... NY Times • May 18, 2011

	Senator and Granddaughter on Two Sides, but One Stage, in Debate on Gay Marriage Rubén Díaz Sr., the Bronx state senator, Pentecostal minister and steadfast opponent of same-sex marriage, gathered his flock on Sunday for a rally on the steps of the monumental Art Deco courthouse in the Bronx, serenaded by church bands and an ear-piercing soundtrack of Latin song. The slogan they shouted, aimed at the State Legislature, said it all: "One Man. One Woman. God's Will." Across th... NY Times • May 17, 2011

	Donors to G.O.P. Are Backing Gay Marriage Push The donors represent some of New York's wealthiest and most politically active figures and include Paul E. Singer, a hedge fund manager and top-tier Republican donor, as well as two other financiers, Steven A. Cohen and Clifford S. Asness. At the same time, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist who has been a major contributor to Senate Republicans in New York, ... NY Times • May 14, 2011

	Justice Dept. to Continue Policy Against Same-Sex Marriage A Justice Department official said Saturday that Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. had made no change in the administration's approach to the law, the Defense of Marriage Act, suggesting that deportations could continue in other immigration cases involving married gay couples. On Friday, an immigration judge in Newark suspended the deportation of Henry Velandia, a Venezuelan man who was legally... NY Times • May 9, 2011

	Faith Groups Campaign to Block Gay Marriage Evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Jewish leaders, determined to head off momentum for same-sex marriage in Albany, say they are mobilizing an extensive campaign to block legislation that would make New York the sixth state to allow gay men and lesbians to wed. "Our pastors are fired up by the governor's assault on marriage," said the Rev. Jason J. McGuire, executive director of New Yorker... NY Times • May 7, 2011

	Fit to Rule on Same-Sex Marriage Indeed, following the open-ended logic of Proposition 8's lawyers, it is hard to think who, if anyone, is qualified to rule on this case. Certainly not wedded heterosexual judges whose marriages stand to be somehow diminished, according to the antimarriage crowd, if Judge Walker's ruling survives appeal in federal circuit court. Some ethics experts say the ruling might have triggered credible con... NY Times • May 4, 2011

	A Tipping Point for Gay Marriage? Thirteen years passed between the Brown decision and Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court decision striking down bans on interracial marriage. "A large majority of supporters of racial integration and even nondiscrimination in the workplace did not believe that interracial marriage was tolerable," Professor Eskridge said. "In race, the marriage issue was the very last form of discrimination... NY Times • May 2, 2011

	Cuomo Helps Groups Mobilize for Gay Marriage Bill Gay rights groups, which suffered the stinging defeat of a same-sex marriage bill in New York State in 2009, will publicly mount a new campaign for the legislation starting this week, relying on the popular Democratic governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, to overcome Republican resistance and their own history of poor coordination. Under the supervision of the governor's staff, the groups intend to raise m... NY Times • Apr 21, 2011

	Gay Couples Closer to Receiving Medicaid Spousal Protections Same-sex couples are one step closer to receiving protections that heterosexual married couples get when they receive long-term care through Medicaid -- that is, the healthy partner will be able to keep some of the ailing partner's money and remain in their home. At least, that's the goal. Right now, only opposite-sex married couples receive those rights because the federal government doesn't rec... NY Times • Apr 9, 2011

	The Extra Hoops Gay Parents Must Jump Through Most pregnant women avoid long road trips right before their due date. But Amanda and Kay Shelton, a lesbian couple in Beverly Hills, Mich., contemplated traveling more than 600 miles to New Jersey so Amanda could give birth in a state where their baby could have two "legal" mothers. Michigan, along with several others, doesn't allow same-sex couples to perform second-parent adoptions, which allo... NY Times • Apr 7, 2011

	Confusion Over Policy on Married Gay Immigrants An announcement by immigration officials in Washington on Monday that they were delaying decisions on some immigration cases involving gay couples led to a surge of expectations among gay advocates that the Obama administration had taken a small but significant step toward recognizing same-sex marriage. But on Tuesday, immigration officials moved swiftly to clarify their position and dampen thos... NY Times • Mar 31, 2011

	Real Family Values Republicans like to cast themselves as the protectors of "family values." But that mantle properly belongs to President Obama and the Congressional Democrats committed to ending this atrocious law. Denying same-sex couples and their families the significant savings of filing joint tax returns, Social Security survivor benefits, and about 1,130-plus other spousal benefits and protections granted o... NY Times • Mar 28, 2011

	Too Long to Wait In legal papers filed last week, lawyers challenging Proposition 8 took note of the "serious, lasting, and irreparable damage to gay men and lesbians who wish to marry" caused by this extended timetable and called on the federal court to lift its injunction. The stay should never have been granted in the first place. Applying traditional legal criteria, the extraordinary relief of a stay is only ... NY Times • Mar 8, 2011

	The President's Courthouse There are precedents for what the Justice Department is doing, but not many. In 1946, in United States v. Lovett, the Supreme Court considered a case about a law withholding salaries from government officials said to be radicals. The executive branch complied with the law but told the Supreme Court it was unconstitutional. A lawyer representing Congress urged the court to uphold it, and the justic... NY Times • Mar 2, 2011

	Obama Orders End to Defense of Federal Gay Marriage Law Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday saying that the Justice Department will now take the position in court that the act should be struck down as a violation of same-sex couples' rights to equal protection under the law. "The president and I have concluded that classifications based on sexual orientation warrant heightened scrutiny and that, as applied to sam... NY Times • Feb 23, 2011

	In Defense of Marriage, for All But the department's appellate brief also recycled the flimsy argument that the law had a plausible purpose in trying to maintain the federal status quo while states debated the issue of same-sex marriage. This argument was peculiar since the law overturned the federal status quo, which was to recognize all legal marriages. Two new lawsuits, filed in Connecticut and New York, challenging the Defe... NY Times • Feb 14, 2011

	Bush's Daughter, in a Break, Endorses Gay Marriage Barbara Bush, one of the twin daughters of George W. Bush, will endorse same-sex marriage on Tuesday, publicly breaking ranks with a father who, as president, pushed for a constitutional amendment banning such unions. Ms. Bush, 29, has taped a video calling on New York to legalize gay marriage. A bill to do that was defeated in the state in 2009. She describes the issue as a matter of conscience ... NY Times • Feb 1, 2011

	Elton John Headlines Glittery Prop. 8 Fund-Raiser He walked on stage in sunglasses, an earring glittering in one ear. The days of jumping on piano benches were presumably behind him. Still, in 16 songs that lasted over 90 minutes on Wednesday evening, Sir Elton John offered a robust private concert to a relatively intimate audience gathered under a tent in an estate in the Hollywood Hills on a cool California evening. The cause for this fund-rai... NY Times • Jan 21, 2011

	One Battle Won, Activists Shift Sights As gay people around the country reveled on Sunday in the historic Senate vote to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a liberal media watchdog group said it planned to announce on Monday that it was setting up a "communications war room for gay equality" in an effort to win the movement's next and biggest battle: for a right to same-sex marriage. The new group, Equality Matters, grew out of Media Ma... NY Times • Dec 20, 2010

	Gay 'Progressive' Republican on Air in Iowa Mr. Karger, 60, has never held elected office and acknowledges that he does not have much of a shot at winning his party's nod. Instead, his goal is to make history as the first openly gay presidential candidate for a major party. "My overriding goal is to be a participant in those Republican debates," he said in an interview on Wednesday. "I need to start early." But Mr. Karger is hardly a poli... NY Times • Nov 26, 2010

	Gay Marriage Gets Boost From Wall Street The American Foundation for Equal Rights held a fund-raiser in New York City Wednesday night at the Mandarin Oriental hotel on Columbus Circle. The AFER is the organization that led the legal battle, led by lawyers Theodore Olson and David Boies, to challenge California's ban on gay marriage. A trial court judge struck down the statute last month, but the case is on appeal With scores of first-ti... NY Times • Sep 24, 2010

	Over Time, a Gay Marriage Groundswell A CNN poll this month found that a narrow majority of Americans supported same-sex marriage -- the first poll to find majority support. Other poll results did not go that far, but still, on average, showed that support for gay marriage had risen to 45 percent or more (with the rest either opposed or undecided). That's a big change from 1996, when Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act. At th... NY Times • Aug 23, 2010

	Newsom Steps Away From Limelight on Same-Sex Marriage Mr. Newsom acknowledged in an interview on Wednesday that he had made a choice to be less outspoken on same-sex marriage compared with past years. He said his new tone reflected how the debate had matured and was not a sign that he had changed his commitment to the issue. "This movement has nothing to do with me; I'm just a small part of it," Mr. Newsom said. "This thing is at a completely differ... NY Times • Aug 20, 2010

	Marriage Is a Constitutional Right Until Wednesday, the thousands of same-sex couples who have married did so because a state judge or Legislature allowed them to. The nation's most fundamental guarantees of freedom, set out in the Constitution, were not part of the equation. That has changed with the historic decision by a federal judge in California, Vaughn Walker, that said his state's ban on same-sex marriage violated the 14th ... NY Times • Aug 5, 2010

	Argentina Legalizes Gay Marriage Argentina legalized same-sex marriage Thursday, becoming the first country in Latin America to declare that gays and lesbians have all the legal rights, responsibilities and protections that marriage brings to heterosexual couples. After a marathon debate in Argentina's senate, 33 lawmakers voted in favor, 27 against and 3 abstained in a vote that ended after 4 a.m. Since the lower house already ... NY Times • Jul 15, 2010

	A 'Kagan Doctrine' on Gay Marriage ELENA KAGAN uttered neither the word "gay" nor "marriage" in her opening statement at the Senate confirmation hearings on her nomination to the Supreme Court, but she addressed the issue nonetheless. No, she didn't say how she will vote when gay marriage comes before the court, as it may soon. What she did say was this: "The Supreme Court, of course, has the responsibility of ensuring that our go... NY Times • Jul 3, 2010

	Testimony on Gay Marriage I recently learned that a separate, lawyer-generated document submitted to the court apparently does list an article by Mr. Rekers in connection with my testimony, but that document, on this point, is in error.... NY Times • May 30, 2010

	Trial in Same-Sex Marriage Case Is Challenged The trial took place in January, but Judge Walker has not yet scheduled closing arguments. In the meantime, the defendants and their allies are calling the legitimacy of the proceedings into question. "The plaintiffs put on a spectacular show-trial of irrelevant evidence," Andrew P. Pugno, the general counsel of Protectmarriage.com, the leading sponsor of Proposition 8, said in a blog post. Theo... NY Times • Mar 23, 2010

	A Chinese Tale: Faith, Tradition, Confucius and Same-Sex Marriage The Bay Area's Chinese Christians are overwhelmingly evangelical, especially in the South Bay, although there is smattering of main-line Protestants and Catholics as well in San Francisco. Evangelical Chinese Christians were one of the region's most vocal and well-organized groups supporting Proposition 8, the ballot measure banning same-sex marriage, which voters approved in 2008.... NY Times • Jan 23, 2010

	High-Stakes Gay Marriage Trial to Begin in Calif. ''This could be our Brown vs. Board of Education,'' said former Clinton White House adviser Richard Socarides, referring to the 1954 Supreme Court decision that outlawed racial segregation in schools and other public facilities. ''Certainly the plaintiffs will tell you they are hoping for a broad ruling that says that any law that treats someone differently because of sexual orientation violates t... NY Times • Jan 8, 2010

	NJ Senate Schedules Vote on Gay Marriage New Jersey's state Senate is set to vote on whether to legalize gay marriage. Sen. President Richard Codey has scheduled the vote for Thursday. Codey said Tuesday that the people of New Jersey ''deserve the right to a formal debate on the Senate floor.''... NY Times • Jan 6, 2010

	California Companies Fight Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide As the political battle over same-sex marriage plays out in state capitals across the country, several California companies have emerged as the go-to players for opponents of the marriages. One of the companies, Mar/Com Services Inc., lists its business address here in San Francisco, a city well known for its large and politically active gay population. When Maine residents opposed to a new law p... NY Times • Dec 14, 2009

	A Conservative's Road to Same-Sex Marriage Advocacy The Supreme Court has long recognized marriage between men and women as a right, most notably in a 1967 case overturning bans on interracial marriage. Since sexual orientation, unlike race, is not mentioned in the Constitution, the question is whether that right extends to gay men and lesbians. The answer, in Mr. Cooper's view, can be found in a 1970 case, in which the Supreme Court refused to he... NY Times • Aug 19, 2009

	Ted Olson's Supreme Court Adventure Is this the right time to go to a conservative Supreme Court with such a controversial issue -- one that even President Obama has shied away from?... NY Times • Aug 19, 2009

	Caution on Fighting Marriage Ban One of California's leading gay rights groups, Equality California, said Wednesday that it would not seek to overturn the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage next year, even as another group advocating for same-sex marriage said 2010 was the right time to go back to the ballot. Officials with Equality California had argued for a quick return to the polls to overturn Proposition 8, whi... NY Times • Aug 14, 2009

	Protests as Australia Affirms Equal Marriage Ban Equal marriage remains illegal in Australia, but the states of Tasmania and Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory, all allow a form of civil union, which gives gay couples similar rights to married couples. Labour promised to push for a national framework to register gay couples, but stopped short of endorsing their marriages. Rudd's government is also committed to ending all other discr... NY Times • Aug 2, 2009

	Questions for Benjamin Todd Jealous: Race Matters If gay rights groups want to change the opinion polls in the black community, they have to invest in it. It's a long-term conversation. The battle to oppose Prop 8 could have been much better run. They came to the black community late, with the expectation that they were going to get certain results.... NY Times • Aug 1, 2009

	Backers of Gay Marriage Rethink California Push Sarah Callahan, chief operating officer of the Courage Campaign, a 700,000-member advocacy group in Los Angeles, told the gathering on Saturday that the two critical elements to persuade donors were organization and a winning plan. "No one is going to invest in chaos," Ms. Callahan said, adding, "The money will come if you can show you can win." With less than 16 months until possible voting in 2... NY Times • Jul 27, 2009

	Civil Rights Group Divided Over Civil Rights "The black church played a significant role in Proposition 8 passing," he said. "The failure of the campaign was to presume that African-Americans would see this as a civil rights issue."... NY Times • Jul 10, 2009

	40 Years Later, Still Second-Class Americans In conversations with gay activists on both coasts last week, I heard several theories as to why Obama has seemed alternately clumsy and foot-dragging in honoring his campaign commitments to dismantle DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell. The most charitable take had it that he was following a deliberate strategy, given his habit of pursuing his goals through long-term game plans. After all, he's only fi... NY Times • Jun 29, 2009

	Political Shifts on Gay Rights Lag Behind Culture Yet if the culture is moving on, national politics is not, or at least not as rapidly. Mr. Obama has yet to fulfill a campaign promise to repeal the policy barring openly gay people from serving in the military. The prospects that Congress will ever send him a bill overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, appear dim. An effort to extend hate-cri... NY Times • Jun 27, 2009

	Why the Gay Rights Movement Has No National Leader One explanation is that gay and lesbian activists learned early on that they could get along just fine without one. Even in the movement's earliest days following the violent uprising at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village 40 years ago this week, no singular leader emerged. Some historians believe this is in part because it was -- and still is -- difficult for the average American to empathize ... NY Times • Jun 21, 2009

	U.S. to Extend (a few of) Its Job Benefits to Gay Partners (temporarily) President Obama will sign a presidential memorandum on Wednesday to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, administration officials said Tuesday evening, but he will stop short of pledging full health insurance coverage.... NY Times • Jun 17, 2009

	A Bad Call on Gay Rights Busy calendars and political expediency are no excuse for making one group of Americans wait any longer for equal rights.... NY Times • Jun 16, 2009

	Why I Now Support Equal Marriage Under current New York State law, same-sex couples are deprived of access to the employment benefits, life and health insurance and inheritance laws that heterosexual couples have. If the state were to institute civil unions for same-sex couples, that discrimination would end, but we'd still be creating a separate and unequal system.... NY Times • Jun 14, 2009

	Prop. 8 Dream Team Backlash More formally, the ACLU, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign and related groups issued a statement that said "Most lawsuits will set us back," and argued that the best way forward was to work locally first, then nationally... NY Times • May 30, 2009

	Group Begins Ad Blitz Against Same-Sex Couples Advocates for same-sex couples in New York, who have been laying groundwork for the bill for several years through grass-roots activity -- like recruiting supporters who are now reaching out to senators -- have spent at least $200,000 on television ads in the last few weeks. A commercial running in the Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse markets features a husband and wife who say it is unfair that their... NY Times • May 28, 2009

	California Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Heated reaction to the decision began immediately, with protestors blocking traffic near the Supreme Court, and advocates for same-sex couples beginning plans for another election. In Los Angeles, Jennifer Pizer, the Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal, said that the decision "puts it to us to repair the damage at the ballot box." One of the state's largest gay equality groups, Equality Cal... NY Times • May 26, 2009

	La Cage aux Democrats As Wolfson reminds us in his book "Why Marriage Matters," Dr. King addressed such dawdling in 1963. "For years now I have heard the word 'Wait,' " King wrote. "It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This 'Wait' has almost always meant 'Never.' "... NY Times • May 24, 2009

	Same-Sex Marriage Laws Pose Protection Quandary Opponents of same-sex couples have frequently said it threatens to penalize members of the clergy who refuse to solemnize such unions or who preach against them. Legal experts almost unanimously dismiss such alarms. Refusals to officiate or to mute a religious doctrine, they say, are solidly protected by the First Amendment.... NY Times • May 23, 2009

	Queer Developments According to the group Freedom to Marry, about 13 percent of Americans now live in a state that allows gay couples or recognizes marriage licenses issued in other states, and that percentage is certain to rise. The gist of the disagreement now isn't partisan or theological as much as it is generational. Unlike their parents, younger Americans and those now transitioning into middle age have had op... NY Times • May 23, 2009

	Setback to Gay Marriage in New Hampshire The vote made the bill's survival less certain, but the measure is not dead yet. It will now go to a joint committee of the legislature, which will try to come up with language acceptable to the House and Senate. But it is unclear whether Governor Lynch, a Democrat, would sign it.... NY Times • May 21, 2009

	Gay Marriage Slow to Draw an Opposition in N.Y. As the Legislature considers whether to make New York the next state to legalize same-sex marriage, social conservatives have been largely missing from the debate in Albany. The interest groups working to legalize marriage for gay couples have been laying the groundwork for more than four years, lobbying lawmakers and funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to their campaigns. And last week th... NY Times • May 20, 2009

	Kept From a Dying Partner's Bedside The case, now the subject of a federal lawsuit in Florida, is being watched by gay rights groups, which say same-sex partners often report being excluded from a patient's room because they aren't "real" family members. And lawyers say the case could affect the way hospitals treat all patients with nonmarital relationships, including older people who choose not to marry, unmarried heterosexual cou... NY Times • May 19, 2009

	NY: Assemblyman Makes Gay Marriage Bill Personal For Mr. O'Donnell, the lobbying is intensely personal. When he has been unable to persuade colleagues to vote yes, he has sent his partner, John Banta, director of special events for the Metropolitan Opera, to try instead. The two men met as freshmen at Catholic University in 1978, began dating two years later and have been together ever since. Mr. O'Donnell frequently brings Mr. Banta along to l... NY Times • May 12, 2009

	Faking Left Thus gay marriage opponents' persistent disadvantage. They can argue from tradition, custom and Christianity -- as Obama himself does, albeit with dubious sincerity, to explain why he backs civil unions but not full-fledged marriage. They can note the perils of formally severing the link between marriage and childbearing in a society where far too many children are born outside of wedlock as it is... NY Times • May 12, 2009

	How Hospitals Treat Same-Sex Couples While heterosexual couples typically don't have to provide marriage licenses to hospitals in order to prove they are husband and wife, same sex couples often must document their relationship to hospital officials before being allowed to take part in a partner's care. "There is a real disconnect between what might be a good written policy or state law and actual implementation of that policy or la... NY Times • May 12, 2009

	New York Senators Hedge on Gay Marriage With six weeks left before the Legislature adjourns for the year, uncertainty surrounds the fate of Gov. David A. Paterson's bill to legalize same-sex marriage, and lobbying is intensifying. The measure is expected to easily pass the State Assembly, which approved a similar bill in 2007 and has scheduled its vote for Tuesday. That means the fate of the legislation will most likely be decided in ... NY Times • May 10, 2009

	For Gay Couples, Obstacles to Health Insurance Currently about one-third of companies with more than 500 employees offer domestic partner benefits. That's up from about 12 percent in 2000, according to a study from Mercer, an employee benefits consulting firm. But the percentage drops off sharply when smaller employers are counted, Ms. Hudson said.... NY Times • May 8, 2009

	'This Is a Question of Fairness' Mr. Baldacci described his change of heart -- and what we hope is the changing sentiment of many other American politicians. "I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage," he said. Precisely. Maine was the fifth state to legalize same-sex marriage. We urge Mr. Lynch to make New Hampshire th... NY Times • May 8, 2009

	As Gay Issues Arise, Obama Is Pressed to Engage In the words of David Mixner, a writer, gay activists are beginning to wonder, "How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?" Last weekend, Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues, published an opinion piece in The Washington Post headlined, "Where's our fierce advocate?" The White House, aware of the discontent, invited leaders of some prominent gay rights... NY Times • May 7, 2009

	Group Renews Fight for Same-Sex Marriage in California Mr. Solomon, who came to California after several years of working on behalf of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, the first state to legalize such unions, in 2004, stopped short of announcing of a formal campaign to put the issue on the California ballot, which would require an extensive signature-gathering effort. But his group appeared to be ramping up. It announced a statewide advertising ca... NY Times • May 7, 2009

	Questions for James McGreevey I think in the Northeast we've reached the tipping point. I think Proposition 8 sort of reawoke a sense of political consciousness among the L.G.B.T. community and, as important, its allies.... NY Times • May 2, 2009

	Maine Senate Backs Same-Sex Marriage If the Maine Legislature approves same-sex marriage, opponents will try to collect enough signatures to suspend the law until a public referendum can be held -- probably in June 2010 -- asking voters if they want to overturn it. But Mary Bonauto, the lawyer who argued the case that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, said gay rights groups would wage an exhaustive campa... NY Times • Apr 30, 2009

	N.H. Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill It is unclear whether Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, will veto the law or whether the new language will persuade him to endorse it. Mr. Lynch has consistently opposed same-sex marriage, but has never said whether he would veto the bill or let it be enacted without his signature, as state law would allow. He has said that the state's civil-union law provides sufficient rights and protections for gay ... NY Times • Apr 29, 2009

	Maine: Vote on Gay Marriage Expected Eleven of the 14 committee members voted in favor of the bill, two voted against it and one proposed letting voters decide the matter in a referendum. Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat, has not said whether he will sign the bill.... NY Times • Apr 29, 2009

	Signs G.O.P. Is Rethinking Stance on Gay Marriage More significant is evidence in polls of a widening divide on the issue by age, suggesting to many Republicans that the potency of the gay-marriage question is on the decline. It simply does not appear to have the resonance with younger voters that it does with older ones.... NY Times • Apr 29, 2009

	New Hampshire: Marriage Bill Setback The committee voted 3 to 2 against the measure. But since committees cannot kill legislation in New Hampshire, the full Senate will still vote on it, possibly next week. The House of Representatives narrowly passed the bill in March.... NY Times • Apr 24, 2009

	The Bigots' Last Hurrah As marital equality haltingly but inexorably spreads state by state for gay Americans in the years to come, Utah will hardly be in the lead to follow Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont. But the fact that it too is taking its first steps down that road is extraordinary. It is justice, not a storm, that is gathering. Only those who have spread the poisons of bigotry and fear have any reaso... NY Times • Apr 19, 2009

	Top G.O.P. Consultant Endorses Gay Marriage It would be a watershed moment in American politics if other Republicans began supporting gay marriage, just as it would be if President Obama joined some of his fellow Democrats and got on board.... NY Times • Apr 17, 2009

	Vote in Doubt as New Hampshire Senate Takes Up Gay Marriage There are more votes in doubt here than there were in Vermont last week, when supporters needed five House members to change their minds and override Gov. Jim Douglas's vote of the bill allowing same-sex marriage there. In New Hampshire, Democrats control the 24-member Senate, but many have not disclosed how they will vote on the bill, which would take effect in January. None of the nine Republic... NY Times • Apr 15, 2009

	Gay Marriage Issue Steering Clear of the Supreme Court In other contexts, this sort of turmoil might amount to an invitation for the United States Supreme Court to step in. But there are all sorts of reasons the court is likely to keep its distance, and a central one is the endlessly debated 1973 decision that identified a constitutional right to abortion. "The concern about creating another Roe v. Wade looms large," said Nathaniel Persily, who teach... NY Times • Apr 11, 2009

	Paterson Wants Public Debates on Gay Marriage Gov. David A. Paterson has been saying that a bill legalizing same-sex marriage should come to a vote in the State Senate even if the measure does not have enough support to pass. But is this really a good thing for gay rights advocates, a constituency that Mr. Paterson has solidly supported for most of his political career? Mr. Paterson's logic, which he explained in separate radio interviews o... NY Times • Apr 11, 2009

	Iowa's G.O.P. Lawmakers Take Aim at Gay Marriage All of Iowa's House faces re-election in 2010, as do some senators and Governor Culver, now in his first term. Mr. Culver, who says he personally believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, said he was unlikely to support a constitutional amendment. "After careful consideration and a thorough reading of the court's decision," he said, "I am reluctant to support amending the Iowa Consti... NY Times • Apr 11, 2009

	Vermont Equality Creating a separate legal structure to confer some benefits on gay couples falls short of granting true equality.... NY Times • Apr 8, 2009

	When a Court Decides Who Can Marry The Iowa decision, like the Connecticut decision, splits the difference. It does not subject legislation burdening gays to the "strict scrutiny" that legislation classifying on the basis of race triggers. But it does subject legislation burdening gays to something more than the highly deferential "rational-basis review" drawn by ordinary legislation. None of these similarities should eclipse the ... NY Times • Apr 5, 2009

	A Push Is On for Same-Sex Marriage Rights Across New England Across New England, advocacy groups have been raising money, training volunteers and lobbying voters and lawmakers as part of a campaign they call "Six by Twelve," led by the legal advocacy group that persuaded the Supreme Courts in Massachusetts and Connecticut to allow same-sex marriage in 2003 and 2008.... NY Times • Apr 5, 2009

	Gay Marriage, Set Back in One State, Gains in a 2nd The New Hampshire House voted Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage, narrowly approving a bill that faces an uncertain future in the State Senate and, should it pass there, most likely a veto by Gov. John Lynch. Only hours after the measure had failed by one vote, a handful of legislators reconsidered, allowing it to clear the Democratic-controlled House by 186 to 179. The vote followed by a da... NY Times • Mar 27, 2009

	Benefits for Gay Couples We do not ask for a handout. We do not ask for special favors. And we gladly and lovingly accept taking care of children cast away by others. All we ask is to be treated like everyone else.... NY Times • Mar 20, 2009

	Obama on Spot Over a Benefit to Gay Couples As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama said he would "fight hard" for the rights of gay couples. As a senator, he sponsored legislation that would have provided health benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Now, Mr. Obama is in a tough spot. If he supports the personnel office on denying benefits to the San Francisco court employees, he risks agitating liberal groups that helped him ... NY Times • Mar 13, 2009

	California Court Weighing Gay Marriage Ban The three-hour hearing is a critical legal test for both sides. But opponents of Proposition 8 also used Thursday's hearing as a prime moment to rally their forces and demonstrate resilience after a stinging election loss that many among them believe could have been avoided. "It's a need for the community to show that we will not be passive participants to our own struggle," said Kate Kendell, ex... NY Times • Mar 5, 2009

	Gay Marriage Needs a Vote Same-sex couples deserve full equality under the law, and that includes the right to marry. For the last decade or so, members of the Rhode Island State Legislature have regularly proposed bills to allow same-sex couples to marry only to see the issue die in committee without coming to a vote.... NY Times • Feb 24, 2009

	For Supporters of Gay Marriage, a Dashing of Great Expectations His assessment was a sobering dose of reality for supporters of gay rights, who with their money and support helped Democrats win control of the Senate for the first time since 1965 and hoped to quickly knock down the last remaining obstacle to gay marriage in New York. "It's very disappointing," said Matthew Titone, a Democratic assemblyman who represents Staten Island and who listened to Mr. Sm... NY Times • Feb 9, 2009

	Survey: Politics, Money Concern College Freshmen Just under two-thirds (66 percent) support the right to same-sex marriage.... NY Times • Jan 22, 2009

	Marriage Ban Donors Feel Exposed by List The election law in question, the Political Reform Act of 1974, was approved by California voters as Proposition 9, and gay rights advocates say there is rich irony in supporters of Proposition 8 opposing the earlier ballot measure. "They believe in the will of the people if it's in tune with what they believe," said Jennifer C. Pizer, marriage project director with Lambda Legal, the gay rights l... NY Times • Jan 18, 2009

	Gay Marriage in New York By failing to pass the marriage equality bill, which has been passed by the Assembly, the Senate is driving wedding business out of New York, hurting New York's crumbling economy without stopping gay New Yorkers from assuming the rights and responsibilities of marriage.... NY Times • Jan 15, 2009

	Democrats Reach Pact to Lead the Senate Though it does not appear that a bill to legalize marriage of gay men and of lesbian couples will be voted on anytime soon, it will not be because of any bargain, senators said. With several Democratic senators opposed to same-sex marriage, there are not presently enough votes to get a bill through the Senate. "There are still five or six votes against the bill in the Democratic conference," said... NY Times • Jan 7, 2009

	You're Likable Enough, Gay People McCarthy added that it's also time "for President-elect Obama to start acting on the promises he made to the LGBT community during his campaign so that he doesn't go down in history as another Bill Clinton, a sweet-talking swindler who would throw us under the bus for the sake of political expediency." And "for LGBT folks to choose their battles wisely, to judge Obama on the content of his policy-... NY Times • Dec 29, 2008

	Let New Jersey's Couples Marry, All of Them As a parent, I find it extremely difficult to explain to my child why I cannot "get married." He does not understand what a "civil union" or "domestic partnership" means. He does not understand how politics work. He does not yet understand bigotry, bias and small-mindedness.... NY Times • Dec 26, 2008

	Separate and Not Equal The results are clearly visible in New Jersey, which continues to deny same-sex couples some of the tangible civil benefits that come with marriage.... NY Times • Dec 20, 2008

	Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists "I think we are demanding as a community that we democratize our processes and ensure we all have a voice," said Molly McKay, media director of the volunteer group Marriage Equality USA. "Because we are not a campaign. We are a movement."... NY Times • Dec 10, 2008

	Marc Shaiman on 'Prop 8 -- The Musical' And of course this video is just a viral picket sign.... NY Times • Dec 4, 2008

	Another Cause, Another Ribbon We needed a symbol, something to keep the conversation going.... NY Times • Nov 30, 2008

	Gay Marriage and a Moral Minority ...make it part of a broader discussion about the perils of rigidly applying yesterday's sexual morality to today's sexual mores. Show black women that it backfires. The stigma doesn't erase the behavior, it pushes it into the shadows where, devoid of information and acceptance, it become more risky.... NY Times • Nov 29, 2008

	The Prop 8 Campaign Money Churches, which risk their tax-exempt status if they endorse candidates, have more leeway in referendum campaigns. Still, when they enter the political fray, they have the same obligation to follow the rules that nonreligious groups do.... NY Times • Nov 29, 2008

	New York Democrats May Skip Gay Marriage Vote "We want to get there, but we want to get there the right way or else we risk setting ourselves back another decade," said Senator Liz Krueger, a Democrat who represents the Upper East Side.... NY Times • Nov 28, 2008

	Inquiry Set on Mormon Aid for California Marriage Vote ... NY Times • Nov 25, 2008

	California's Legal Tangle ... NY Times • Nov 24, 2008

	Marriage on the Rocks ... NY Times • Nov 22, 2008

	Activists Seek to Tie 'Milk' to a Campaign for Gay Rights ... NY Times • Nov 21, 2008

	With Same-Sex Marriage, a Court Takes on the People's Voice ... NY Times • Nov 20, 2008

	Across U.S., Big Rallies for Same-Sex Marriage ... NY Times • Nov 15, 2008

	Across U.S., Big Rallies for Same-Sex Marriage ... NY Times • Nov 15, 2008

	Mormons Tipped Scale in Ban on Gay Marriage ... NY Times • Nov 14, 2008

	Gay-Rights Activists Use Web to Organize Global Rally ... NY Times • Nov 14, 2008

	What It Felt Like to Be Equal ... NY Times • Nov 13, 2008

	Anti-Gay, Anti-Family ... NY Times • Nov 11, 2008

	Gay Leaders in Utah Plan 5-Bill Attack in Legislature ... NY Times • Nov 11, 2008

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