Straight Talk On Marriage

Op-Ed: Equality's Ragged March

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:19:00 +0000

The New York Times
November 7, 2009
Last Tuesday’s Election Day results showed how far the nation has traveled in the struggle for gay equality — and the distance still to go. The returns also added fresh urgency to promising efforts in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. [Link]

Voice for Equality: Greg Harris

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Greg Harris is an Illinois State Representative for the 13th District, which includes the Chicago neighborhoods of Uptown, Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, North Center, and Bowmanville. He graduated from the University of Colorado before serving for 14 years as Chief of Staff for Alderman Mary Ann Smith of Chicago's 48th Ward. Harris has worked tirelessly for the Chicago gay community as the founder and first Board President of both Open Hand Chicago and AIDS Walk Chicago. Harris has also served as a Board Member of the AIDS Legal Council and as a Director of the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights. These are only a few of the numerous Chicago gay organizations with which Representative Harris has been involved. Learn more here.

In 1997, Harris and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley shared the Human Rights Campaign "Equality" Award for their work in passing a domestic partner ordinance in Chicago. In 2006, he was elected to the Illinois State House of Representatives, becoming the first gay state official in Illinois. Harris is the two-time winner of the Chicago Free Press BEST LGBT Politician Award and recipient of Equality Illinois' 2009 Freedom Award. Harris is currently the sponsor of an Illinois state bill that would establish civil unions in that state. In speaking about the civil union bill in May, 2009 Mr. Harris told the Chicago Tribune:

It appears that people have a concern with the intermingling of religious and civil marriage. But a lot of people, the vast majority, believe that all couples deserve basic rights.

Freedom to Marry salutes Greg Harris as a Voice for Equality! See other Voices for Equality here.

If Mr. Harris' support inspires you - get involved!

Thanks to Grant for this nomination. **Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today!

NJ LGBT Rights Group Launches Ad Campaign for Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:02:00 +0000

NJ.com
November 5, 2009
Garden State Equality has released two television ads aimed at building momentum for marriage equality in N.J. in advance of an upcoming lame-duck legislative session. [Link]

See ads here and here.

Leaked Email Proves DNC Misled Gay Community...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:52:00 +0000

AMERICAblog GAY
November 5, 2009
AMERICAblog Gay's John Aravosis discusses what he sees as the DNC's inaction to help save marriage equality in Maine: "But regardless, why does the DNC (and the White House) have a problem getting involved when a core Democratic constituency is having its civil rights taken away by the far-right base of the Republican party?" [Link]

Audio: Evan Wolfson Talks Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:41:00 +0000

KLCC Public Radio
November 4, 2009
KLCC's Jes Burns sat down on Wednesday with Freedom to Marry executive director Evan Wolfson and Basic Rights Oregon's Jeana Frazzini to talk about the current state of the marriage equality movement - and a new campaign launched this week in Oregon. [audio recording available by clicking on speaker icon at Link]

Maryland lawmaker: Recognize my legal marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Gazette.Net
November 6, 2009
Openly lesbian Maryland Delegate Heather Mizeur has penned an op-ed calling on state officials to recognize the marriages of Maryland’s same-sex couples who are married in jurisdictions where it is legal. [Link]

Get Marriage Equality Off the Ballot

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:28:00 +0000

The Daily Beast
November 6, 2009
In the wake of the passage of Maine's Question 1, Linda Hirshman discusses how the framers of the U.S. Constitution intended the federal judiciary -- rather than voter referendums -- to decide civil liberties issues such as marriage equality, and how "the last thing the [Supreme Court] should do, in deciding that question, is follow the election returns." [Link]

Thinking of the Children

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:20:00 +0000

The Daily Dish
November 5, 2009
Andrew Sullivan examines anti-marriage equality activists' common tactic of exploiting some parents' fears about the misconception that marriage for gay couples could affect school curriculum. [Link]

Op-Ed: Marriage Equality and the Meaning of Words

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:50:00 +0000

The Huffington Post
November 5, 2009
University of Chicago Professor Geoffrey R. Stone discusses the use of language in the battle over marriage equality: "The real flash point about the word “marriage” is that some people strongly associate the word with their religious understandings...Those with religious objections to calling same-sex unions “marriages” are essentially insisting that the state must adopt their religious definition of a legal concept." [Link]

Marriage Equality Advocates Make Push Before Corzine Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Gannet Daily Record
November 6, 2009
LGBT equality advocates in N.J. are working to get a marriage equality bill through the state Senate and Assembly and onto the governor's desk before Gov. Jon Corzine (who supports marriage equality) is replaced by newly elected Chris Christie (who does not). [Link]

Washington State Voters Approve Expanded Domestic Partnership Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:37:00 +0000

The Associated Press

November 5, 2009

Washington state's Referendum 71 was leading 52 percent to 48 percent with 69 percent of the vote counted Thursday in unofficial returns. The expected passage of R-71 would mark the first time a state's voters have approved an LGBT equality measure at the ballot box. [Link]

Marriage Equality on Agenda in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:35:00 +0000

The New York Times
November 5, 2009
N.Y. Gov. David A. Paterson said Thursday that he would include marriage equality legislation on the agenda of a special legislative session he is calling for Tuesday, potentially setting up the first vote on the issue in the state Senate. [Link]

Voice for Equality: Melissa Etheridge

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Melissa Etheridge is known for her high-energy music, craggy vocals, and for being one of the first rock stars to be openly gay. Etheridge had her first hit tune with Bring Me Some Water in 1998, and she won Grammy Awards for best female rock vocal performance for Ain't It Heavy (1992) and Come To My Window (1994). Her albums include Melissa Etheridge (1988), Never Enough (1992), Yes I Am (1993), Breakdown (1999) and Lucky (2004). Etheridge also won an Oscar in 2007 for her song I Need To Wake Up, an original song for the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Learn more here.

Etheridge is famous as a gay rights activist, having come out publicly as a lesbian in January 1993 at the Triangle Ball, a gay/lesbian celebration of President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. Etheridge had a long-term partnership with Julie Cypher, during which Cypher gave birth to two children, Bailey Jean, born 10 February 1997, and Beckett, born November 1998. On September 19, 2000, Etheridge and Cypher announced they were separating. In April 2003, Etheridge became engaged to actress Tammy Lynn Michaels and the two married in Malibu, CA on September 20, 2003 (although California did not legally honor marriages between same-sex couples at that time). Michaels gave birth to twins, a son Miller Steven and a daughter Johnnie Rose, in October of 2006.

It was announced on October 14, 2009 that Melissa Etheridge will be a participant in the Love Unites Shepard Fairey Equality Project, a new marriage equality advocacy project for which more than 80 celebrities will be signing their names to a Shepard Fairey print titled Defend Equality - Love Unites. Fairey, whose Obama Hope print became the iconic emblem of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, was approached by FAIR, an LGBT grassroots marriage equality organization, to commission an image that would help unite and inspire the marriage equality movement. “I am proud to contribute the Defend Equality Love Unites image to the fight for marriage equality, and commend FAIR for putting this image to good use." The signed prints will be sold in online auctions starting in November 2009, with the official launch event being held at the Andaz West Hollywood hotel on November 12th. VIP tickets for the event are $100. [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Melissa Etheridge as a Voice for Equality! See other Voices for Equality here.

If Melissa's support inspires you - get involved!

**Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today!

Washington Voters Approve Referendum 71

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:15:00 +0000

The Seattle Times
November 5, 2009
Washington state voters have approved Referendum 71, keeping a law that expands state benefits for registered same-sex and some senior domestic partners. The tally late Thursday afternoon saw the vote to approve R-71 leading about 52 percent to 48 percent. [Link]

Running into 'a DOMA problem' in health care reform

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:39:00 +0000

washingtonblade.com
November 5, 2009
As gay rights supporters praise the House’s recently unveiled health care bill for its LGBT and HIV/AIDS provisions, some acknowledge that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) could restrict benefits from flowing to LGBT people, depending on how the administration interprets the statute. [Link]

Op-Ed: Speaker Pelosi (and all your Democratic friends), I'm not waiting anymore

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:26:00 +0000

The Bilerico Project
November 5, 2009
Kip Williams speaks of Prop 8 last year and Question 1 in Maine this year, and the fact that he and his LGBT allies have different tactics and messages now. "...We want a plan, complete with achievable goals, benchmarks, and ways that we can help [from our elected offcials]. We're entitled to full equal protection under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution...but it won't happen unless we demand it. Being told to wait is no longer a viable answer." [Link]

The Daily Show: Can't Get Queer from Here

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:06:00 +0000

Comedy Central - The Daily Show
November 4, 2009
Jon Stewart shares his perspectives on the marriage equality vote that occurred in Maine and critiques the advertisements from the Yes on 1/Stand for Marriage Maine campaign. [Link]

Legislative Alert: NY Marriage Bill on Agenda Next Tuesday – Call Your Senator!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Empire State Pride Agenda
November 5, 2009

“Marriage equality has been an issue Governor Paterson has long championed and we are thrilled he has called the State Senate back to Albany next Tuesday and put the marriage equality bill on the agenda. We now expect that we will get the respectful debate and vote that we’ve been waiting for since June.

There is never a wrong time or inconvenient time to debate human rights legislation because it’s always the right time. As long as a group of New Yorkers are being denied equal rights, addressing issues like marriage equality must always be a priority. Support for providing equal rights to LGBT New Yorkers has always been bipartisan, and we expect that this bill will be no different.

We look forward to hearing our lives and our families debated on the Senate floor next Tuesday. It’s now time that each of the 62 State Senators vote their conscience on this bill that has great implications for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in all parts of the state.”

With just a few days left until November 10, we need to make sure you deliver the message to your Senator that you, as a constituent, expect them to vote on and support the bill. Call your State Senator now.

You may have already called your Senator just months, weeks or even days ago. The time to call again is NOW. Now more than ever it is important that your Senator hear from you, even if you know that they already support the bill. The only way we can drive home our message is for Senators to continually hear that our community and our allies expect nothing less than a debate and vote on this issue of equal rights. Click here to call now. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you will be patched through to your State Senator in moments at no cost to you.

We’ll continue to send updates as we hear more about plans for next week in Albany . In the meantime, don’t let this opportunity pass to call your Senator and make your voice heard. [Link]

P.S.—We are writing to you today about this exciting announcement from the Governor about marriage equality. We know that there are many other issues all of
us care about deeply—such as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the Dignity For All Students Act (Dignity). Don’t think for one moment that we are not continuing our efforts to pass these bills, because our work doesn’t stop until we all have protection under the law.

Garden State Equality - TV Commercial "Marsha and Louise"

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:47:00 +0000

Garden State Equality
November 3, 2009
Garden State Equality releases a TV commercial in support of marriage equality depicting a lesbian couple who struggled to take care of their special needs children because they lacked adequate health insurance protections under N.J.'s civil unions law. [Link]

Garden State Equality - TV Commercial "Emilia"

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Garden State Equality
November 3, 2009
Garden State Equality releases a commercial in support of marriage equality in N.J. featuring a straight woman who emphasizes, through speaking about her own experiences visiting her dying husband in the hospital, how the state's civil unions law fails to adequately protect gay couples. [Link]

One Iowa: Statewide Public Forums Planned to Continue Marriage Equality Conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:19:00 +0000

oneiowa
November 5, 2009

(See list of events at bottom including one TONIGHT -
Nov. 5th - in Washington, IA!)

It's been six months since the Iowa Supreme Court issued their unanimous decision to allow same-sex couples the freedom to marry in the state of Iowa. But the struggle to protect marriage equality has only just begun. As we've seen in California and Maine, these freedoms are never as secure as we hope.

The Iowa legislative session is set to begin in January, and a roster of anti-gay gubernatorial candidates is pledging to take away the freedoms we've worked so hard to achieve. One candidate even flaunts the idea of defying the Iowa Supreme Court ruling with an executive order, barring the door to committed couples who want to marry.

At this critical juncture, One Iowa will host a series of public forums to continue our statewide conversation about marriage equality. These panel discussions around the state will represent various local perspectives: same-sex couples, parents of gays and lesbians, faith and community leaders, the legal community and local businesses.

Since One Iowa began in 2005, we have kept Iowa's statewide conversation about issues like civil marriage polite and respectful. We hope to continue this conversation about the positive affect of marriage equality on Iowa communities.

We face a critical challenge in Iowa's long history of civil rights. The opposition will try to chip away at our freedoms; together, we can protect civil marriage and equality in America's Heartland. [Link]

The forums are sponsored by:
Iowa Planned Parenthood Affiliate League
Iowa Civil Rights Commission
Interfaith Alliance of Iowa
ACLU of Iowa
NASW - Iowa Chapter
Lambda Legal
Family Equality Council
PFLAG
GLAAD

Forums will take place throughout November, December and January:

Thursday, November 5th 7:00PM – 9:00PM Public Library 115 West Washington St Washington, IA

Thursday, November 12th 6:30PM – 8:30PM CSPS Legion Arts 1103 3rd Street SE Cedar Rapids, IA

Monday, November 16th 6:30PM – 8:30PM The Council Bluffs Center 714 S Main St Council Bluffs, IA

Wednesday, November 18th 6:30PM – 8:30PM Indian Hills Community College Arts & Sciences/Efner Hall complex, RM 154 Ottumwa, IA

Tuesday, December 1st 6:30PM – 8:30PM Wilbur Aalfs Library Gleeson Room 529 Pierce St Sioux City, IA

Tuesday, December 1st 6:30PM – 8:30PM Schera’s Restaurant & Bar 107 South Main St Elkader, IA

Thursday, December 3rd 6:30PM – 8:30PM Waterloo Public Library 415 Commercial St Waterloo, IA

Monday, December 7th 7:00PM - 9:00PM Grinnell Campus Grinnell, IA

Tuesday, December 8th 7pm - 9pm Campus of Northern Iowa Community College Calmar, Iowa

Tuesday, December 8th 6:00PM – 8:00PM Central Library 1000 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA

Wednesday, December 9th 6:30PM – 8:30PM Central Middle School 901 Cedar St Muscatine, IA

Thursday, December 10th 6:30PM – 8:30PM All Cultures Equal Center 1440 E 2nd St Webster City, IA

Thursday, December 10th 5:30PM – 7:30PM Newton Public Library 100 N 3rd Ave WNewton, IA

Thursday, December 10th 6:30PM – 8:30PM West Burlington Community High School Auditorium 408 W Van Weiss Blvd West Burlington, IA

Thursday, December 17th 7:00PM – 9:00PM Scott Community College Student Life Center Auditorium Bettendorf, IA

Tuesday, January 5th 6:30PM – 8:30PM Mindframe Theater 555 JFK Rd Dubuque, IA

The Pain In Maine II

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

The Daily Dish (The Atlantic)
November 4, 2009
Andrew Sullivan praises the NO on 1 campaign for its efforts and weighs in on what he sees as a promising future for marriage equality: "Sometimes, the defeat of a minority's sincere aspiration to equality helps reveal the injustice of the discrimination and the cruelty of the marginalization." [Link]

Voice for Equality: Michigan House Speaker Pro Tem, Pam Byrnes

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes, is serving her third term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Her colleagues unanimously elected her to the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the House this year, giving her the responsibility of running each session of the 110-member body from the rostrum. As Chair of the House Transportation Committee, a key leadership position, Byrnes focuses on the development of Michigan's mass transit systems and improvement of our infrastructure. She also is a member of the Regulatory Reform Committee and the Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committee. As a member of the House Committee on New Economy and Quality of Life, Byrnes is working to promote job growth by attracting and nurturing high tech businesses to Michigan. She also was recently appointed to the Biosciences Subcommittee which will focus on helping grow the bioscience industry in Michigan. Learn more here.

Following up on an announcement originally made in June of 2009, on November 4, 2009, Speaker Byrnes announced she was introducing legislation to roll back a 2004 constitutional amendment which bans same-sex marriage in the state of Michigan. In announcing the move, she stated:

This really boils down to treating all people with the dignity and respect everyone deserves. So many of us were raised to treat others how we’d like to be treated — it’s about time we start actually doing that. Last time I checked the Golden Rule didn’t say ‘treat others how you’d like to be treated, unless they are gay or lesbian. [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Pam Byrnes as a Voice for Equality! See other Voices for Equality here.

If Speaker Byrne's support inspires you - get involved!

**Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today!

Op-Ed: Equal but Not Equal

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Daily Kos
November 4, 2009
"Bill in Portland Maine" opines on the defeat of Maine's marriage equality law and public attitudes toward marriage for gay couples: "[W]e are a country that is dead wrong about a lot of things, especially on social issues. We love our comfort zones. We love the status quo. We love saying that all people are created equal, but not actually treating them equal." [Link]

Op-Ed: After Question 1

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Eddins) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Bangor Daily News
November 5, 2009
The Bangor Daily News on the defeat of the marriage equality law in Maine: "Voters have chosen to take a step backward, but as past civil rights debates have shown, that direction is likely to change in the future." [Link]