UK: Second reading of marriage equality bill taking place in House of Commons today
The British Parliament is currently debating Prime Minister David Cameron’s marriage equality proposal today.
Here’s the LIVE VIDEO.
It’s the second of three readings in the House of Commons. It started about 7:30am EST and should last approximately six hours.
It then goes to the House of Lords.
Here’s how the process works:
At second reading the House debates the whole principle of the bill. It usually takes place no sooner than two weekends after first reading. The Member in charge or the Minister moves the motion ‘that the bill be now read a second time’. MPs then debate the bill. At the end of the debate the Speaker determines whether there are any objections to the motion being debated and asks for the Ayes and Noes.
Members voice their opinion, and if no objections are made, the bill passes second reading without a vote. If the Speaker believes Members have voiced disagreement a division is called and a vote taken. If the Bill passes second reading and the programme motion is agreed, the Bill will go to a Public Bill Committee for consideration. At a Public Bill Committee, each clause (part) and any amendments (proposals for change) to the Bill may be debated. MPs table amendments they wish to be considered.
UPDATE: The initial tally of votes on the reading is 400-175 in FAVOR of marriage equality! Forward!
Super Bowl Champion Brendon Ayanbadejo talks with CNN’s Don Lemon about gay rights
This. This is the interview people need to see.
Super Bowl Champion Brendon Aueanbadejo talks to CNN’s Don Lemon about his mission to support equal rights for the LGBT community. He is clear, strong and articulate on the subject.
This is how someone speaks when they know what they feel. Go back and watch Chris Culliver speak to the press about his “apology” for his anti-gay comments. He looks dazed, confused and shocked.
Now look at Brendon here. This is a champion.
Just some of Brendon’s statements in this great interview with Don Lemon:
• “I don’t consider it gay rights. I just call it rights. Everyone deserves to be treated equally, said Ayanbadejo, kicking off a discussion about his advocacy for marriage equality, Chris Culliver’s remarks, what he thinks about people that call being gay an abomination, and the other straight athlete allies working to bring acceptance of LGBT people to sports.”
• “Now that I’m a Super Bowl champion now my voice just projects that much further and hopefully it can lead to more change and more positive things for the LGBT community.”
• “Everyone’s been talking to gay people their whole lives whether we know it or not. We really believe that you’re born gay. I’ve had plenty of conversations with people that are gay and they say they are born gay, no different than me being born this beautiful almond coconut color that I am. People are born gay. So why treat them any differently? It’s time that we treat everyone fairly. And not only are we trying to dictate who people should love. We’re also trying to dictate who people should be. If a woman wants to wear a man’s clothes or a man wants to wear a woman’s clothes or you feel like you’re a woman on the inside and you’re really a man. Who cares? Let’s just treat everybody equally. Let’s move on. Let’s evolve as a culture, as a people.”
• When asked about Chris Culliver’s remarks: “I think more than anything it’s going to be a learning experience for him…We have to start talking about this issue. There’s groups like Athlete Ally, and myself, Chris Kluwe, Scott Fujita. We’re all about inclusiveness in sports and treating everyone equally… It’s unfortunate that he made the comments. I know he’s sorry for them, and I know he’s gonna make it right when he gets the opportunity to do so.”
• How do you address people who say being gay is an abomination? “I say that this Constitution gives you the right to believe in whatever you want to believe in… Don’t use those same rights to disenfranchise others.”
• Brendon says he does not know any closeted players but says he’s working with other allies so that when a player does decide to come out he’ll have help: “When our Jackie Robinson does come out he’s going to have a supporting cast around him.”
Chris Christie on the Letterman Show
I’ll give Gov. Christie this – he has a sense of humor about himself.
I’ve said several times on The Randy Report, there are some Republicans I can deal with. Christie is one of them.
Whatever his positions, Christie is a down to earth, straight shooter, and I can respect that.
Sean Chapin, LGBT activist, calls on the SF 49ers to explain the confusion over their “It Gets Better” video
Sean Chapin, the activist behind the Change.org petition that convinced the San Francisco 49ers to be the first NFL team to make an ‘It Gets Better’ video, has questions. He says the team needs to address the remarks made by linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga last week in the days before the Super Bowl.
Brooks and Sopoaga both denied participating in the video, and then, when they were shown it, said they never knew it had anything to do with gays, and then appeared to want to distance themselves from it.
In light of all of this, Sean Chapin has questions.
Their comments led Dan Savage to pull the video from the ‘It Gets Better’ site.
Savage then tweeted: “We’ve removed the #49ers #ItGetsBetter video from our website. #homophobia #NFL #horsesh*t”
HBO Documentary: “Mea Maxima Culpa”
The HBO Documentary Film, Mea Maxima Culpa, explores the first known public protest against clerical sex abuse in the U.S.
For more information on HBO Documentary Films, visit http://itsh.bo/I83ODm.
World Cancer Day – February 4, 2013
Today, February 4th, is World Cancer Day.
As a cancer “thriver” myself I’ve thought all day about my own cancer journey and how it affected and still affects who I am.
This led me down the road to wonder – as I approach 50 years old this year – who am I today?
I’m a writer now; I’m an activist for many causes including cancer survivors; and I am still – and always will be – a dancer. I’m currently choreographing a production of CHICAGO the Musical in San Diego.
I often forget how much I love dance. It is hard, it hurts the older I get; yet, it means even more to me “the older I get.” Somehow, I knew dance would be related to my thoughts on World Cancer Day.
And lo and behold, I come across this beautiful project from Visible Ink featuring my uber-talented friend Kathryn Murphy dancing to a gorgeous essay by Jessica Moser. Kathryn’s dancing is an honest and beautiful embodiment of the early days of cancer diagnosis. Really beautiful.
I see a lot of how I feel about World Cancer Day in this performance. This day, for me, is about letting people know we are still here. And that those who love us are always near, both during and after the storm.
This World Cancer Day is about dispelling myths about cancer: that cancer is just a health issue; that it’s a disease of the wealthy, elderly and under privileged countries; that cancer is a death sentence; and that cancer is “my fate.” Find out more about World Cancer Day here.
From the YouTube description: Visible Ink, a one-on-one writing program for patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, offers opportunities for self-expression, stress reduction, personal growth, and individual success at a time when many participants face the considerable challenge of a serious illness.
Jessica Moser’s essay “Taking Back Cape May” was performed by Lucy Martin with Kathryn Mowat Murphy (dancing), Susan Spain, Catherine Augier, with singer Soara-Joye Ross, and musicians Karen E. Popkin and Taryn Thomas at Visible Ink’s second annual reading on April 5, 2010.
Video: Baby’s first steps, interrupted
I honestly can’t stop laughing as I post this.
Truly, this is life interrupted.
LOL…
(h/t to Towleroad)
Super Bowl Champions Baltimore Ravens’ Brendon Ayanbedejo for marriage equality
Fresh on the heels of his win at the Super Bowl comes this retooled video by Brendon Ayanbadejo for the Respect for Marriage Coalition expressing his common sense support for marriage equality.
Clear and articulate, Brendon succinctly lays out the reasons why marriage equality makes sense.
Want to see how a champion looks at life? Here you go.
Congratulations Brendon and all the Baltimore Ravens on your Super Bowl victory!
Florida high school football coach suspended for anti-gay slurs
Bob Grisham, the Lauderdale County High School football coach and psychology teacher recorded by a student last week as he spewed anti-gay slurs, has been suspended, WAFF reports.
The investigation included a 1-minute, 24-second audiotape reportedly recorded by a student Monday and took place on school campus during the school day. On the recording, Grisham is clearly heard asking who knows who is behind the 600-calorie school lunch. “Fat butt Michelle Obama,” he said. “Look at her. She looks like she weighs 185 or 190. She’s overweight.”
Male voices interject comments during the discussion, at one point referring to Michelle Obama as a “fat gorilla.”
Later in the tape, Grisham referred to the U.S. as going in the “wrong direction” and tells the students they can “get pissed off at me or not. You can go tell the principal, call the superintendent and tell her. I don’t believe in queers. I don’t like queers, I don’t hate them as a person, but what they do is wrong and an abomination against God.”
Grisham, who said he “misspoke” and did not have hatred toward anyone, was suspended without pay following a 4 pm meeting by the school board today.
I don’t know the man, I don’t know his history. But I do know that, at this point, he will be remembered for many years to come as “that guy who taught his students that he didn’t like queers.”
Yep – sounds like he has no “hatred” towards anyone…