Tag: equality

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Lady Gaga credits discussions/conditions with Target for LGBT policy changes

LadyGaga

According to reports Lady Gaga recently agreed to release a special exclusive edition of her upcoming “Born This Way” CD but only on the condition that Target address recent allegations of anti-gay policies and political donations.

“That discussion was one of the most intense conversations I’ve ever had in a business meeting,” Gaga told Billboard. “Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they’ve made in the past … our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they’ve made supporting those [antigay] groups.”

Go Gaga!

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Hawaii: Civil Unions bill headed for Governor’s signature

HawaiiCapitol 3

The Hawaii State Senate voted 18-5 in favor of the Civil Unions bill and is now headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

From the Star Advertiser: “I have always believed that civil unions respect our diversity, protect people’s privacy, and reinforce our core values of equality and aloha,” Gov. Abercrombie said in a statement after the vote.

“I appreciate all the time and effort invested by those who shared their thoughts and concerns regarding civil unions in Hawaii. This has been an emotional process for everyone involved, but that process is now ended. Everyone has been heard; all points of view respected.

“For me, this bill represents equal rights for all the people of Hawaii,” Abercrombie said.

Hawaii will now become the seventh state to offer civil unions to it’s citizens. Five states and Washington, D.C. offer marriage equality to same-sex couples. The civil unions status in Hawaii will afford couples all the rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as traditional marriage.

Hawaii couples, gay and straight, can enter civil unions beginning in January.

Let’s all celebrate the beautiful Aloha state!

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Civil Union Bill Introduced in Colorado

Colorado

State Senator Pat Steadman has introduced the Colorado Civil Unions Act. The bill allows committed gay and lesbian couples to enter into a civil union that provides critical legal protections.

“Especially in these difficult economic times, gay and lesbian couples need the critical protections that civil unions offer to provide for their families,” said Brad Clark, Executive Director of One Colorado. “Civil unions will ensure that thousands of gay and lesbian couples all across the state can protect the ones they love.”

The Colorado Civil Unions Act provides committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections and responsibilities, such as the ability to insure a partner, to inherit property, to take family leave to care for a partner, to visit a partner in the hospital, and to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner.

“Civil unions will allow committed couples to share in the responsibilities and protections in Colorado law that most families take for granted. Our society is stronger when we promote personal responsibility and taking care of one another, and civil unions do just that,” said Senator Pat Steadman, sponsor of the bill.

The bill explicitly protects freedom of religion by not requiring priests, ministers, rabbis, or other religious officials to certify a civil union. Religious leaders who want to certify a civil union may do so. Various statewide religious institutions have come out in favor of Sen. Steadman’s bill, as the bill does not require institutions to certify civil union partnerships.

The results of a Public Policy Polling survey conducted in early Februart match almost exactly results of a survey conducted last January by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and American Viewpoint. More than 70 percent of Coloradans support legally recognized domestic partnerships, including those between same-sex couples.

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Hawaii State House passes Civil Unions bill

HawaiiCapitol 2

By a vote of 31-19 the Hawaii State House approved the Civil Unions bill moving through the state legislature.  The bill provides the same rights and responsibilities of married couples be afforded to non-married couples, including same-sex couples. The bill now heads back to the State Senate for approval of minor changes and corrections. The bill previously passed in the State Senate on January 28 by a vote of 19-6. Governor Neil Abercrombie has indicated he has every intention of signing the bill into law. Once signed, Hawaii will join 13 other states and the District of Columbia in offering important state level recognition of same-sex relationships. Marriage equality does not exist on a federal level due to the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples enjoyment of civil marriage rights. Great day in the world.  Egypt moves towards democracy and Hawaii extends some equality to the LGBT community.  Seeing folks move towards equal rights get me down right giddy. Keep moving forward kids – no fear. (via the Human Rights Campaign)

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Kansas: Manhattan passes anti-discrimination ordinance

ManhattanKansas

Manhattan, Kansas – often referred to as “little Apple” – on Tuesday passed an ordinance that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

News reports say the City Commission of Manhattan passed the ordinance on a vote of 3-2, making Manhattan only the second city in Kansas to protect people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation.  Let’s hear it for the kids in Kansas!

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Indiana: Marriage equality ban moves forward

Indiana

From The Chicago Tribune: “Republican lawmakers in Indiana have resumed their push for a constitutional amendment that would shore up an existing state law banning gay marriage.”

“A GOP-ruled House committee voted 8-4 along party lines today to advance the proposal, which now moves to the full House for consideration.”

“The amendment states that only marriage between one man and one woman is valid in Indiana, and prohibits civil unions by stating that a legal status “substantially similar” to marriage for unmarried people is not valid.”

So not only would same-sex marriage be outlawed, but civil unions and domestic partnerships would be dead in the water as well.

As in many other states, to put an amendment up for public vote, the bill has to pass in two consecutive legislative sessions. So this bill, poised to pass in both state houses this year, would have to pass again in 2013 or 2014 to be on the ballot.

Amazing how state legislators, with many more pressing issues like unemployment and state budgets, choose to take up tax payers time with writing hate into a state constitution.

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Hawaii State House to consider Civil Unions bill

The Capitol building in Hawaii

From the AP: Hawaii’s House Judiciary Committee will consider a civil unions bill during a Tuesday public hearing, the Associated Press reports. The bill being considered is almost identical to the one passed last year in Hawaii but died on the desk of then Governor Linda Lingle. The new Governor – Neil Abercrombie – has indicated that he would sign civil unions legislation. Legislation is limited, to some degree at this time, as in 1998 an amendment to the state Constitution was passed limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. The bill currently being considered would give many but not all of the same rights of marriage to same sex couples. A similar bill was passed by the State Senate of Hawaii last month.

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Maryland Lt. Gov. Supports Marriage Equality

Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown told the Washington Blade Wednesday that he supports marriage equality for lesbians and gays and favors the approval of a same-sex marriage bill pending in the Maryland Legislature.

“I have always believed that all Marylanders should have an equality of rights and responsibilities and that includes marriage equality,” he said to the Washington Blade.

“So regardless of gender, we should be able to choose who it is that we are going to marry and hopefully spend the rest of our lives with. And so I’m supportive of that,” he said.

Brown said he has friends and acquaintances who are in same-sex relationships and he has seen first-hand how they are “successfully raising children,” a development that has helped shape his views on the marriage issue.

The Governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley has said in previous statements that he intends to sign marriage equality legislation should it reach his desk.

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Zach Wahls – a new American hero

Prepared to be knocked out by Zach Wahls, a 19 year old University of Iowa student.

Zach spoke at the public forum debating the House Joint Resolution 6, which would strip away marriage equality in Iowa. Zach clearly makes his two moms proud. America should be proud to see someone speak so clearly, confidently and securely about who he is, who his family is and what a family really is.

I’m really proud to post this. Remember the name Zach Wahls. We all should.

Now sit back, watch and listen for 3 minutes. THIS is what the future of America can look like. Congratulations to Zach’s moms. Good job.

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Voices raised in Iowa over proposal to take away marriage equality

The Iowa State House was packed by hundreds of people who showed up to express their opinions on House Joint Resolution 6 which proposes an amendment to the Iowa State Constitution to overturn marriage equality in the state. The proposed amendment would specify marriage between one man and one woman as the only legal union that is valid or recognized in the state. Civil unions and domestic partnerships would be banned. In 2009, a unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court declared Iowa’s laws limiting marriage rights to opposite-sex couples unconstitutional. Now, almost two years later, legislators are attempting to put marriage equality rights on the ballot. The Resolution passed out of the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 13-8. While it is expected to pass in the House vote, the state Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has vowed to block any vote on an amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. To make it to the ballot box, the issue must pass in two consecutive legislatures. Click here for more from The Iowa Independent. UPDATE: The Iowa House today, by a vote of 62-37, passed House Joint Resolution 6 that would deny any form of legal recognition for gay couples. The amendment seeks to prohibit not only the freedom to marry for gay couples, but also civil unions or domestic partnerships. More info here at One Iowa.