LGBTQ news and entertainment
Pew Research shares the results of a new survey:
• 72% of Americans say that legal recognition of same-sex marriage is “inevitable”
• 51% of the public favors same-sex marriage, while 42% are opposed
Fifty-two percent of Americans say they back giving gay couples the right to marry, compared with 41 percent who are opposed, according to a Bloomberg National Poll conducted May 31-June 3.
Of those supporters, more than half — 61 percent — want a national law rather than a state-by-state approach.
Click the image to enlarge for details.
Clément Méric, an 18-year-old student in Paris, was beaten by a group of three skinheads in Paris on Wednesday night and is now brain dead.
Méric was apparently a well-known progressive activist who advocated on behalf of the recent marriage equality legislation.
Read more at the Guardian.
The phrase “more than ever” covers a lot of meanings in this portrait of a gay couple in love over 7 decades.
Bill and John met on December 6, 1957.
From Freedom To Marry.
Now. More than ever.
Marriage equality has passed in the UK’s House of Lords by a wide margin in a 390-148 vote.
From the Guardian:
“The size of the majority means the bill must now be certain to become law.
“However, it is still likely that attempts will be made to amend it in the Lords, in particular to strengthen the protection available to churches who do not want to conduct gay weddings.
“Lady Stowell, a government whip, told peers in her wind-up speech that the government would not necessarily object to amendments of this kind.”
Moving along, moving right along…
Click here for a guide mapping out the next steps for the legislation.
Read more at the Guardian.
From Equality California come the results of a recent poll showing more and more support in the Golden State for marriage equality.
Prop 8 is expected to be struck down by the US Supreme Court later this month, but even if it is not, equality supports have the wind at their back if they need to head back to the voters to overturn the noxious law.
According to the recent findings, 55% of Californians favor marriage equality versus an ever dwindling 37%.
Click the pic about for more numbers or head over to EQCA.org
Legislators who had hoped to end last Friday with Illinois becoming the 13th state in the US to embrace the freedom to marry in have issued an apology for the lack of passage (or even a vote) of the marriage equality bill.
Here’s the text of the letter:
Dear Marriage Equality Advocates,
Like you, we are incredibly disappointed about what happened Friday in Springfield. But let’s not forget something very important: Marriage equality is going to happen.
As a community, we must come together, assess our strategy, and redouble our efforts in the fight for fundamental fairness. This is not the time for us to splinter – for that is exactly what our opponents want.
The more united we are in the coming days and weeks, the sooner the bill will get passed – and the sooner our dream of full equality will become a reality.
We want to extend our sincerest apologies to the families who rushed to Springfield in the waning hours of session to support equality in anticipation of this historic vote. You have been and continue to be our inspiration and we pledge to fight together until we achieve full equality for all Illinois families.
The letter is signed by 15 state reps and one state senator – all of whom supported the marriage equality legislation.
(via ChicagoPhoenix)
It seems there lies a possibility for Illinois to see marriage equality passed perhaps before summer’s end.
The Illinois Observer reports:
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) acted quietly on Friday night before the House adjourned to extend the bill’s deadline for approval until August 31.
State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) told a packed House chamber on Friday evening that he had to put off a vote on the proposal until November.
However, were Governor Pat Quinn to call lawmakers back to Springfield in the summer for a special session to address pension reform, which also was left without resolution, he could include Senate Bill 10 in a special session proclamation.
If Quinn declines to include marriage equality in any order to lawmakers to return to Springfield, Madigan could call a House special session of his own at the same time to take up the legislation, an insider noted.
“It’s a fascinating move,” said one, long-time lobbyist. “It suggests that there is plan to get it done.”
However – nothing is certain, and a new wrinkle develops with this scenario. The Observer points out that:
“Nevertheless, during a summer session, House lawmakers would need to amend the bill and change the effective date from ’30 days’ from a gubernatorial signature to January 1 in order to avoid a 3/5th or 71 vote requirement, an insurmountable hurdle. Amending the bill’s effective date would also require an Illinois Senate vote to concur with such a change.”
That being said, the state Senate would have to come back to approve the changes.
More complications.
Stay tuned.
SB10, the marriage equality bill in Illinois, appears on page 4 of today’s calendar for the Illinois House of Representatives. This is the final day of this legislative session. If it’s not voted on today? Back to the beginning next year.
So, will it happen? Are there at least 60 votes to pass marriage equality in Illinois? If not, I want a vote so those who oppose equality there can go on record for their cowardly position.
Not happy here in Randy Land. UGH
Stay tuned.
In this week’s news:
• All eyes on Illinois
• Progress in Nevada
• Prop 8 decision from SCOTUS coming soon
For more info, head to www.afer.org