LGBTQ news and entertainment
By a vote of 331 to 225, the French Parliament has given its final approval of marriage equality. It was the final hurdle for same-sex marriage in the country, officially making France the 14th country in the world to offer equality to LGBT couples.
France joins New Zealand, Uruguay, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, and Denmark as the 14th nation to offer its citizens nationwide marriage equality.
Happy Dance!!!
Forward, kids.
Anti-gay protesters crowded the streets of Paris today ahead of a French parliament vote on Tuesday in which it is expected to adopt marriage equality, Deutsche Welle reports:
AFP adds:
Some argue that it is simply part of a wider backlash against what is seen as a corrupt, incompetent political class, prompted by Mr Hollande’s inability to tackle unemployment and the discovery that the government’s tax tsar had a secret Swiss bank account.
But the French Right has seized on the gay marriage issue to rally its demoralised electorate. Given the mess that Mr Hollande’s Socialist administration is making of the economy, Right wingers argue, the Left has no right to legislate on moral issues as well.
To be clear, France is not polarized. There is just a very vocal minority that doesn’t want to see the LGBT community receive certain rights making itself heard.
This bill is about another minority – the LGBT community – who should have the same rights to marriage as their straight brothers and sisters. It’s simply about equality. About being fair.
I’m not happy to hear about the anti-gay violence. That is wrong. In the end, it reveals who the anti-gay folks are. It doesn’t make them right. It does, however, make them
The Civil War in America was one of the bloodiest in our history, and it was fought in part about the equality of a section of society. A minority.Violence or not, it didn’t change the truth. It was right that that minority group achieved equality, just as the LGBT community deserves equality.
Period.
Scream, haters. Yell. It won’t make you right. And the more violence you demonstrate shows your true colors.
Good news coming out of Carson City. A “religious exemptions” amendment to SJR13, which would repeal the same-sex marriage ban in Nevada and make marriage equality legal, has passed. The amendment was added to make the resolution more acceptable to some lawmakers.
From the Nevada Appeal:
The amendment offered by Sen. Pat Spearman, a lesbian minister, states: “Religious organizations and clergy have the right to refuse to solemnize a marriage and no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or clergy for such a refusal.”
The amendment was approved on an 11-10 party-line vote with Democrats in favor. Senate Joint Resolution 13 now goes to the Senate floor for a vote early next week.
Nevada is one of 29 states with a constitutional provision prohibiting same-sex marriage. But as in many other states, Nevadans’ sentiments on the issue are evolving and shifting.
In a letter last month to the Senate Committee on Operations and Elections, MGM Resorts expressed support for repealing Nevada’s gay marriage ban.
And this week a group of high-profile business leaders added their voice to the debate.
“To be competitive, a state must create an equitable, fair and respectful environment for all of its citizens,” said the letter signed by an array of sate business leaders, including Elaine Wynn, Billy Vassiliadis, Monte Miller and Sig Rogich. “For this reason — among others — it is vitally important that Nevada lawmakers enact marriage equality soon.”
It concluded, “The Nevada Legislature should act now. It’s the pro-jobs, pro-growth thing to do. It’s the right thing for Nevada.”
“As a Liberal who believes that commitment and family units are one of the best ways in which society is organized, I support the concept of same-sex marriage.
“It was New Zealand that in 1893 first gave votes to women; it took us another nine years to do it. It shouldn’t have to take us another nine years to get the lead of our cousin across the ditch.” – Barry O’Farrell, premier of the Australian state of New South Wales, whose capital city is Sydney.
(via JMG)
Mike Fédée has a message to French people afraid of same-sex marriage in the form of his poem, “Fear Not”
(Make sure to hit the “CC” in the control bar to turn on captions)
More positive polling this week, as yet another US Senator comes out for marriage equality. We have some major action quickly approaching in state legislatures. All that plus a huge international shake-up, with access to marriage set to expand in at least three countries.
French police today arrested approximately 70 anti-gay activists today as they tried to set up camp outside the National Assembly in advance of a final April 23 vote on marriage equality, Reuters reports:
Violent rhetoric by anti-gay groups is being ratcheted up in advance of the vote, with one anti-gay leader declaring blood would be spilled should the legislature vote for equality.
The April 23 date is a new one, weeks earlier than initially planned.
(via Towleroad)
New Zealand looks ready for final approval of marriage equality this week, TVNZ reports:
Labour MP Louisa Wall’s marriage equality member’s bill is due to have its third reading in Parliament on Wednesday night.
The bill passed its committee stages with 77 votes to 43 last month and little change was anticipated for the final vote.
Big crowds, including a few celebrities, were expected to be in Parliament’s public gallery to witness the vote.
Once the bill is passed it will be four months before the first same-sex couples can be married. Weddings could begin as early as mid-August.
(h/t Towleroad)
From the video report: “The Socialist government of President Francois Hollande will essentially destroy and then redefine the traditional institution of marriage for the benefit of a relatively tiny part of the population. As is the case in most western nations, homosexuals account for less than 5% of the population in France.”
Polls show a majority of French citizens support marriage equality.
Catch enough buzz words in there? Socialist? Homosexual? Destroy/redefine traditional marriage.
It must be killing Brian Brown that he lost this one.
However, on the bright side, he did get some nice all-expenses paid trips to Paris. How nice for him.
A marriage equality bill will be filed with the Delaware state legislature today:
Gov. Jack Markell and Attorney General Beau Biden planned to join lawmakers Thursday in Wilmington to announce the filing of the legislation.
Crafting of the bill has been led by members of the gay rights group Equality Delaware.
Markell has pledged to sign the bill if it passes the General Assembly, where it has the support of Democratic leaders in both chambers.
In 2011, Markell signed a bill authorizing same-sex civil unions in Delaware, effective last year.
Currently, Democrats hold a majority in the state House 26-15; and in the state Senate, Dems outnumber GOP 13-8.
In addition to Gov. Markell, Attorney General Beau Biden, all three members of Congress (U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper; Congressman John Carney) and John Fluharty, (openly gay executive director of the Delaware Republican Party, are among those who support marriage equality in Delaware.