LGBTQ news and entertainment
The Wyoming House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee voted down a marriage equality bill, HB169, in a 5-4 vote.
Shortly thereafter, the committee voted to advance HB 168, a domestic partnership bill, carrying most of the legal rights of heterosexual marriage has cleared the committee by a vote of 7-2 and is headed to consideration in the full House.
Uploaded to YouTube over a year ago. Just saw it again and was taken aback by how simple yet powerful the message is. It’s just time.
Forward.
Speaks for itself. And makes it’s point well, no?
The streets of Paris were filled today by over 100,000 supporters for the passage of marriage equality there.
From the New York Times:
Demonstrators waved banners emblazoned with phrases like “Equality of rights is not a threat” and chanted: “What do you want? Equality! When do you want it? Now!”
Another placard showed a version of the French government’s seal, but with two Mariannes kissing. Under the words “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” was the slogan “No more, no less!”
According to the police, the march attracted about 125,000 people, twice the number that took part in a similar demonstration in mid-December. Two weeks ago, a rally by those opposed to the proposal drew what the police said were 340,000 people into the streets of Paris.
In contrast to the opponents who demonstrated two weeks ago, many of the marchers on Sunday were relatively young and personally invested in the future of the law.
Nicolas Marquart, 37, a physiotherapist, made the trip from Strasbourg with his partner, with whom he is in a “civil solidarity pact,” and another gay couple. “I’m here as a gay man, and because it would be nice, since we are still in the 21st century after all, to see our morals evolve. It would be a good thing to all have the same rights.”
Other estimates say today’s crowd may have been as large as 400,000.
(via Towleroad)
A new poll out of France shows a small improvement in the number of voters who support marriage equality.
From Reuters:
The number of people who support the legalisation of same-sex marriage in France has risen despite major protests against the government’s planned reforms earlier this month, a new poll by Ifop for news website Atlantico.fr showed.
The proportion of those surveyed supporting the change in the law rose to 63 percent from 60 percent in early January and December.
Support for adoption rights for gay couples also rose by 3 percentage points, although the country remains divided on the issue, with 49 percent in favour, according to the international marketing firm.
(source)
The National Organization for Marriage announced today that they’ll rally in Washington DC on March 26th, the day the Supreme Court begins hearing arguments in the Proposition 8 marrage equality case.
From their press release, via JMG:
When the Supreme Court convenes to hear oral arguments in what could be the Roe v. Wade of marriage, we’ll be there — and we hope you’ll be there with us!
…[We] hope that you can show up in person to stand with us on March 26th for what we pray will be an unprecedented outpouring of support for society’s most fundamental and sacred institution: marriage between a man and a woman.
Together, we’ll stand before the Supreme Court and make sure our voices are heard that we will not allow the dismantling of marriage by Judicial fiat to happen on our watch!
JMG reminds us that at NOM’s recent hate rally in the Bronx, thousands of attendees heard one preacher declare that homosexuals “are worthy of death.”
The National Center for Lesbian Rights sends us this press release:
Three bills—marriage equality, domestic partnership, and non-discrimination—have just been introduced, and the first committee votes are only days away.
At noon on Monday, January 28, the House Corporations Committee will hear testimony on the marriage equality and domestic partnership bills. If one or both pass committee, they will proceed to a vote by the entire House of Representatives a few days later.
On Wednesday, Jan 30, at 8 a.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on the non-discrimination bill.
The votes will be extremely close and we need you, your friends, and your family to help secure a historic victory.
Wyoming, I should note, is The Equality State.
Click here to contact your Wyoming legislators.
Marriage equality bill for England and Wales introduced in the House of Commons:
The government’s Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales has officially been introduced in the House of Commons by Culture Secretary Maria Miller. A full debate by MPs and a vote on the proposals will take place on 5 February, with the bill due to be published ahead of that tomorrow.
Following a government consultation, Mrs Miller first outlined the plans to MPs in December. All religious organisations, including the Church of England and Church in Wales, will be legally barred from marrying same-sex couples unless they choose to opt in.
The Equality Act 2010 is to be amended to ensure that no discrimination claim could be brought against religious organisations or an individual minister for refusing to marry gay couples (or allowing their premises to be used for this purpose.