Tag: marriage equality

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British Prime Minister David Cameron toasts the arrival of marriage equality to the UK

“The introduction of same-sex civil marriage says something about the sort of country we are. It says we are a country that will continue to honour its proud traditions of respect, tolerance and equal worth. It also sends a powerful message to young people growing up who are uncertain about their sexuality. It clearly says ‘you are equal’ whether straight or gay. That is so important in trying to create an environment where people are no longer bullied because of their sexuality – and where they can realise their potential, whether as a great mathematician like Alan Turing, a star of stage and screen like Sir Ian McKellen or a wonderful journalist and presenter like Clare Balding.

“Together we should be proud to live in a country judged to be the best place to live in Europe if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans. But we should equally be far from complacent about the challenges that remain – and I am just as committed as ever to working with you to challenge attitudes and stamp-out homophobic bullying and hate crimes.

“We are a nation that is growing stronger economically because of our long term economic plan. But I hope we can also be a country that is growing stronger socially because we value love and commitment equally. Let us raise a toast to that – and all those getting married this weekend.”

– British Prime Minister David Cameron on the arrival of marriage equality to England and Wales

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Same-sex marriage begins in England! Celebrate!

Peter McGraith and David Cabreza

Same-sex marriage has begun in England and Wales! Happy Dance Time!

Via Sky News:

The law changed at midnight, with a number of gay couples vying to claim the title of being the first to be married in Britain by trying to time it perfectly so their vows are being said just seconds after the clock struck midnight.

Among the first couples set to take advantage of the legalisation are Peter McGraith and David Cabreza, who have been together for 17 years.

Speaking before his wedding, Mr McGraith said: “We are thrilled to be getting married. It is a mark of significant social progress in the UK that the legal distinction between gay and straight relationships has been removed. “Very few countries afford their gay and lesbian citizens equal marriage rights and we believe that this change in law will bring hope and strength to gay men and lesbians in Nigeria, Uganda, Russia, India and elsewhere, who lack basic equality and are being criminalised for their sexual orientation.”

David Badash of The New Civil Rights Movement assembled this Storify for the momentous occasion:

[View the story “Look: First Same-Sex Couples To Marry In England And Wales!” on Storify]
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Puerto Rico: Lesbian couple files lawsuit for marriage recognition

A lesbian couple married in Massachusetts has filed suit in their native Puerto Rico asking the US territory to recognize their marriage.

Together for 14 years and married since 2004, Ada Conde Vidal and Ivonne Álvarez Velez are unable to have their relationship recognized in their home territory because the 1999 amendment to Puerto Rico’s civil code restricts marriage recognition to only those unions involving opposite-sex couples.

In the suit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico in San Juan, contends that the commonwealth’s policy violates the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and heavily cites last summer’s landmark Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality, U.S. v. Windsor.

In detailing the harm they’ve suffered through the territory’s lack of equal marriage rights, Conde recounts how, when her daughter had open-heart surgery, she was unable to designate her wife, Alvarez, to make even “simple decisions or determinations regarding her health. This also included simple decisions and/or determinations regarding her education.”

Ultimately, the suit contends that by denying the married same-sex couple the same rights afforded to other legally married couples, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico causes the plaintiffs “severe humiliation, emotional distress, pain, suffering, psychological harm and stigma.”

(via the Advocate)

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Marriage News Watch – March 24, 2014

From the American Foundation for Equal Rights:

• Michigan’s marriage ban is unconstitutional.
• Oklahoma couples fight back in court against an anti-gay group making misleading claims about children.
• A pro-equality ruling is delayed, pending appeal. But another is put in place as of now.
• We have some important hearings coming up very soon.
• Pro-equality Republicans hang on to their seats in a tight election.

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Michigan: Four Episcopal Bishops applaud overturn of state ban on same-sex marriage

Four Episcopal Bishops have released a statement applauding the ruling in Michigan which overturns the state’s marriage equality ban:

As Christians and leaders in the Episcopal Church, we applaud Judge Friedman’s decision to overturn Michigan’s ban on equal marriage as a step on the right side of history.

As the case of DeBoer v. Snyder continues to work its way through our judicial system, it is our hope that future judges will continue to find that the denial of marriage to same-sex couples is a denial of human dignity and a denial of rights under the law. We look forward in hopeful anticipation to the day when we can recognize all faithful and covenantal relationships between any two people regardless of sex, both within the Church and within our society.

Signed,

The Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr. – Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan

The Rt. Rev. Whayne M. Houglund, Jr. – Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan

The Rt. Rev. Todd Ousely – Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan

The Rt. Rev. Rayford Ray – Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan

(source)

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Michigan sees first same-sex marriage this morning

https://twitter.com/BarbByrum/statuses/447346131668709376

What is believed to be Michigan’s first same-sex marriage was performed shortly after 8 a.m. today by Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum at the historic courthouse in Mason.

Glenna DeJong, 53, and Marsha Caspar, 52, both of Lansing, were married in the lobby after Byrum opened the clerk’s office at 8 a.m. and issued them a license.

“We’ve been waiting 27 years for this,” said DeJong.

Oakland, Muskegon and Washtenaw County clerks announced Friday night that licenses will be issued. The counties are expected to allow immediate weddings, waiving the typical three-day waiting period.

“As far as we’re concerned, we’re abiding by the federal court appellates,” Kestenbaum said. “We’re not typically open, but basically the Board of Commissioners strongly urged me to be open tomorrow.”

“I wasn’t expecting the ruling would go into effect immediately and I know there’s going to be attempts to get a stay, but I’m assuming there won’t be one by tomorrow,” Kestenbaum said. “If there is, then I’ll stop.”

Kestenbaum will waive the three-day waiting period and the fee. The license costs $20. He said at least one of the individuals must be a Washtenaw County resident in order for the license to be issued.

(from Detroit Free Press)

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Michigan judge: “The state defendants lost sight of what this case is truly about – people”

It should be noted that Judge Bernard Friedman, who ruled in favor of marriage equality today in Michigan, was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

How will the conservative right attack him as “activist judge” when appointed by their hero?

Check out his closing statement in his ruling.

“In attempting to define this case as a challenge to ‘the will of the people, … state defendants lost sight of what this case is truly about: people.

“No court record of this proceeding could ever fully convey the personal sacrifice of these two plaintiffs who seek to ensure that the state may no longer impair the rights of their children and the thousands of othersnow being raised by same-sex couples.

“It is the Court’s fervent hope that these children will grow up ‘to understand the integrity and closeness of their own family and its concord with other families in their community and in their daily lives.

“Today’s decision is a step in that direction, and affirms the enduring principle that regardless of whoever finds favor in the eyes of the most recent majority, the guarantee of equal protection must prevail.”

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Michigan judge eviscerates discredited research by Mark Regnerus in same-sex marriage ruling

One of the best parts of Judge Bernard Friedman’s ruling that found Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional were his comments on Mark Regnerus’s testimony regarding his discredited “study” on the impact of same-sex couples on children.

In short, the judge eviscerated him:

“The Court finds Regnerus’s testimony entirely unbelievable and not worthy of serious consideration.

“The evidence adduced at trial demonstrated that his 2012 ‘study’ was hastily concocted at the behest of a third-party funder, which found it ‘essential that the necessary data be gathered to settle the question in the forum of public debate about what kinds of family arrangement are best for society’ and which ‘was confident that the traditional understanding of marriage will be vindicated by this study.’

“While Regnerus maintained that the funding source did not affect his impartiality as a researcher, the Court finds this testimony unbelievable. The funder clearly wanted a certain result, and Regnerus obliged.

“Whatever Regnerus may have found in this ‘study,’ he certainly cannot purport to have undertaken a scholarly research effort to compare the outcomes of children raised by same-sex couples with those of children raised by heterosexual couples.

“It is no wonder that the NFSS has been widely and severely criticized by other scholars, and that Regnerus’s own sociology department at the University of Texas has distanced itself from the NFSS in particular and Dr. Regnerus’s views in general.”

Bolding is mine.  But you have to love the “quotes” around the word study placed there by the judge.

Regnerus’ “study” has been held up by right-wing nuts as ‘evidence” that same-sex couples can’t raise children with the same success as heterosexual couples.

Thank you Judge Friedman for not only your fair and balanced ruling, but shining a light on Regnerus’ sad slop-job of a study meant only to harm LGBT families.