Tag: marriage equality

Posted on

Twelve year-old gives emotional, epic speech at marriage equality rally in Salt Lake City

Riley Hackford-Peer speaks at the Utah State Capitol

Thousands of same sex marriage supporters deliver a petition with 60,000 signatures to governor Gary Herbert Friday.

Mary Barnes said, “these are good people. These are Americans. They are here, they have family’s they have kids.”

2,000 people crowded into the State Capital for the “Let it Stand” rally, organized by Restore Our Humanity.

The petition, calling on Governor Gary Herbert to recognize the 1,360 same-sex marriages that took place in the 17 days when such unions were legal, was delivered to the Governor’s office.

While the rally was full of impassioned pleas for equality, one 12-year-old’s speech made arguably the strongest, most heartfelt case for equality in the Beehive state.

With his little brother at his side, Riley Hackford-Peer delivered a poignant, emotional speech that garnered several enthusiastic rounds of applause.

“Some people do not believe that I am from a loving family, because my moms are gay,” said Hackford-Peer. “They are wrong. … And come on, think about it — gay means happy, so it only makes sense that we’re a loving, happy family!”

Watch Riley’s epic speech at the Utah state capitol below. More at the Advocate

Posted on

Utah: Thousands fill the State Capitol in support for marriage equality

From David Badash at The New Civil Rights Movement:

Thousands of same-sex marriage supporters — gay and straight — including some of the 1360 same-sex couples who recently married, flooded the capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah today, demanding Governor Gary Herbert “let it stand.”

Protestors want the Republican governor and his attorney general to give up their fight against a federal judge’s ruling last month that found Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Herbert is appealing the decision in federal court.

Supporters delivered to the Governor’s office a reported 58,000 petitions asking him to not waste the $2 million he promised to spend on outside counsel to fight Judge Shelby’s December 20 ruling.

Check out the many pics and tweets Badash assembled from the day’s event.

[View the story “Utah: Thousands Protest To Save Same-Sex Marriage” on Storify]
Posted on

GOP Congressman introduces bill to limit recognition of gay marriage

Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) has introduced a bill called the “State Marriage Defense Act of 2014,” which seeks to limit federal recognition of same-sex marriage in lieu of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Under Congressman Weber’s new bill, the State Marriage Defense Act, the federal government would have to respect the definitions of marriage in all 50 states. A couple’s state of residence would define their marital status.

If this bill were to pass — which seems unlikely — couples’ marriage status would change as they travel from state to state, endangering the safety and security of their families.

More at Think Progress.

Posted on

Luxembourg to approve marriage equality by summer

From GayStarNews:

Justice Minister Félix Braz announced the news this week, saying he hoped it would be finally made law after years of delays.

Drawn up by the former government in 2010, the same-sex marriage draft law was due to be voted on late last year. But following a change of government in October, the vote was postponed.

Same-sex couples have only been able to mark their union under a PACS – based on French civil unions – meaning they have less rights and are unable to jointly adopt children.

While a small European nation, it is the first to have an openly gay Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister serving at the same time.

If approved, Luxembourg will be the 11th European country to recognize same-sex marriage, joining Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Posted on

Indiana: Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage introduced in state House

Indiana took it’s first step to constitutionally banning marriage equality in the state today:

JCOnline reports:

A resolution that would amend Indiana’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage was filed in the Indiana House of Representatives as expected today, setting into motion a bitter fight between conservatives who want to protect traditional matrimony and those who want to protect the rights of same-sex couples.

However, a companion measure (House Bill 1153) clarifies that the intent of the proposal is not to deny employer health benefits to same-sex couples or to circumvent local ordinances that forbid discrimination.

That clarifying language would appear to address some of the concerns raised by employers and others that the amendment would make employee recruitment difficult and make Indiana appear unwelcoming. The clarifying bill, however, seems to still ban civil unions for same-sex couples — a provision that some see as a step too far.

(via Instinct)

Posted on

Utah: Gov. Herbert instructs state agencies to NOT recognize same-sex marriages in Utah

Utah governor Gary Herbert’s office late Tuesday informed state agencies that marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in the state are not valid, and to not to recognize those marriages until the courts advise otherwise.

From the letter signed by Gov. Herbert’s chief of staff:

With the district court injunction now stayed, the original laws governing marriage in Utah return to effect pending final resolution by the courts. It is important to understand that those laws include not only a prohibition of performing same-sex marriages but also recognizing same-sex marriages.

Based on counsel from the Attorney General’s Office regarding the Supreme Court decision, state recognition of same-sex marital status is ON HOLD until further notice. Please understand this position is not intended to comment on the legal status of those same-sex marriages – that is for the courts to decide. The intent of this communication is to direct state agency compliance with current laws that prohibit the state from recognizing same-sex marriages.

Read the full letter here.

The legal ramifications on this decision are wide-ranging.

(via LGBTQ Nation)

Posted on

New Mexico Governor Martinez: Same-sex marriage is the law of the land

Unlike the state officials in Utah, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez says in light of the recent state supreme court decision in her state, she won’t support or seek an amendment to ban gay marriage in the state.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports:

Martinez said several times last summer — when several county clerks across the state began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples — that she believed state voters should decide the issue by way of a ballot question on whether to amend the state constitution.

“I think what I said before was that yes, the people should have decided on it, but the Supreme Court has decided,” the governor said Monday when asked by a reporter about the issue. “And it’s now the law of the land.”

Asked whether that meant she wouldn’t push for the Legislature to pass a measure like Sen. Bill Sharer’s Senate Joint Resolution 6, Martinez responded, “It’s the law of the land. The Supreme Court has spoken.”