LGBTQ news and entertainment
Celebrating a year of big wins and marking the need to finish the job, Freedom to Marry is running this ten second video billboard titled “Love for Everyone” featuring three diverse same-sex families and a message of love and commitment.
The billboard will display in Times Square throughout the holiday season up until January 4, 2014.
Governor Pat Quinn announced Thursday that he will sign the marriage equality bill at the University of Illinois at Chicago in a 3:30 p.m. ceremony on November 20th. The Legislature passed the measure Tuesday.
A longtime same-sex marriage supporter, the Chicago Democrat says he’s looking forward to signing the legislation and “celebrating a big step forward with the people of Illinois.”
The University of Illinois at Chicago was recently named by Campus Pride Index as one of the top 25 campuses across the country for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.
The ceremony is free and open to the public.
Illinois becomes the 15th state in the union to legalize marriage equality
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| Hawaii state Rep. Jo Jordan |
Hawaii state Rep. Jo Jordan (D) may be the first openly lesbian legislator to vote AGAINST marriage equality ever.
During the second reading vote of the marriage equality bill currently before the Hawaii state House, Jordan voted ‘no’ on the legislation.
Jordan has explained that she came into the debate as “undecided” even though 75% of her district supports marriage equality. Jordan says she feels that she has to represent “the whole state” with her vote. While not technically correct – her job is to represent her own district – she still misses the mark as polls show 55% support for the bill across the state.
Jordan says she was swayed by the five days of testimony coming largely from opponents of the bill who flooded the House in an attempted “citizens filibuster” to run out the clock on the current special session.
Jordan has one final opportunity to vote for marriage equality during the third reading vote on Friday.
(source)
It’s looking like the final vote for marriage equality in the Hawaii state House could be Friday:
In a roll call vote, House lawmakers voted 30-18 to move forward the bill for a final reading, with three members excused. The bill will go to a last vote on Friday.
If the measure passes the House, it will have to be approved by the state Senate because of three amendments added during a House committee hearing.
The vote came after several rejected attempts on Wednesday to modify and change the bill, plus smaller votes that revealed majority support to move along the measure.
If the sessions go as planned, the House will vote on the bill Friday, allowing the Senate to give its final approval Tuesday before forwarding the bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who called the special session. Abercrombie has said he approves of the bill as amended by the House.
The big surprise last night came when openly lesbian Democratic Rep. Jo Jordan of Waianae said she would oppose the bill despite her personal beliefs. Sad to say, it would appear the five days of anti-gay testimony swayed her opinion.
“I might vote against something that I personally believe in. I personally believe I should have the right,” Jordan said. “You know how hard it is for me to say no? I have to say no.”
As it currently stands, if the bill passes in current form marriage equality would begin in Hawaii on December 2, 2013.
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| Updated map of USA showing where marriage equality has passed into law as of November 6, 2013 |
Yesterday, marriage equality legislation was passed by the state legislature with a 61–54 vote in the house and a 32–21 vote in the senate.
The bill will now go to the Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who has said he will sign it.
Gay couples will be able to marry in Illinois starting June 1.
Celebrate Illinois! Happy Dance Time!
(graphic via Slate)
The Williams Institute has released an infographic detailing the potential economic effects of marriage equality in Illinois.
Among other things:
• Estimate is 11, 525 LGBT couples will marry in first three years
• That could result in $103 million in spending in relation to weddings
• The state could see $8.5 million in tax revenues in relation to that spending
• Illinois’ addition of marriage equality bring the total to 37% (from 33%) of Americans living in states with marriage equality
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| Brian Brown of the anti-gay hate group National Organization for Marriage |
Brian Brown, of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, is not very happy about the passage of marriage equality in Illinois:
“It’s disappointing but not surprising that the House has voted to redefine marriage. The losers will be the people of Illinois who will see that redefining marriage will unleash a torrent of harassment toward those who believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Once the law goes into effect in June of next year, we will see individuals, businesses and religious groups sued, fined, brought up on charges of discrimination and punished simply for holding true to the traditional view of marriage.
[snip]
“The legislation that has been adopted contains no meaningful protections for religious liberty. We will see a torrent of actions aimed at people of faith and religious groups. All we need to do is recall the words of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel when Chick-fil-A’s CEO expressed his support for true marriage. Emanuel pledged that businesses like that would not be allowed to operate in Chicago.”
Soon, Brian’s paycheck may be drying up as campaigning against the rights of LGBT folks is his only reason for being employed.
After almost five full days of testimony from 5,182 citizens over 60 hours, the Hawaii House Judicial and Finance Committees have voted to pass the marriage equality bill currently being considered to the full House:
The committees added three amendments to the bill.
The first set the start date for December 2, 2013. The second removed section 572-C from the bill, which asserted parents’ rights and responsibilities including paternity, maternity, and parentage presumptions based on marriage. Lastly, the committee added religious protections similar to those included in Connecticut’s marriage equality law, protecting religious organizations from having to participate in the solemnization of a same-sex marriage.
The bill now advances to the House, where it is expected to pass, at least according to a whip count from two weeks ago.
Effective date has been changed to December 2, 2013. It now goes to the House floor for a second reading and full vote. If any amendments are introduced to the bill, House representatives will be given 48 hours to review those changes before a third and final vote on the floor.
(via Think Progress)
The Illinois House of Representatives finally took up marriage equality today and passed the bill 61-53.
Rep. Greg Harris, the chief sponsor of the marriage equality bill in the House, amended its language to change the date the legislation would go into effect, and to reiterate exemptions for private clubs that do not want to host marriages for same-sex couples. As a result, the Senate will have to approve the bill one final time, which they are prepared to do before the evening is over.
The law will then take effect June 1, 2014. Illinois will be the 15th state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. Hawaii could beat Illinois to the “alter” should that state’s bill pass this week.
Happy Dances for everyone!
(via Think Progress)
And while Illinois House prepares to vote on marriage equality, the FIFTH day of public testimonies has begun in the Hawaii House, where anti-gay groups are continuing their “people’s filibuster” to run out the clock on the special legislative session by sending thousands of batshit crazy Bible-clutchers to speak.
Lawmakers have already heard from all 5,184 people who signed up, but they’re making their way through a second wave of people who missed their chance to speak the first time their numbers were called. After getting all the way to testifier #3,200 tonight — officials decided to recess and will continue the hearing tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:30 a.m. with testifier #3,201. If possible, officials say they intend to complete decision making tomorrow. If they vote yes, it will advance the bill to the House floor for a second reading. If they vote no, it will kill the bill.
(from JMG)