LGBTQ news and entertainment
Fifty-two percent of Americans say they back giving gay couples the right to marry, compared with 41 percent who are opposed, according to a Bloomberg National Poll conducted May 31-June 3.
Of those supporters, more than half — 61 percent — want a national law rather than a state-by-state approach.
Click the image to enlarge for details.
Clément Méric, an 18-year-old student in Paris, was beaten by a group of three skinheads in Paris on Wednesday night and is now brain dead.
Méric was apparently a well-known progressive activist who advocated on behalf of the recent marriage equality legislation.
Read more at the Guardian.
Confusing news coming out of Ohio today regarding marriage equality plans.
Earlier today from FreedomOhio came word of an impending plan to place marriage equality on the November 2014 ballot.
FreedomOhio co-founder Ian James said in a statement:
“We have decided to be on the ballot in 2014 to allow for a continuing dialogue with voters across Ohio about why marriage matters. We will continue to build upon the hundreds of thousands of conversations we’ve had already, to identify supportive voters, and to raise the resources necessary to mobilize a full-on campaign.”
“We are also excited to announce that the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Ohio, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, National Freedom to Marry, the Gill Action Fund, the American Unity Fund and the BISC met today and discussed how to become involved in the campaign to bring marriage equality to Ohio in 2014.”
HOWEVER, it seems Ian James may have jumped the gun in releasing any statement that included the national LGBT organizations. From Chris Geidner:
A representative of one of the organizations in the meeting, however, said no agreements had been reached as to the timing of going to the ballot and no plan was discussed regarding the news release issued by FreedomOhio on Wednesday. Another person confirmed that characterization.
The release did include a quote from Equality Ohio, the group formed in the aftermath of the 2004 ballot fight.
“Today’s meeting was only the beginning of the effort to chart a strategic plan to achieve marriage equality in Ohio,” said Elyzabeth Holford, executive director of Equality Ohio. “We all recognize our responsibility to Ohioans to make sure we get this right. And I know that together, we will. When we do move forward it will be with the same strong partners as the other successful states.”
And then came this statement from Freedom To Marry addressing their reaction to the press release from FreedomOhio:
A group of state and national organizations leading the fight to win marriage for all families in Ohio and across the country sought to clarify misleading characterizations put forward by Ian James’s Freedom Ohio following a meeting to discuss a strategy for winning the freedom to marry at the ballot box in Ohio.
However, contrary to the assertions made by Ian James in an unapproved statement, there was no agreement reached to put forward a ballot initiative in 2014 or any other specific date. Instead, all of the groups in attendance, including Freedom Ohio and nearly a dozen other leading organizations, agreed to work together to talk to Ohio voters about why marriage matters and strengthen our coalition in the months ahead, reserving judgment on the timing of a ballot initiative until a clear pathway to victory could be determined and carried out.
“Ohio families deserve to win marriage as soon as possible. And our national partners have won marriage equality in 13 jurisdictions. We are putting together a strong, honest coalition and a responsible plan to win,” said Elyzabeth Holford, Executive Director of Equality Ohio. “We intend to win and will do everything necessary to secure fairness for same-sex couples and their families.”
“We are committed to winning marriage in Ohio as soon as possible, and to developing the kind of robust campaign that has helped us achieve historic victories across the country,” said Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director for Freedom to Marry. “What we need to do now is to engage in the real work to increase public support so we can win on the ballot—in 2016, or if possible sooner.”
“Ian James must have attended a different meeting than the rest of us,” said Marty Rouse, National Field Director for the Human Rights Campaign. “Representatives from 11 state and national organizations participated in today’s meeting. Ten of them came away with a clear understanding that we would refrain from deciding on timing until it was responsible to do so. We’re perplexed as to how Freedom Ohio came away with a different understanding.”
At the invitation of Equality Ohio, representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, national ACLU, the Equality Federation, Freedom to Marry, the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, the American Unity Fund and Gill Action convened for today’s conversations to discuss strategy, timing and a plan to win marriage in Ohio.
The phrase “more than ever” covers a lot of meanings in this portrait of a gay couple in love over 7 decades.
Bill and John met on December 6, 1957.
From Freedom To Marry.
Now. More than ever.
Yay! Let’s hear it for Israel!
Marriage equality has passed in the UK’s House of Lords by a wide margin in a 390-148 vote.
From the Guardian:
“The size of the majority means the bill must now be certain to become law.
“However, it is still likely that attempts will be made to amend it in the Lords, in particular to strengthen the protection available to churches who do not want to conduct gay weddings.
“Lady Stowell, a government whip, told peers in her wind-up speech that the government would not necessarily object to amendments of this kind.”
Moving along, moving right along…
Click here for a guide mapping out the next steps for the legislation.
Read more at the Guardian.
From Equality California come the results of a recent poll showing more and more support in the Golden State for marriage equality.
Prop 8 is expected to be struck down by the US Supreme Court later this month, but even if it is not, equality supports have the wind at their back if they need to head back to the voters to overturn the noxious law.
According to the recent findings, 55% of Californians favor marriage equality versus an ever dwindling 37%.
Click the pic about for more numbers or head over to EQCA.org
Legislators who had hoped to end last Friday with Illinois becoming the 13th state in the US to embrace the freedom to marry in have issued an apology for the lack of passage (or even a vote) of the marriage equality bill.
Here’s the text of the letter:
Dear Marriage Equality Advocates,
Like you, we are incredibly disappointed about what happened Friday in Springfield. But let’s not forget something very important: Marriage equality is going to happen.
As a community, we must come together, assess our strategy, and redouble our efforts in the fight for fundamental fairness. This is not the time for us to splinter – for that is exactly what our opponents want.
The more united we are in the coming days and weeks, the sooner the bill will get passed – and the sooner our dream of full equality will become a reality.
We want to extend our sincerest apologies to the families who rushed to Springfield in the waning hours of session to support equality in anticipation of this historic vote. You have been and continue to be our inspiration and we pledge to fight together until we achieve full equality for all Illinois families.
The letter is signed by 15 state reps and one state senator – all of whom supported the marriage equality legislation.
(via ChicagoPhoenix)
It seems there lies a possibility for Illinois to see marriage equality passed perhaps before summer’s end.
The Illinois Observer reports:
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) acted quietly on Friday night before the House adjourned to extend the bill’s deadline for approval until August 31.
State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) told a packed House chamber on Friday evening that he had to put off a vote on the proposal until November.
However, were Governor Pat Quinn to call lawmakers back to Springfield in the summer for a special session to address pension reform, which also was left without resolution, he could include Senate Bill 10 in a special session proclamation.
If Quinn declines to include marriage equality in any order to lawmakers to return to Springfield, Madigan could call a House special session of his own at the same time to take up the legislation, an insider noted.
“It’s a fascinating move,” said one, long-time lobbyist. “It suggests that there is plan to get it done.”
However – nothing is certain, and a new wrinkle develops with this scenario. The Observer points out that:
“Nevertheless, during a summer session, House lawmakers would need to amend the bill and change the effective date from ’30 days’ from a gubernatorial signature to January 1 in order to avoid a 3/5th or 71 vote requirement, an insurmountable hurdle. Amending the bill’s effective date would also require an Illinois Senate vote to concur with such a change.”
That being said, the state Senate would have to come back to approve the changes.
More complications.
Stay tuned.