Tag: marriage equality

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Taiwan’s Highest Court Rules In Favor Of Marriage Equality

(image via Instagram)

Taiwan to become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage thanks to the nation’s highest court.

From South China Morning Post:

Taiwan’s top court, the Council of Grand Justices, ruled in favour of gay marriage on Wednesday, paving the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalise gay unions.

The ruling by a panel of 14 grand justices in Taipei said the current law that barred same-sex marriage was a violation of the constitution, as everybody – regardless of gender – should enjoy the same marriage rights.

Lu Tai-lang, secretary general of the Council of Grand Justices, said authorities must revise the civil code within two years to bring about the legislative change. “Even if the authorities fail to revise the law at the end of the two-year period, gay couples can always register with local household offices to make their marriage legal and they will enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples do,” Lu said.

The court ruling said disallowing same-sex marriage to safeguard the social order had “no rational basis” and was incompatible with the spirit of equality.

The court has ordered the country’s parliament to amend or enact new laws to accommodate marriage equality within two years. LGBT activists hope to accomplish the task before the end of the year.

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U.S. Marriage Equality Began In Massachusetts 13 Years Ago Today

13 years ago today, Massachusetts became the first state in the United States (and the 6th jurisdiction in the world) to legalize same-sex marriage.

I’ll mention that I actually married my husband about six months before while working in Toronto, Canada, thinking U.S. marriage rights would be out of my grasp for years to come.

And it would be four years before California and Connecticut would follow suit.

The dominoes would begin to fall more quickly after that as Iowa and Vermont joined the party in 2009, and New Hampshire and the District of Columbia would do the same in 2010.

2013 and 2014 would be big years for the marriage equality movement. And, of course, 2015 gave us the Obergefell ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court which made same-sex marriage the law of the land.

As my friend Michelangelo Signorile says, “It’s not over yet.” The Equality Act is necessary to bring federal LGBT protections into line regarding a host of areas including housing, employment and more.

But, we can take a second to look back and enjoy the landmark achievement in LGBT rights made 13 years ago today.

#Forward

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Gallup: Support For Marriage Equality Continues To Rise

From Gallup:

Americans’ support for same-sex marriage has more than doubled since Gallup first polled on the issue in 1996, when 27% said it should be recognized as valid by the law.

In 2004 — weeks before gay weddings took place in Massachusetts after it became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage — less than half of Americans (42%) felt such unions should be legally valid.

Majority support for gay marriage would not come until May 2011, about a month before New York became the sixth state to legalize it.

Since then, support for legal same-sex marriage has steadily climbed, with consistent majorities in favor of it since late 2012.

Gallup also reports that support for same-sex relations has also reached an all-time high of 72%.

When Gallup first began polling on the issue in 1977, only 43% said same-sex relations should be legal.

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Nevada Legislature Takes Steps To Remove State Constitutional Ban On Marriage Equality

The Nevada legislature is taking steps to remove the state’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality just in case the U.S. Supreme Court might reverse it’s 2015 Obergefell ruling.

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

The Nevada Senate on Monday approved a proposed constitutional amendment recognizing same-sex marriage, a preemptive move to protect gay marriage should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn its previous ruling.

Assembly Joint Resolution 2 passed 19-2 after it was amended to include an exemption stipulating religious organizations and clergy could not be forced to solemnize gay marriages.

Republican Sens. Joe Hardy of Boulder City and Don Gustavson of Sparks voted no.

It now goes back to the Assembly to concur with the Senate’s amendment. It was approved earlier in the Assembly 27-14, with Republican Lisa Krasner of Reno in support. The resolution would have to be approved by the Legislature again in 2019 before it is sent to voters for ratification in 2020.

Introduced by Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, D-Las Vegas, AJR2 also would repeal a constitutional provision passed by voters in 2002 that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

The U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in June 2015. But there are concerns about the future legality of gay marriage in the U.S. under Republican President Donald Trump and potential vacancies on the high court under his administration.

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North Carolina GOP Lawmakers File Bill Declaring SCOTUS Ruling On Marriage Equality “Null And Void”

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The Republican-led General Assembly of North Carolina just filed House Bill 780 declaring that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which made marriage equality the law of the land is “null and void in the state of North Carolina.”

From the bill:

The General Assembly of the State of North Carolina declares that the Obergefell v. Hodges decision of the United States Supreme Court of 2015 is null and void in the State of North Carolina, and that the State of North Carolina shall henceforth uphold and enforce Section 6 of Article XIV of the North Carolina Constitution, the opinion and objection of the United States Supreme Court notwithstanding.

Good luck with that one, North Carolina.

#WillNeverBecomeLaw

I wonder how “welcoming” and “inclusive” the NCAA will view North Carolina now…?

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Taiwan’s Constitutional Court Hears Arguments For Marriage Equality

A panel of 14 judges will hear a case today that could make Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalize marriage equality.

Veteran gay rights activist Chi Chia-wei and the Taipei city government filed the petitions with the Constitutional Court asking for a ruling on whether Taiwan’s civil code, which states that marriage is between a man and a woman, is constitutional.

The ruling, expected within two months, would be legally binding. If the law is found to be unconstitutional, Taiwan’s parliament would have to change the laws to accommodate same-sex couples.

President Tsai Ing-wen has previously said she would support marriage equality.

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Tennessee Lawmakers File Legislation To Defy SCOTUS Ruling On Same-Sex Marriage

Anti-LGBT lawmakers in Tennessee have filed legislation that would instruct state agencies to defy the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

From the local NBC affiliate:

It’s called the Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act, with bills filed by Sen. Mae Beavers in the Senate and Rep. Mark Pody in the House.

The bills define marriage as between one man, and one woman in Tennessee, despite what outside courts decide.

Both Sen. Beavers and Rep. Pody declined comment on the bill, telling News 2 that questions would be answered at a press conference next week.

They argue that despite the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling, same sex marriage is unlawful and all unlawful orders “remain unlawful and should be resisted.” The time and date for the Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act has not been set.

Truly an exercise in futility.

Watch the news report below:

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How Conservatives Could Undo Marriage Equality

All-around smart guy Matt Baume is concerned about what Donald Trump’s election will mean for the LGBT community, and especially marriage equality. And when Matt’s concerned, I pay attention.

Although I don’t think anything will happen any time soon, Baume outlines exactly how our marriage rights could be taken away:

1. Weakening marriage protections

2. Making strategic appointments

3. Using lawsuits to overturn marriage

“It would be very weird if the US Supreme Court reversed their marriage equality decision after just a few years,” Baume says, “but very weird things have been happening a lot lately.”

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Trump: Marriage Equality Is ‘Settled Law,’ Roe V. Wade Is Not

President-elect Donald Trump continues to send mixed signals about his policy positions.

During the campaign, he said he would appoint judges to the Supreme Court who would overrule the Obergefell v. Hodges decision last year which brought marriage equality to the entire nation. “I would strongly consider that, yes,” he said in a January Fox News interview.

In his 60 Minutes interview last night, he told Lesley Stahl he’s “fine” with same-sex marriage.

“It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done.”

“These cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And I’m – I’m fine with that,” he added.

The Republican Party’s official platform, ratified by the party in July, opposes same-sex marriage, condemns the Supreme Court’s rulings in Obergefell v. Hodges and United States v. Windsor, and supports proposed “religious freedom” legislation that critics say would allow businesses to deny services to gay people.

During the very same interview, when asked if he would appoint a Supreme Court justice who would overturn Roe v. Wade, Trump said his judges will be “pro-life,” and suggested that decision could be overturned.

“If it ever were overturned, it would go back to the states,” Trump said.

Women seeking abortions would have to go “go to another state” for the procedure.

So, Obergefell is “settled law” but Roe v. Wade isn’t?

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12 Year-Old Boy Tries To Stop Mexican Hate Parade

Over the weekend, members of Mexico’s “pro-family” hate group Frente Nacional por la Familia took to the streets across the nation to protest the inevitable passage of marriage equality.

While the anti-LGBT demonstrators saw their fair share of opposition, perhaps the most striking moment came at a rally in Celaya, Guanajuato when a 12-year-old boy stepped in front of  11,000 protesters in an attempt to stop their march.

Photo journalist Manuel Rodríguez captured the powerful image.

“At first I thought the child was only playing,” Rodríguez admitted to Regeneracion.

But Rodriguez interviewed the child later, who said, “I have an uncle who is gay and I hate the hatred.”