Tag: same-sex marriage

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Santa Fe: Press conference on marriage equality resolution

As I wrote yesterday, the mayor of Santa Fe, David Coss, and Councilor Patti Bushee, have announced that they have looked at the laws and constitution of New Mexico and found that there is nothing in New Mexico state law that prohibits same-sex marriage.

Here’s video of Coss’s press conference yesterday, along with Councilor Patti Bushee and City Attorney Geno Zamora.

They announced they will introduce a resolution at the next city council meeting on March 27th stating that marriage equality is legal in New Mexico.

Excerpt from Zamora’s speech:

“Currently, today, under the existing laws on the books…same-sex marriage is legal. This argument consists of four points.

First and most importantly, New Mexico does not define same-sex marriage  as a marriage between a man and a woman. These statutes define it as gender neutral between two parties.

Secondly, New Mexico validly recognizes same-sex marriage from other states.

Third, under New Mexico statue, a marriage license is not permitted to be denied based on the sex of the couple.

Finally, we have a New Mexico constitution that guarantees equal rights on the basis of sex. To deny equal rights to same-sex partners is to violate the New Mexico constitution.

Same-sex marriage is legal in New Mexico. It’s legal for our brothers and sisters, for our parents, for our nephews and nieces, and for our friends.”

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Nevada: Early steps taken to repeal constitutional ban on same-sex marriage

Nevada legislators have begun the long road of repealing the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, introduced a Senate Joint Resolution that would repeal the section of Nevada’s constitution that says “only a marriage between a male and female person shall be recognized.”

Here’s what has to happen:

1. The state legislature has to approve the measure this year
2. The state legislature would have to approve the measure again in 2015
3. The resolution would have to be put on the ballot in 2016
4. If the state voters repeal the constitutional amendment, then lawmakers would THEN have to work towards a bill that would LEGALIZE marriage equality.

But here’s the thing: time is going to go on no matter what.  And, at least, the process has been introduced.  Nevada does have domestic partnerships to help offer some legal protections for LGBT couples, which is at least something.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is already marketing specifically to gay and lesbian couples. Adding weddings to the mix could be an economic boon for Nevada.

“We’re already a huge destination for weddings anyway,” Shinn said. “If we could expand to the LGBT community, we would benefit.”

A recent poll by the Retail Association of Nevada last month shows support for same-sex marriage and repeal of the “Protection of Marriage” clause in the state constitution.  The poll shows that 54 percent of Nevadans favor repeal while 43 percent oppose.

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Finland: Marriage equality supporters successfully gather signatures needed to send issue back to Parliament

Early this month Finland’s marriage equality bill died in committee. However – the public was not happy with that result and have taken action:

A drive to gather the 50,000 signatories required to take a gender-neutral marriage bill to Parliament reached its target in just one day. The accumulation of the required support means that lawmakers must now consider a bill which was previously blocked at the committee stage.

Members of the public rushed to support the “I Do 2013” campaign, which was launched Tuesday to gather the 50,000 signatures required to compel parliament to consider legalising same-sex marriages. Public enthusiasm for the petition was so great that the civic proposal website crashed as a result of the overwhelming demand.

Finland is the only Nordic country that does not recognize same-sex marriage.

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Poll: Support for marriage equality at all-time high

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll reveals that support for marriage equality is now at 58% – a new high:

• The poll shows that 58 percent of Americans now believe it should be legal for gay and lesbian couples to get married; 36 percent say it should be illegal. This is almost a complete reversal of public attitudes a decade ago: in 2003, 37 percent favored gay nuptials, and 55 percent opposed them…

• Among young adults age 18 to 29, support for gay marriage is overwhelming, hitting a record high of 81 percent in the new poll. Support has also been increasing among older adults, but those aged 65 years old and up remain opposed, on balance: 44 percent say same-sex marriage should be legal; 50 percent say illegal…

• A slim majority of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents under 50 years old now support gay marriage. Nearly seven in 10 of those aged 65 and up oppose it, although that is down from more than eight in 10 just four years ago.

• In addition, the belief that being gay is a choice seems to be fading; only 24% think people choose to be gay.

Read more at ABC News

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First same-sex wedding under Indian tribal law in Michigan

Tim LaCroix (L) and Gene Barfield (R) exchange marriage vows as
Dexter McNamara officiates

How wonderful is this?

The head of an American Indian tribe in Michigan signed a law approving same-sex marriage on Friday, then immediately wed a gay couple who had been together for 30 years.

From NBC News:

Dexter McNamara, chairman of the 4,600-member Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in northern Michigan, wed Tim LaCroix, 53, and Gene Barfield, 60, of Boyne City. After McNamara read the couple’s vows and led the ceremony in English, a member of the tribe followed and conducted a traditional tribal ceremony in their language before dozens of wellwishers.

“I’m proud of my tribe for doing this and I love my husband,” LaCroix said, with Barfield, who is not a tribe member, chiming in:”How could the world be better? … I’m just full of joy and happiness and I love my husband.”

I believe this makes for the very first same-sex wedding in Michigan.

Congratulations to the newlyweds AND to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

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Sen. Rob Portman now supports marriage equality

 

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman has become the first sitting GOP senator to announce his support for marriage equality:

“I’m announcing today a change of heart on an issue a lot of people feel strongly about. It has to do with gay couples’ opportunity to marry. During my career in the House and also the last few years in the Senate I’ve taken a position against gay marriage rooted in part in my faith and my faith tradition..
“I had a very personal experience which is my son came to Jane, my wife and I, told us he was gay and that it was not a choice, that’s just part of who he is and that he had been that way since he could remember.”

From Sen. Portman’s op-ed for the Columbus Dispatch: 

“The process of citizens persuading fellow citizens is how consensus is built and enduring change is forged. That’s why I believe change should come about through the democratic process in the states.  Judicial intervention from Washington would circumvent that process as it’s moving in the direction of recognizing marriage for same-sex couples. An expansive court ruling would run the risk of deepening divisions rather than resolving them.

“I’ve thought a great deal about this issue, and like millions of Americans in recent years, I’ve changed my mind on the question of marriage for same-sex couples. As we strive as a nation to form a more perfect union, I believe all of our sons and daughters ought to have the same opportunity to experience the joy and stability of marriage.”

Reactions from across the political spectrum:  

Log Cabin Republicans: “If there was any doubt that the conservative logjam on the issue of civil marriage for committed gay and lesbian couples has broken, Senator Portman’s support for the freedom to marry has erased it. Senator Portman’s evolution on this issue highlights how personal it is for Americans — whether they’re the Junior Senator from Ohio or your next-door neighbor, all Americans have a gay friend, colleague or family member, and understand them to be as deserving as their straight counterparts of the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that are the promise of the United States.”

 Human Rights Campaign: “Like countless dads across the country, Senator Portman has made the basic and courageous choice to put parenting before politics. When it comes to marriage equality, all Americans are on the same journey toward recognizing our common humanity. But while 8 in 10 Americans know a gay or lesbian person, it still takes unique courage to speak out publicly for equality. We are very grateful to Senator Portman for his virtuous stand in support of this civil rights cause.”  

Freedom to Marry Ohio: “The honorable U.S. Sen. Portman is the first Republican member of the United States Senate to endorse the freedom to marry, but we believe he will not be the last. We are moved by the love and support U.S. Sen. Portman and his wife are showing their son. We appreciate the fact that the Senator wants his son to be able to marry and form a family to find the same happiness and security as his parents. Each day you can feel the momentum building toward ending marriage discrimination in Ohio. We are going to work even harder with our wonderful volunteers across the state to collect the signatures needed to put this amendment before voters.”

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Poll: 64% of Americans believe marriage equality is inevitable

A new poll from LifeWay Research – a Christian polling firm connected to the Southern Baptist Convention – shows 58 percent of American adults agree same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue and 64 percent believe it is inevitable same-sex marriage will become legal throughout the United States.

Other findings in the poll:

• 63% believe clergy should be allowed to refuse to officiate over same-sex weddings. (That percentage jumps to 74% for people who identify as “Born Again, evangelical, or fundamentalist Christian”

• 58% believe photographers should be able to reject gay couples (in contrast, 72% of fundamentalists do).

• 40% believe rental halls should be able to refuse to book same-sex weddings (compared to the 57% of fundamentalists who feel that way).

• 20% believe landlords should be able to reject gay tenants and 14% said employers should be able to discriminate against homosexuals.

Check out more number crunching at LifeWay.com

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Delaware: Atty General Beau Biden supports marriage equality

Beau Biden, Delaware Attorney General and son of VP Joe Biden, speaks out for marriage equality in a new video:

“All Delawareans should be able to marry the person they love, the person who they want to spend their life with. The freedom to marry is the fundamental, defining civil rights issue of our time.”

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Minnesota: former House rep regrets vote for state DOMA

Former Minnesota House Rep. Lynne Osterman gave an emotional speech yesterday, explaining why she now regrets her vote for Minnesota’s version of the Defense of Marriage Act.

“I didn’t come to Saint Paul to single out same-sex couples and their families, but in my only term as a member,” she said, her voice trembling, “I cast a politically expedient vote in favor of DOMA and I regretted that ever since. It was not in my conscience, or my own compass.”

“I blew my vote and I’m imploring you, please get this right.”

(via good as you)

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New Zealand on the brink of marriage equality

It looks like New Zealand is THIS close to passing marriage equality. From the AP:

Lawmakers supported the bill 77 to 44 in the second of three votes needed for a bill to be approved. The second vote is typically the most crucial one. The third and final vote is likely to be little more than a formality and could be taken as early as next month.

Wednesday’s vote came after a committee of lawmakers considered emails and letters from thousands of New Zealanders.

More than 200 people crammed into the Parliament’s public gallery to watch lawmakers debate the bill before they voted at about 10:15 p.m. The mostly young crowd clapped and cheered for lawmakers who spoke in support of the bill, and sat in silence for those who spoke in opposition.

If passed, there is a four month waiting period before the law would go into effect.