LGBTQ news and entertainment
From the American Foundation for Equal Rights:
A bill to allow North Carolina officials to refuse to serve any couple they don’t like is several steps closer to passing, even after the governor vetoed it.
Texas is coming up with new excuses for refusing to issue marriage licenses.
And with a federal ruling on marriage due any day now, Judge Roy Moore continues to speak out against the Supreme Court.
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| Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker |
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), who voted for his state’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2006, said in an appearance today on ABC’s “This Week” that he supports a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality nationwide.
“I personally believe that marriage is between one man and one woman,” said Walker, a prospective GOP presidential candidate, on ABC’s “This Week.” “If the court decides that, the only next approach is for those who are supporters of marriage being defined as between one man and one woman is ultimately to consider pursuing a constitutional amendment.”
Walker added that “the decision on defining marriage should be left up to the states.”
Recent polls show support for marriage equality at or near 60% approval across the U.S.
The most recent Quinnipiac University poll shows 56% of Americans support the Supreme Court striking down bans on same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in 36 states plus the District of Columbia.
To pass a constitutional amendment, you have to get approval from TWO-THIRDS of the Senate, TWO-THIRDS of the House of Representatives and then TWO-THIRDS of all state legislatures.
Clearly that won’t ever happen. Walker is pandering to the conservative extremists.
Walker is expected to announce his candidacy for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination in the coming weeks.
We’re all aware of the issues involving those in the wedding industry who refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings here in the US.
And similar issues have arisen abroad. For instance, in Northern Ireland, Ashers Bakery found itself on the losing end of a lawsuit for refusing to make a cake with the words “support gay marriage” above a picture of Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. The incident sparked widespread debate.
Talking on Newsnight last night, Star Trek & X-Men star Patrick Stewart was asked about the incident and he responded like this:
“Finally, I found myself on the side of the bakers.
“It was not because it was a gay couple that they objected, it was not because they were celebrating some sort of marriage or an agreement between them.
“It was the actual words on the cake they objected to. Because they found the words offensive. I would support their rights to say ‘no, this is personally offensive to my beliefs, I will not do it.'”
Watch Stewart explain below:
UPDATE: Patrick Stewart just posted this to his Facebook page. I’m guessing he got some push-back.
As part of my advocacy for Amnesty International, I gave an interview on a number of subjects related to human rights, civil rights and freedom of speech. During the interview, I was asked about the Irish bakers who refused to put a message on a cake which supported marriage equality, because of their beliefs. In my view, this particular matter was not about discrimination, but rather personal freedoms and what constitutes them, including the freedom to object. Both equality and freedom of speech are fundamental rights— and this case underscores how we need to ensure one isn’t compromised in the pursuit of the other. I know many disagree with my sentiments, including the courts. I respect and understand their position, especially in this important climate where the tides of prejudices and inequality are (thankfully) turning. What I cannot respect is that some have conflated my position on this single matter to assume I’m anti-equality or that I share the personal beliefs of the bakers. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could be further from the truth. I have long championed the rights of the LGBT community, because equality should not only be, as the people of Ireland powerfully showed the world, universally embraced, but treasured.
It took just about an hour and a half for Guam’s chief federal judge to rule the territory’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
In doing so, Guam becomes the first U.S. territory to legalize same-sex marriage.
The ruling is expected to take effect on Tuesday.
In her ruling, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood said the laws denying marriage rights to same-sex couples were unconstitutional, citing a previous decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Guam.
Following her ruling, the courtroom erupted into applause for Loretta M. Pangelinan and Kathleen M. Aguero, the couple who filed the case.
Pangelinan and Aguero filed the case in April after they were denied a marriage license application at the Department of Public Health and Social Services. Their attorneys argued that the case had already been decided by the 9th Circuit in 2014 and, as a result, Guam had no choice but to follow suit.
The Alabama legislature’s attempt to do some kind of “end run” around a possible nationwide marriage equality victory at SCOTUS has died in a House committee vote.
The legislation would attempt to do away with state-issued marriage licenses and be replaced by “contracts.”
From LGBTQ Nation:
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted down a bill that would abolish the requirement that couples obtain a marriage license from a probate judge before their wedding.
Instead, couples would have had to bring in a signed marriage contract witnessed by a minister, lawyer or other authorized person and file it with the probate office.
Republican Sen. Greg Albritton of Range said the intent of his bill was to avoid chaos over the issuance of the licenses.
Opposed committee members said they were hesitant to make such a major change to state marriage law.
I recently heard from a classmate of mine, Sheila Head, from college days at Syracuse University.
It turns out Sheila is still in creative mode and raising her voice – you know I love that 🙂
My wife Norma Lana and I just shot a video as Lady Liberty and Lady Justice in support of the upcoming SCOTUS decision. (And to kick off Pride Month.)
Our goal is to raise as much awareness as possible about the upcoming Supreme Court decision in mid-late June.
#libertyandjustice #marriageequality
Directed by Mandy Fabian; written by Sheila Head and Mandy Fabian; produced by Sheila Head (Lady Justice), Norma Lana (Lady Liberty), Mandy Fabian, and Kristen Phelan; music by Peter Dee.
I love a community collaboration! Check out the video below! Great going ladies!
According to a new poll by Quinnipiac University, 56% of American voters say they are in support a U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of nationwide marriage rights for same-sex couples. Only 38% of voters opposed such a ruling.
Additionally, voters are generally more supportive of same-sex marriage than opposed by a similar result of 56% for and 36% against.
Speaking to Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet The Press” Rick Santorum told Todd that the US Supreme Court “doesn’t have the final word” on same-sex marriage.
Via NBC News:
When asked whether he would accept the Supreme Court’s ruling if they legalize same-sex marriage later this year, he said he would “fight it.”
“I think it’s important to understand that the Supreme Court doesn’t have the final word. It has its word. Its word has validity. But it’s important for Congress and the president, frankly, to push back when the Supreme Court gets it wrong,” said the presidential candidate on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.
He went on to say that the country is not “bound by what nine people say in perpetuity” and that he’s continued his fight against Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman’s right to an abortion, because he thinks “the court got it wrong.”
When asked whether he thinks states should ignore the ruling if the Supreme Court does legalize same-sex marriage, Santorum responded, “I don’t advocate civil disobedience. I do advocate the role of an informed citizen to try to overturn when a court makes a mistake and gets an issue wrong.”
I can only imagine what Santorum would view as “push back” would be to pass an amendment to the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
Good luck with that one, Rick. Not gonna happen.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Labor leader Bill Shorten has filed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia:
“Let this law reflect the nation we all want to see in the mirror,” the Labor leader said. “Generous, smart, modern, diverse and above all, equal.”
Mr Shorten’s wife, Chloe, watched from the public galleries as he delivered a short speech, introducing a bill that would change the definition of marriage to “the union of two people”.
Labor senators Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher and ACT chief minister Andrew Barr were also in the chamber.
But despite the strong Labor showing, the Coalition side of the House of Representatives was almost empty, with less than a handful of government MPs in attendance.
Matt Baume for the American Foundation for Equal Rights: