Tag: same-sex marriage

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Texas: 5x Married State Rep. Tony Tinderholt Files Judicial Complaint Over Lesbian Couple Marrying

Image via Memeographs

Texas state Rep. Tony Tinderholt has filed a hilarious complaint with the State Commission of Judicial Conduct over a ruling which allowed a lesbian couple together over 30 years to marry.

In filing the complaint, Tinderholt admits that he’s not a lawyer, although you didn’t need him to share that info to know that. He not only says that the judge didn’t notify the attorney general (he did) but Tinderholt names the WRONG judge.

From Raw Story:

Tinderholt, 44, a former member of the U.S. Air Force and Army, wrote out a two-paragraph complaint to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct stating that Judge Wahlberg failed to give notice to the State Attorney General’s office when lifting a stay on the two women’s marriage.

“This judge deliberately violated statutory law, and this is unacceptable,” Tinderholt wrote.

However it was Probate Judge Guy Herman, not Wahlberg, who ruled the same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional. Additionally, the State Attorney General’s office did receive notice of the ruling on Jan. 23 and chose to “not to seek direct involvement.”

According to attorney Brian T. Thompson who took part in the case involving the two women, Tinderholt’s complaint won’t hold up against either of the judges.

“It’s a shame that someone who’s taken on the responsibility of writing our laws has so much misunderstanding of the law,” Thompson said.

Clearly a standard-bearer for the sanctity of marriage, Tinderholt is currently in his 5th marriage – a former Dallas Cowboy cheerleader.

Says it all, doesn’t it?

Here’s his hand-written complaint:

2015-02-19 Tinderholt Complaint by laurenmcgaughy

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Marriage News Watch – March 2, 2015

From the American Foundation for Equal Rights:

Texas lawmakers are gunning for the judge who let two lesbians to get married.

Meanwhile, homophobic lawmakers celebrate the 10th anniversary of the state’s marriage ban.

There’s just one problem: the law will probably be overturned before it actually turns ten. Plus various native American tribes are in the process of legalizing marriage.

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Nebraska’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban Struck Down

Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon has struck down Nebraska’s same-sex marriage ban saying, ‘all relevant state officials are ordered to treat same-sex couples the same as different sex couples in the context of processing a marriage license or determining the rights, protections, obligations or benefits of marriage.’

From Judge Bataillon’s ruling:

“The State clearly has the right to encourage couples to marry and provide support for one another. However, those laws must be enforced equally and without respect to gender,” U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon wrote. “It is time to bring this unequal provision to an end.”

Evan Wolfson of Freedom To Marry issued this statement:

Every day loving and committed couples are denied the freedom to marry in the decreasing number of states that continue to discriminate against same-sex couples and their families is a day of tangible hardships and indignity. Fortunately, Nebraska may soon no longer be one of those discriminating states, thanks to today’s strong ruling from yet another court — the 65th in the past two years — affirming the freedom to marry. It is time for the U.S. Supreme Court to bring the country to national resolution and end marriage discrimination for all Americans.

Nebraska would become the 38th state in the US to have marriage equality.

The state of Nebraska immediately filed an appeal with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The order takes effect March 9 at 8 a.m.

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Jeb Bush At CPAC: “I Believe In Traditional Marriage”

Attempting to prove his “conservative bona fides,” former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush answered directly when asked if he was evolving on same-sex marriage at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday:

“No. I believe in traditional marriage.”

Some rumors had been circling that Jeb might try to appear not an severe as his possible fellow candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.

He’s now answered that question.

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Mexico’s Steady March Toward’s Marriage Equality

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Of Mexico’s 31 states, over two-thirds (22) have seen court rulings in favor of same-sex marriage in recent years. But the reaction to such rulings has been less hysterical than we’ve seen in the US.

From Buzzfeed:

The wave of rulings throughout Mexico hasn’t caused the uproar that has followed rulings in the United States over the past year striking down state laws barring same-sex couples from marrying. Couples have not rushed to marry nor have conservatives organized major protests.

This is in part because the technicalities of Mexican law have meant these decisions have been much more narrow in their immediate impact. Each decision applies only to the individuals who have brought the cases, and other same-sex couples will still have to sue in order to marry. It takes multiple cases meeting certain technical requirements for the courts to nullify a state law in Mexico — a hurdle that has not yet been met.

After watching the fight for same-sex marriage here in the states, it’s a very interesting read to see how different the approach has been in Mexico. Read the entire report here.

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Tiffany & Co Launch TV Ad Featuring Same-Sex Marriage Proposal

Tiffany & Co has launched it’s first ever TV ad which features a same-sex marriage proposal.

Via Business Insider:

The ad, created by Ogilvy New York, features a number of couples building up to asking their significant other “Will You?,” which is the tagline of the campaign.

The TV spot is an extension of the print campaign Tiffany launched last month and features the same real-life male same-sex couple. It marked the first time the company had featured a gay couple in its advertising in its 178-year history.

The social media reaction to last month’s print campaign was extremely positive. AdAge notes that Miley Cyrus even reposted the ad on her Instagram page, thanking the jeweler “for being so badass.” Another ad as part of the campaign also depicted a couple with their child during their wedding as the brand looked to broaden its portrayal of marriage proposals and weddings.

At the time of the print launch a Tiffany spokeswoman explained the thinking behind the push in a statement: “Nowadays, the road to marriage is no longer linear. True love can happen more than once with love stories coming in a variety of forms.”

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Finland’s President Signs Legislation Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

The Washington Blade reports that last Friday saw Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö sign recent legislation into law that legalizes same-sex marriage for the Scandinavian country.

Niinistö signed the measure roughly four months after lawmakers in the Scandinavian country narrowly approved the measure. They considered the bill after supporters of marriage rights for same-sex couples collected more than 166,000 signatures to bring it before the Finnish Parliament.

Finland’s same-sex marriage law is scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2017.

In other international news, Ireland will be voting on marriage equality on May 22nd. Polls show over 60% of voters support the measure.

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Miami: Food Network Star Guy Fieri Officiates 101 Same-Sex Weddings

Food Network star Guy Fieri took some time out from this weekend’s South Beach Wine and Food Festival to marry 101 same-sex couples.

Sponsored by celeb chef Art Smith (formerly Oprah’s personal chef) the event also saw star power via Food Network host Ted Allen, and Ace of Cakes chef Duff Goldman. Plus, it looks like Absolut threw in some liquid support.

Thanks to everyone who took part. Congratulations to the happy couples!

Check out the tweets below:

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Marriage News Watch – February 23, 2015

From the American Foundation for Equal Rights:

A few judges are still refusing to see gay and lesbian couples in Alabama.

Texas has had its first lesbian marriage, and now state officials are scrambling to find a way to undo it.

And some major national anti-gay figures are preparing to release a new manifesto to stop the freedom to marry.