I previously wrote about New Zealand’s Travis McIntosh and Matt McCormick’s quest for a free, all-expense paid trip to the 2015 Rugby World Cup here.
The story has angered LGBT leaders in the country. LegaliseLove Aotearoa Wellington co-chairman Joseph Habgood said the radio show contest mocked the hard-won legitimacy of same-sex marriages.
“The point of this competition is that men marrying each other is still something they think is worth having a laugh at …”
The two men say they believe the marriage will last two years.
The couple’s lawsuit named Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller; Indiana Health Commissioner William VanNess; and Lake County Clerk Michael A. Brown, who issues marriage licenses.
A joint stipulation was filed Wednesday in which Indiana agreed to recognize the couple’s marriage and, in the event of Rivera’s death, issue a death certificate listing her as married and recording Romero as the surviving spouse.
The Indiana State Department of Health also agreed to assist local health departments, funeral homes, physicians, coroners and others involved in completion of a death certificate to understand their duties in the couple’s case.
Fred McQuire and George Martinez, both veterans of the US armed forces, were married in California this past July after 45 years together.
In recent years, both Fred and George battled life-threatening illnesses.
Sadly, George passed away on August 28, 2014 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The state of Arizona, where they lived together, does not recognize their marriage, and wants to issue a death certificate that will read “never married.”
Tomorrow, Lambda Legal will ask the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona to order the State of Arizona to provide an accurate death certificate.
Travis McIntosh and Matt McCormick, best friends since age 6, will marry tomorrow in order to win a radio station competition and a trip to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
The men, however, are not gay or in love. They are simply “best mates” looking to win a contest.
The contest, run by radio station The Edge in New Zealand, looked for the best “bromance” couple to win the trip to next year’s World Cup. According to reports, over two hundred straight same-sex couples entered the contest.
“We are not here to insult anyone. We are here to do our own thing and travel our own path.” Mr McIntosh said the wedding was not mocking the institution of marriage.
Otago University Students’ Association Queer Support co-ordinator Neill Ballantyne, of Dunedin, said the wedding was an”insult” because marriage equality was a”hard fought” battle for gay people.
“Something like this trivialises what we fought for.” The competition promoted the marriage of two men as something negative,”as something outrageous that you’d never consider”, Mr Ballantyne said.
LegaliseLove Aotearoa Wellington co-chairman Joseph Habgood said the competition attacked the legitimacy of same-sex marriages.
“The point of this competition is that men marrying each other is still something they think is worth having a laugh at …
Now it’s just getting embarrassing for the ironically named National Organization for Marriage.
After getting a big NO from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after trying to insert themselves in Oregon’s marriage equality decision, NOM is now asking the 9th for an “en banc” reviews of it’s request.
Despite a string of legal defeats, the National Organization for Marriage is continuing its battle against the May 19 federal court decision overturning Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Two weeks after a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the group’s attempt to intervene in the case, the National Organization for Marriage on Wednesday asked the full Ninth Circuit Court to reconsider the decision.
The group — which has waged a legal battle against same-sex marriages throughout the country — had earlier lost several attempts to insert itself in the Oregon case.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request by NOM to halt same-sex marriages in Oregon, which began after U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled that the ban unconstitutionally discriminated against gay and lesbian couples.
My guess is NOM needs SOMETHING to put in their email money begs to justify why anyone should send them a dime.
In light of the recent ruling by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal that overturned Virginia’s ban on marriage equality AND the decision by North Carolina’s Attorney General to no longer defend that state’s same-sex marriage ban (North Carolina is also in the jurisdiction of the 4th Circuit Court), Winston-Salem has announced the city will recognize any valid marriage license from any state or US jurisdiction in regard to city employee benefits.
“This means that if you are currently married to someone of the same sex, and have a valid marriage license from any state or U.S. jurisdiction, you can enroll your same sex spouse and children in all city benefits …” Human Resources Director Caruth told city employees in the letter.
While several cities offer domestic partnership benefits (Winston-Salem does not), I believe this is the first time that a city in the state has taken steps to recognize legal same-sex marriages on it’s own accord.
There is a special enrollment period currently under way for same-sex couples to sign up through the end of October.
The US Supreme Court has officially added requests for review from 5 states – Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin – regarding marriage equality to the justices’ conference agenda on September 29th.
This will be the first opportunity for the nine justices to review requests from those states who have seen their same-sex marriage bans ruled unconstitutional.
However, the justices may or may not decide to take up one, many or none of the cases immediately. Considering other developments currently being considered on the issue, in the 9th and 6th Circuit Courts of Appeal for example, the justices may take additional time before choosing whether or not to add any of the cases to the immediate docket which begins October 6th.
After losing 3-0 at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals last week, Indiana’s Attorney General has filed an official appeal with the US Supreme Court regarding same-sex marriage in the state.
“[We ask] whether the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment permit States to define marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman, [and] whether the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses permit States to treat as void same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions,” the appeal reads.
Most interesting is the fact that Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller says the marriage ban does NOT target homosexuals:
From Zoeller’s brief: “The court does not, and cannot, justify the assertion that Indiana’s definition of marriage targets homosexuals. The statue itself makes no mention of sexual orientation, and as the case record in this case amply demonstrates, homosexuals often do marry members of the opposite sex in Indiana.”
From Buzzfeed’s über-fab legal eagle on LGBT issues, Chris Geidner:
9th Circuit marriage cases are done. Plaintiff same-sex couples in ID & NV will succeed, likely 3-0 on equal protection grounds. — Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) September 8, 2014
Today at 1pm Pacific time, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments regarding marriage equality for Idaho, Nevada (my home state), and Hawaii.
You can watch via YouTube below or by going to www.ca9.uscourts.gov and clicking the website’s link, “Live Oral Arguments.”
Idaho will get a full hour (equally split for both sides) for oral arguments. Nevada will follow with 30 minutes total, and then Hawaii will have 20 minutes to make each side’s case.
If you want to follow the Twitter conversation, look for hashtag #9thCircuit
