SAME-SEX couples will be allowed to marry if a Bill introduced in the Federal Parliament is passed.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young introduced her private member’s Bill, proposing to grant gay couples equal marriage rights, into the Upper House on Wednesday.

The Bill seeks to remove all discrimination based on sexuality and gender from the Marriage Act.

Full Story from the Herald Sun

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The weird maneuverings by Senate Democrats and Republicans that appear, for now, to have morphed the Legislature into a tri-cameral body continued this morning with Democrats locking themselves into the chamber to declare ownership of the leadership chairs.

In two-hour shifts of two senators that began at 6 a.m., Democrats seized the chair of the presiding officer and majority leader in anticipation of another zoo-like session that occurred when the two side held dueling legislative sessions at the same time in the same chamber.

“It’s our understanding that, if you have the president pro temp’s chair and the majority leader’s chair, then that is establishing our continuing position that we control the majority of the house,” Sen. Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, said in an interview from the podium with a Buffalo News reporter overhead in the balcony.

Full Story from The Buffalo News

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As advocates for gays and lesbians intensify their criticism of the White House, President Obama has invited some of their leaders to an East Room reception next Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the 1969 Greenwich Village demonstrations that gave birth to the modern gay rights movement.

The White House has not publicized the reception, and officials did not respond to e-mail requests for comment. But gay leaders from here and around the country said they had received either telephone calls from the White House or written invitations to the event, and were told Mr. Obama is expected to speak.

Some said it would take more than a reception to change their view that Mr. Obama has not been aggressive enough in pursuing gay rights. As a candidate, Mr. Obama campaigned to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law barring gay marriage, and ‘’don’t ask don’t tell,’’ the military policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly. But advocates have accused him of dragging his feet.

Full Story from the New York Times

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It may soon be possible for same sex couples to register as domestic partners in the city of Saint Paul. City council members Lee Helgen and Dave Thune will introduce an ordinance at Wednesday’s weekly meeting setting up a domestic partners registry, similar to the one in place in Minneapolis since 1991.

“They’ll come into the city hall, pay a $20 dollar fee, and they’ll be able to fill out a log book and get a certificate that will show that the city recognizes their partnership,” Helgen told KARE Monday.

He said it won’t carry the legal weight of a marriage certificate, but will be useful for some couples seeking health care benefits and visitor’s rights at hospitals.

Full Story from KARE 11

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On the final day of the scheduled legislative session, only 31 members of the senate show up in the chamber. It is a familiar scene as the Republicans and rogue Democrat Pedro Espada continue to blast the Democrats for holding up the people’s business. But the Democrats say the Republicans are playing a power-grabbing game.

…

Gov. Paterson said, “They spoke to me about talks that have now resumed and requested a delay in the special session scheduled for tomorrow. I told them no; the people’s business has been delayed long enough.”

So the governor issued a proclimation that will force all 62 senators to convene an extraordinary session Tuesday at 3 pm. 55 non-controversial bills need to be addressed. But the governor didn’t rule out some controversial bills could voted on, including gay marriage. Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann will preside over that session, an idea still not welcomed by the Republicans.

Full Story from Fox 23 News

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Discussions on whether same-sex civil unions should be allowed on Guam continued last night during a town hall meeting on Bill 138 at the Mangilao Community Center. Last night’s forum on Bill 138 was different than the previous ones held in Yigo and Agat. Instead of attendees standing up and asking questions to a panel familiar with the legislation that would allow same sex civil unions on Guam, those who attended where asked to write their questions on a piece of paper.

One woman asked, “Do you believe that gays have no control over their sexual preferences equal to blacks having no control over being black and whites having no control over being white so why would god say that homosexuality is a sin but then turn around and make people homosexual.”

Vice-Speaker BJ Cruz was the only one on the panel to respond to that particular question, saying he wasn’t sure whether people have control over their preferences, adding he hasn’t done studies on it, but there have been studies that been conducted. He added that in spite of how much they call this “the gay life it is not the happiest situation in the world”.

Full Story from KUAM.com

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In January this year the president of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, asked the Social Democrat Alliance to form Government with the Left-Green Movement, thereby ending 18 years of dominance by the right-leaning, Independent party. Social Democrat Johanna Sigurdardottir was named the new prime minister.

At the subsequent national election in April, Sigurdardottir became the modern world’s first elected openly gay leader.

Reykjavík-born Lárus, 33, is the executive director of the country’s lobby group, Sömtokin ’78.

Full Story from The Sydney Star Observer

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Nearly a dozen gay leaders and minority rights activists will be meeting in New York Friday for the first South Asian Queer Leaders’ Summit to discuss future strategies and strengthen the trans-national network of the sexual minorities.

To be followed by a Lesbian film show and a pride party, the summit, to be hosted by Asia Society and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, will also assess the state of the community in South Asia, especially after the strides taken by the gay rights movement in India and its northern neighbour Nepal.

Once a conservative country where sons were preferred to daughters, Nepal saw a sea change in the nation’s attitude towards the sexual minorities after its Supreme Court passed a landmark judgment, recognising gays as ‘natural’ people and ordering the government to make laws to uphold their rights, including the right to same-sex marriage.

Full Story from Thaindian News

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Current and former Mormons opposed to the church’s stance on same-sex marriage and its efforts to ban it have launched a Web site asking the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to soften its views, reports the Associated Press.

The site, www.lds.apology.org, calls on LDS leaders in a petition to stop antigay policies and fundraising. It also includes historical information about Mormon work to ban same-sex marriage, details about official Mormon teachings on homosexuality, and the names of gay Mormons who have committed suicide.

Anyone may sign the petition.

Full Story from The Advocate

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Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, has changed his position on gay marriage, announcing over the weekend that he now supports it.

Mr. Dodd, who finds himself in a tough fight for reelection next year, had already backed civil unions, but had rejected endorsing gay marriage during his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

His reversal comes on the heels of growing upset among gay activists toward President Obama and his administration, many of whom called the president’s decision last week to extend partnership benefits extension as a minor move.

Full Story from the New York Times

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with “subscribe blog” as the subject. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.