May, 2011

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Why Are “Family” Groups Ignoring the Real Marriage Crisis?

Friday, May 27th, 2011

It seems that America could use a genuine pro-family movement instead of hate groups using “family values” as a cover for their anti-gay activities. According to the Census Bureau:

Married couples have dropped below half of all American households for the first time. Married couples represented just 48 percent of American households in 2010.

Just a fifth of households were traditional families – married couples with children – down from about a quarter a decade ago, and from 43 percent in 1950.

Full Story from the Huffington Post

Click here for gay marriage resources.

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NY: Two More Celebrities for Marriage Equality

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Chelsea Lately chat show host Chelsea Handler and actress Kristen Bell are urging fans to get involved in the campaign to legalize gay marriage in New York.

The two women have set up a Friend-setter page on Friendfactor, the social media website that connects straight allies with gay rights causes.

“I support my gay friends,” Handler tweeted to her more than 3.5 million followers on Monday. “Click here to support now & win NY marriage.”

Full Story from On Top Magazine

Click here for gay marriage resources in Minnesota.

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Tags: chelsea handler, kristen bell, marriage equality

Featured Gay Friendly Wedding Vendor: Wildwood Retreat Center, Guerneville, California

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Periodically we’ll feature one of our vendors here to let our readers know about some great people who can help you plan the perfect wedding.

Gay Friendly San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Vendors

Wildwood is the ideal rural setting for your wedding – we welcome gay and lesbian couples, and can offer a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces for your special day – decks, patios, beautiful gardens, open meadows.

Wildwood Retreat offers great views, intimate seclusion, casual elegance and many choices for the configuration of your event.

At Wildwood, you’ll experience ultimate privacy – like being “a world away”.

In the summertime, we can host up to seventy five guests overnight, and wedding ceremonies of 150. We can also cater the event – we’re famous for our delicious cuisine.

You can also hire your own caterers for your event, if you prefer.

See the Wildwood Retreat Center Expanded Listing on Purple Unions Here

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Tags: gay weddings, guerneville, russian river, wildwood retreat

Marriage Equality Events Today/Tomorrow: LA, Palm Springs, Chicago, Boston

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Here’s our list of events today and tomorrow around the world relating to marriage equality, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and other LGBT equality issues. If you know of any other events – rallies, meetings, phonebanking, etc – please use the link below to add your event to our list!

–USA, CA, Los Angeles: 05/28, 2011 Swim for Equality Kickoff, TBD, TBD.
–USA, CA, Palm Springs: 05/28, Equality Happy Hour, Hamburger Mary’s, 4-7 PM.
–USA, IL, Chicago: 05/27, CounterProtest Anti Gay Demonstration, St. Peters in the Loop, 11 AM.
–USA, MA, Boston: 05/28, Phone Bank for RI Marriage Equality, MassEquality Office, 11 AM-4 PM.

Full Events List/Add Your Own Event: http://www.purpleunions.com/mn/gay-marriage-events-list.html

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Tags: events, Gay Marriage, marriage equality

NY: Focus Now on Undecided Senators in Marriage Equality Fight

Friday, May 27th, 2011

As adjournment nears for the New York State Legislature, there’s an increasing focus on the State Senators who can make marriage equality a reality. The Albany Times-Union focuses on one, Senator Roy McDonald and identifies the other targets:

In recent months, Sen. Roy McDonald, a Saratoga Republican, hasn’t taken either side — at least not in public.

Neither Breslin nor Farley is mentioned much in the debate about same-sex marriage, which failed in the Senate in 2009 but is pushed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. McDonald, however, has been a focus of much lobbying as supporters and opponents alike are trying to woo him to their side.

Full Story from AmericaBlog

Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

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Tags: Gay Marriage, marriage equality, new york

NY: Former GOP Senate President Supports Marriage Equality

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Couple of developments on the marriage front in New York today. Mayor Bloomberg gave a major address on the subject of marriage equality today.

…

And, speaking of NY’s GOP State Senate, for fourteen years, Republican Joe Bruno ran the New York State Senate as its President. During much of that time, Bruno, Speaker Silver and Governor Pataki ruled the Senate and nost of Albany with an iron fist. Yeah, he resigned in disgrace and is enmeshed in an ongoing corruption scandal. And, as we all know, we need GOP Senators to get on board.

Via Capitol Confidential, Bruno shared his support for same-sex marriage on Fred Dicker’s radio show. And, Dicker, who also covers Albany for the NY Post, is also a New York institution (see this recent NY Times profile.)

Full Story from AmericBlog

Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

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Tags: gop, marriage equality, senate president

NY: Push is On for Marriage Equality As Legislative Session Nears End

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Governor Cuomo’s goal of achieving a property tax cap took a big step forward in recent days, but his proposal to legalize gay marriage remains mired in the state Senate. With just 11 days left in the official legislative session, both supporters and opponents are making their pitches.

Governor Cuomo, who says a law to permit same sex marriages is one of his top three legislative priorities, released a video message to appeal directly to New Yorkers.

“When it comes to fighting for what’s right, New Yorkers wrote the book, and marriage equality is the next chapter of our civil rights story ,” Cuomo says in the video.

Full Story from WXXI

Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

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Tags: Gay Marriage, marriage equality, new york

IL: Civil Unions Begin June 1st

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

As Illinois gets ready to allow gay civil unions on June 1st, the battle lines are being drawn between groups getting ready to rally for and against same-sex marriage.

Of course, the “Americans for Life” right-wingers have picked St. Peters, a Catholic church in the loop to host their hate fest. Militant prurient hate group leader, Peter LaBarbera, will be on hand to launch his Illinois Defense of Marriage Initiative, to attempt to get the state legislature “to secure by law the definition of marriage in Illinois between one man and one woman.”

I like to attach the word “prurient” to Peter LaBarbera’s name because he is known to attend leather street fares to troll for photos he thinks will offend the sensibilities of the Ward and June Cleavers of America and show what he calls “the true face of the LGBT community.”

Full Story from AmericaBlog

Click here for gay marriage resources in Illinois.

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Tags: civil unions, illinois

NY: Bloomberg Gives Speech on Marriage Equality

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned state lawmakers Thursday that if they oppose legalizing gay marriage they may be remembered as civil rights obstructionists similar to those who opposed the abolition of slavery and fought against giving women the right to vote.

“The question for every New York state lawmaker is: Do you want to be remembered as a leader on civil rights? Or an obstructionist? On matters of freedom and equality, history has not remembered obstructionists kindly,” Bloomberg said in his speech at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan.

Bloomberg argued that failing to legalize gay marriage in New York, which he called the birthplace of the gay-rights movement, would have economic consequences as well as human ones.

Full Story from the Seattle Post Intelligencer

Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

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Tags: Gay Marriage, michael bloomberg, new york