July, 2011

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NY: True Blood Actor Marries Partner

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Denis O'Hare and Hugo RedwoodFormer Vampire King of Mississippi Russell Edgington portrayer Denis O’Hare married his partner, interior designer Hugo Redwood yesterday in New York. The True Blood actor announced it on Twitter, tweeting “Okay. It happened. Hugo and I just got married.”

Full Story from Towleroad.com

Click here for gay wedding resources in New York.

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NY: With Marriage Equality Passed, What Happens to Gay Rights Advocacy Groups?

Friday, July 29th, 2011

For New York’s same-sex couples, the legalization of marriage marks a huge victory. For some local advocates of the historic legislation, though, the triumph is bittersweet.

“When the organization was founded, our main goal was marriage equality in New York state, so [in] that way we can all go home,” said Ron Zacchi, former executive director of Marriage Equality New York, an advocacy organization. After the legislation was passed in June, Zacchi stepped down to pursue a master’s degree in public administration.

Zacchi, who had helmed the organization for almost four years, says that it was only when Connecticut legalized gay marriage in 2008 that some members began to consider the future of their group beyond statewide marriage equality. Love Makes A Family, a similar, Connecticut-based advocacy group, closed its doors after marriage equality was achieved there. But Zacchi said MENY “can’t take that approach.”

Full Story from the Huffington Post

Click here for gay wedding resources in New York.

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Marriage Equality Not An Attack on Black Community

Friday, July 29th, 2011

The National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives is not a large organization by any means. Its website looks to be dedicated to a lot of Obama bashing, most of which goes unread by little more than a few people. In short, I should probably ignore most of what the NLNBC says. But a new op-ed there from self-styled political consultant Christopher Arps was too much to ignore, and it’s the kind of dangerous prattle that deserves to be pointed out and derided.

The title of Arps’ piece is a bit confusing: “Is Gay Marriage Another Blow to the Struggling African-American Family?” It’s the kind of title that shouldn’t be in the form of a question, as you just know Arps is about to go on rant proclaiming that gay marriage is indeed a blow to the African-American family. And, boy, does he ever rant.

“As a woman ages, she is less likely to ever marry. The last census found just 36 percent of African-American women were married, down from 62 percent in 1950. In some African-American communities there is a negative birthrate due to abortion. It portends a bleak future for black America.”

Full Story from BET

Click here for gay wedding resources.

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India: With Protection Order, Court Also Recognizes Lesbian Marriage

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Same-sex marriages are not legal in India. But that did not stop a Gurgaon court from effectively recognizing a marriage between two lesbians.

While granting police protection to a runaway lesbian couple from Khekada village in Baghpat, additional sessions judge Vimal Kumar recorded matter-of-factly that Beena and Savita claimed to be married to each other.

Their statements were recorded in the order without any indication that such a marriage had no legal status. “We have married to each other on July 22, 2011 of our own free will without coercion, duress, fraud, misrepresentation etc,” it stated.

Full Story from the Times of India

Click here for gay wedding resources.

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Judge Orders House’s DOMA Defense Lawyers to Answer Plaintiff Questions

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Defense of Marriage ActLast week, we wrote about the request from Edie Windsor’s lawyers for an order compelling John Boehner’s lawyers to answer questions. Today, the Judge issued that order, telling Paul Clement that he must answer two of the key questions. I’ve posted the order here.

Here’s the key passage from the order:

The two interrogatories pressed by the plaintiff ask “What, if anything, do you contend are the compelling justifications for section 3 of DOMA, 1 U.S.C. S 77″ (Interrogatory no. 1) and “What, if anything, do you assert are the legitimate government interests rationally advanced by section 3 of DOMA, 1 U.S.C. S 7?” (Interrogatory no. 3). BLAG objects to both on the ground that, to the extent they are construed as contention interrogatories, they are premature. That argument is disingenuous; at the time BLAG responded, the discovery deadline was three days away, and it is now closed. (emphasis added).

Full Story from AmericaBlog

Click here for gay wedding resources.

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New Washington Post/ABC Poll Shows 50% Support for NY Marriage Equality

Friday, July 29th, 2011

NY Gay Marriage PollAs New York gears up for its second weekend of same-sex nuptials, a Washington Post-ABC News poll finds Americans split 50 to 46 percent over whether the state’s law legalizing such unions is a positive or negative outcome. Reactions to the new legislation — like support for legalizing gay marriage in general — range tremendously across generational, political and religious lines.

Americans have grown increasingly accepting of same-sex marriage over the past decade, according to surveys by The Post and ABC, Gallup, the Pew Research Center and others. The public opposed legalizing gay and lesbian unions by a 58 to 36 percent margin in 2006, but the new Post-ABC poll finds a slight majority — 51 percent — saying such marriages should be legal.

The age gap is one of the brightest dividing lines on gay marriage and on the New York law in particular. Adults under age 30 welcome the new law by a roughly 2 to 1 margin. But six in 10 seniors give it a negative assessment, compared with one in three who take a positive view.

Full Story from The Washington Post

Click here for gay wedding resources in New York.

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Northern Cyprus Activists Call for Decriminalization of Homosexuality

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Following reports of two men being arrested for gay sex, rights activists in Northern Cyprus are calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Homofobiye Karsi Inisiyatif (Initiative Against Homophobia) has been campaigning for years to have the penal code changed and says the recent case is evidence that lawmakers must act urgently.

Kibris newspaper reported that the men were arrested for having “unnatural intercourse” in a hostel in Nicosia on July 20th.

Full Story from Pink News

Click here for gay wedding resources.

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CA: Supreme Court Schedules Prop 8 Hearing Date for September 6th

Friday, July 29th, 2011

The delay in the case Perry v. Brown may be over shortly. The Supreme Court of California has scheduled arguments to be heard as to whether or not state law gives proponents of initiatives standing to defend their initiatives when they are challenged in court.

The question was sent to them by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Vaughn Walker allowed the proponents of Prop 8 to defend the amendment in court by his own will. Both current Governor and then Attorney General Jerry Brown and then Governor and current actor Arnold Schwartzenager declined to defend the law in court.

Should it be ruled that they do not have standing, it is possible that this could mark the end of all laws which ban lesbians and gays from getting married.

Full Story from Lez Get Real

Click here for gay wedding resources in California.

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Featured Gay Friendly Wedding Vendor: Ark Interfaith Services, Long Island, New York

Thursday, July 28th, 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 Long Island Wedding Vendors

Rev. MarciaGrace is a graduate of The New Seminary and an ordained Interfaith minister. She has taught classes in metaphysics and religion for 29 years and has spoken at various religious and secular groups throughout the New York metropolitan area. She has organized and led several spiritual retreats on Long Island and has been a chaplain at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

MarciaGrace is a contributor to numerous periodicals, writing on spiritual themes. She also does individual and group spiritual psychotherapy and specializes in pre-marital counseling. Currently, she performs a weekly on-line Service at The Interfaith Sanctuary and moderates spiritual discussion groups weekday evenings.

Married 40 years and the mother of grown children, she brings to her ministry an understanding of the dynamics of marriage and family life.

See the Ark Interfaith Services Expanded Listing on Purple Unions Here

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Marriage Equality Events Today/Tomorrow: Vancouver, NYC

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Gay Marriage EventsHere’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!

–Canada, BC, Vancouver: 07/26-07/28, Vancouver 2011 Outgames Human Rights Conference.
–USA, NY, New York: 07/29, Gay & Lesbian Wedding Cruise, World’s Fair Marina, Flushing, 7-11 PM.

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

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