2009

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USA: 2009 Saw 50 Positive LGBT Bills Passed, and Only 4 Negative Bills

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

The number of pro-LGBT bills passed at state levels in 2009 totaled more than those passed in 2007 and 2008 combined. That, according to a report from the Human Rights Campaign, marks great progress despite a year wherein community members felt stinging defeats. At the same time HRC was releasing its annual rankings of LGBT-friendly companies, the national organization also unveiled its “Equality State by State,” a report of legislative actions across the country written by HRC State Legislative Director Sara Warbelow.

Overall, the LGBT community saw success on state-level legislation. A total of 332 pro-LGBT bills were introduced and 50 were passed. Only 69 negative pieces of legislation were introduced. Of those, only four passed.

Despite a setback in Maine, when voters chose to overturn their state legislature’s decision to offer marriage to all couples, other states and jurisdictions moved forward on marriage. On April 7, 2009, Vermont passed legislation opening marriage to all couples. New Hampshire decided to join Vermont on June 3, 2009. Their law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. And, on Dec. 18, 2009, the Washington, D.C. City Council passed legislation extending marriage rights there. In April, Iowa’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of a gay couple seeking a marriage license there.

Full Story from QNotes
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Posted in 2009, bills, Gay Marriage, gay rights, hrc, legislation, marriage equality, same sex marriage | No Responses »

USA: HRC Releases New State by State Report on LGBT Legislative Action in 2009

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

The comprehensive state-by-state report provides a complete summary of all the state legislation introduced and passed in 2009 that affected lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families. The report indicates that despite disappointments in 2009, it was a banner year for positive legislation affecting the LGBT community, with as many positive bills passed this past year as in 2007 and 2008 combined. The report also details expectations for 2010.

Download the Report from HRC Here
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. 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.

Posted in 2009, bisexual, gay, Gay Marriage, hrc, human rights campaign, legislation, lesbian, marriage equality, report, same sex marriage, transgender | No Responses »

China: A Year of Gay

Monday, December 28th, 2009

As the year 2009 comes to a close, it does so having been a monumental year for China’s LGBT community. Beijing and numerous cities across China experienced the successful completion of 12 anniversaries and public events that expose LGBT culture and related issues like never before. China’s LGBT community, which is an acronym that refers to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, has adapted the terms tongzhi to refer to gays, lala for lesbians, ku’er for queer – an umbrella term for those who do not identify as heterosexual with regard to sexuality, sexual anatomy or gender identity.

The community is young. Most are in their 20s and 30s, are educated, working professionals with experience abroad who are now highly active and public organizers, authors, editors, designers, film directors, curators, activists and artists.

One catalyst was the Olympic Games in 2008, a landmark event that many in the LGBT community have interpreted as a “coming out” event. LGBT websites have allowed for communities to build, to advertise events, and to allow contact and information to be exchanged between LGBT members from big cities and small towns in China with those from around the world.

Full Story from China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2009-12/28/content_9236644.htm

Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. 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.

Posted in 2009, china, gay, Gay Marriage, lesbian, lgbt | No Responses »

Gay Marriage in 2009: A Transitional Year

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

For the gay marriage debate, 2009 was transitional instead of transformative, but the year was historic nonetheless. To mangle Churchill, it was not the end, nor even the beginning of the end, but it was at least the beginning of the middle.

This is an issue on which the fundamentals of public opinion change glacially. Support for same-sex marriage is rising, but only by about a percentage point or soa a year. Essentially, a third of the public supports gay marriage, another third or so supports civil unions instead, and the remaining third opposes any kind of legal status for same-sex couples.

Although public-opinion fundamentals didn’t change in 2009; the politics of gay marriage did. Here are the ways the year marked a shift to what a storyteller might call the “long middle.”

Full Story from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-rauch27-2009dec27,0,4488760.story

Click here for gay marriage resources.

Posted in 2009, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage | No Responses »

New York Gay Marriage Vote Still Possible This Year

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Officials and lobbyists familiar with New York state politics are disputing the New York City mayor’s recent comments that there’s no chance the state will enact same-sex marriage this year, saying instead that passage is possible this fall.

In an article published Sept. 21, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was quoted in the Gay City News as saying that the chances of moving a marriage bill in Albany this year are “zero,” even as the political independent said he believes he can move some Republican lawmakers to vote in favor of such a measure.

Bloomberg, who supports legalizing same-sex marriage, reportedly said he doesn’t know how to get the measure to come before the full Senate, particularly when leadership isn’t “willing to stand up for less controversial issues.”

Full Story from the South Florida Blade: http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=27424

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

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Posted in 2009, bill, fall, Gay Marriage, new york, ny, vote | No Responses »

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