2010

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IA: Pro and Anti Gay Marriage Groups Plan Rallies

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Both sides of the gay marriage issue are planning events for the start of the new legislative session in January. The Iowa Family Policy Center announced Monday it will hold a two-day event beginning at the state capitol on the second day of the legislative session January 12th. Center spokesman, Brian English, says the event if called “Two Days For Marriage.”

He says, “The 12th is an opportunity for the people of Iowa who support marriage, the only definition of marriage, which is one man and one woman, and or the constitutional separation of powers, to come together at the capitol building when all three branches of government are in the same place at the same time.” English says it is a show of solidarity asking the elected leaders to let Iowans vote on the Iowa marriage amendment.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in April that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the state constitution, and Democrats who control legislative debate say they will not allow a vote on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. English says they encourage everyone to turn out and tell the elected leaders to allow a vote on the amendment.

Full Story from Radio Iowa: http://www.radioiowa.com/2009/12/29/groups-on-both-sides-of-gay-marriage-plan-events-for-legislatures-opening/

Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.

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 2010, anti, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, legislature, marriage equality, pro, rallies, rally | No Responses »

Obama Unlikely to Help Gay Rights in 2010

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Obama will do nothing for gay rights in 2010, predicts Newsweek, because he would like to avoid the possibility of waging a culture war prior to midterm elections. Coming in at number 9 on its “Politics Predictions 2010” top ten list, the magazine foresees a president that will “do nada” for gay rights in the upcoming year.

Newsweek writes:

What the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community has learned this year is that the president is ultimately a pragmatist. Although his very presence in the White House is the stuff of culture wars, Obama himself is reluctant to wade into one. Moreover, if socially divisive policies have the potential to compromise his legislative agenda, Obama has proven that he simply won’t pursue them. Expect this tension to become more acute as the 2010 elections loom — and for gay rights to be shunted aside again.
“When I read this item in Newsweek, I was not surprised,” says Andrew Davis, managing editor of the Windy City Times and a 42 year-old resident of the Near North Side. “Granted, he’s had to deal with two wars, massive unemployment, a recession and health care reform. However, it seems that when it comes to LGBT rights, the demographic has received mostly lip service (although he did sign the federal hate-crimes bill). I can see him not wanting to “rock the boat.” After all, he expressed his support for same-sex marriage just a few years ago but now he is only behind civil unions—a move, I suspect, that was made to make him more middle-of-the-road (and more marketable).”

Full Story from Chicagoist: http://chicagoist.com/2009/12/22/newsweek_obama_will_do_nada_for_gay.php

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 2010, dadt, defense of marriage act, doma, don't ask don't tell, gay rights, midterm elections, president obama | No Responses »

CA: Courage Campaign Says No Clear Path to Victory in 2010 for Gay Marriage

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

The effort to get same sex marriage on the California ballot in 2010 took a hit Monday. Rick Jacobs, the leader of the 700,000-member Courage Campaign sent out an email announcing that after spending more than $200,000 on “qualitative research” into the issue in California that “We do not see a path to victory.”

So, the Courage Campaign sent a note to its supporters Monday calling “for more research and time to change hearts and minds before returning to the ballot.”

In his email, Jacobs said that the research — led by Obama confidante Steve Hildebrand — found that “The biggest hangup people have is that right wing has done a very good job of telling people that somehow children will be affected” should same sex marriage become legal. It worked in both Maine and California, even though top public officials in both places said it would not.

Full Story from Cal Coast News: http://calcoastnews.com/2009/12/no-clear-path-to-victory-for-gay-marriage/

Click here for gay marriage resources in California.

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 2010, ca, california, courage campaign, Gay Marriage, prop 8, proposition 8 | No Responses »

Portugal: Likely to Pass Gay Marriage Early in 2010 – Video

Monday, November 30th, 2009

The gay community in Portugal is confident that, after much pressure, same-sex marriages will be allowed within a matter of months.

While neighbouring Spain permitted gay marriage almost five years ago, so far much of Portuguese society has staunchly opposed the concept.

However, it is thought the Socialist government may pass gay marriage or civil partnership into law as soon as early in the New Year.

Full Story from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8385935.stm

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 2010, catholic church, gay couples, Gay Marriage, lesbian couples, portugal | No Responses »

New Poll: 60% of Californians Don't Want to See Gay Marriage on Ballot in 2010

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

A small majority of California voters supports the right of gay couples to marry, but a much larger portion of voters opposes efforts to place the issue back on the ballot next year, a new Los Angeles Times/USC poll has found.

Views on same-sex marriage were sharply polarized based on political party, with 66% of Democrats thinking it should be legal and 71% of Republicans in opposition. Nonpartisan voters were less enthusiastic than Democrats but still backed it, 59%-34%.

Overall, 51% of California voters favored marriage rights for same-sex couples and 43% were opposed. Strikingly, however, almost 60% of Californians did not want to revisit the issue in 2010, just one election cycle after it last hit the ballot.

Full Story from the LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/voters-opposed-new-gay-marriage-ballot-measure-timesusc-poll-finds.html

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

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 2010, 2012, ca, california, Gay Marriage, poll, prop 8, proposition 8, repeal | No Responses »

Michigan Lawmaker Wants to Put Resolution to Reverse Gay Marriage Ban Before Voters in 2010

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

A gay marriage amendment could soon be up for vote in Michigan.

House Speaker Pro Tem Pam Byrnes just introduced a resolution that would reverse the state’s ban on same-sex unions. Right now Michigan’s constitution recognizes marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Byrnes says it’s time for a change. She would need super-majority votes in both the House and Senate to get a same-sex proposal on the ballot in Michigan next year.

Full Story from WWMT: http://www.wwmt.com/articles/vote-1368993-marriage-0in.html

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

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 2010, ban, Gay Marriage, mi, michigan, repeal | No Responses »

Last Two Census Counts Edited Out Gay/Lesbian Couples; Gay Groups Hope it Doesn't Happen in 2010

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

The U.S. Census is supposed to chronicle the changing American demographic. But, because of the infrequency of the count — every ten years, its reflection of the social fabric has always been slightly delayed. For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community especially, this delay has been particularly counterproductive to describing its population.

The Census questionnaire asks the relationship of all members of a household to each other, as well as their sex. In the 1990 Census, when members of same-sex couples would mark that they were married to a person of the same sex, the data readers would edit the responses to reflect the status of a heterosexual married couple – by changing the sex of one of the respondents.

In 2000, same-sex couples who reported themselves as married would have their status changed to un-married. The tabulation of this edited data essentially recorded misguided statistics about married, and even non-married, same-sex couples.

Full Story from SDNN: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-10-31/politics-city-county-government/gay-community-hopes-for-accuracy-in-census-2010

Planning to marry your partner? 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 2010, accuracy, census, Gay Marriage | No Responses »

Census Bureau Puts Off Counting Gay Marriages Until 2020, Citing "Statistical Problems"

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

The U.S. Census Bureau is making an unprecedented effort to include same-sex couples in next year’s national population count, but legally married gay couples won’t show up as such in the official once-a-decade tally, bureau representatives said Thursday.

Statistical problems related to the development of the 2010 census form and the evolving legal state of same-sex relationships led Census officials to conclude that trying to include married gay couples in the overall snapshot of household marital status could yield an inaccurate number, said Gary Gates, a University of California, Los Angeles demographer who has been advising the bureau on gay issues.

Instead, same-sex married couples will be added into the category for unmarried partners, just as they were for the 2000 census. But in a marked policy departure, the agency plans to make the data on same-sex couples who described themselves as married available on a state-by-state basis.

Full Story from The AP: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jG5nvKt-JnOIr1KTFOmV-xXDM2FwD9BGGEA80

Planning to marry your partner? 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 2010, 2020, census, count, gay couples, Gay Marriage, lesbian couples | No Responses »

Bravo Planning Gay Version of Real Housewives – "Kept"

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

A gay version of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise is in the works, it has been reported.

The tentatively titled Kept will air on MTV-owned all-gay channel Logo in 2010, Gawker reports.

The reality programme is to centre on a group of Manhattan-based ‘party boys’. It is thought that True Entertainment, the company that produces Real Housewives, will helm the series as it previously sent out emails regarding casting over the summer.

Full Story from Digital Spy: http://www.digitalspy.com/ustv/a179746/logo-developing-gay-housewives-show.html

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.

Posted in 2010, bravo, gay, kept, mtv, real housewives, tv. television show | No Responses »