A popular vote to repeal the ban — which could come as early as next year — would send a positive signal to gay and young people who regard the issue as a litmus test for tolerance and commitment to diversity. But a ballot initiative could pose a political challenge for Snyder and other Republican candidates walking the tightrope between the growing majority of Michiganders who support same-sex marriage and the dwindling-but-still-significant number of GOP voters who continue to oppose it. While the success of any repeal effort is far from guaranteed, a ballot initiative would make it difficult for GOP candidates to sidestep the issue, with predictable hazards for their prospects in both the August GOP primary and the November general.

Once again, as in New Jersey, we face the choice between putting our rights up to a public vote or facing probably years of political stalemate in the legislature. What do you think?

Find more articles and gay wedding resources in Michigan.
]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/michigan-usa-marriage-equality-by-2014.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/wisconson-usa-what-some-state-representatives-are-saying-about-marriage-equality.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/wisconson-usa-what-some-state-representatives-are-saying-about-marriage-equality.html#comments Sun, 19 May 2013 18:42:00 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=41883 After marriage equality passed in Minnesota, The Journal Times asked some Wisconsin legislators what they thought of passing such a bill there. The JT reports:

Logistics aside, local legislators remain divided on the issue at the core — should gay marriage be legalized? Here’s what our elected officials said….

Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine

Response: Yes, if churches can make their own decisions

Why? “I support the permanent union of loving couples regardless of gender,” Lehman said. But he added that his Lutheran faith strongly informs his opinion. “The sacredness of that process (marriage and children) is instilled in me and lots of people of faith,” he said. Although his own church opposes the practice, Lehman said that as a Senator “you’re representing everybody.” Additionally, Lehman said, he personally knows same-sex couples in loving relationships, which further informs his position.

Tp see the thoughts of other Wisconsin legislators, hit the link above.

Find more articles and gay wedding resources in Wisconsin.
]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/wisconson-usa-what-some-state-representatives-are-saying-about-marriage-equality.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/marriage-equality-lgbt-rights-updates-51913.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/marriage-equality-lgbt-rights-updates-51913.html#comments Sun, 19 May 2013 18:20:38 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=41879 Updates on a bunch of stories we’re following:

BISBEE REVISES CIVIL UNIONS ORDINANCE

Bisbee city officials have hammered out a revised civil unions ordinance after opposition to it from the state’s Attorney General. AZCentral.com reports:

The ordinance’s use of the word “union” had been a point of controversy during the debate. While there is nothing in state law that explicitly addresses civil unions, the state Constitution defines marriage as “only a union of one man and one woman,” and state law prohibits same-sex marriage. Other Arizona cities have gotten around those prohibitions by creating what they call registries.

Bisbee’s revised version still calls the action a “civil union,” but describes it as a contractual agreement. It also omits a line that had said couples in a civil union would be recognized as “married” and another calling them “spouses.”

MINNEAPOLIS CHURCH CELEBRATES MARRIAGE EQUALITY

The New York Daily News reports on a church celebrating marriage equality with rainbow communion bread:

Revolution Church in Minneapolis served congregants rainbow-colored communion bread during its inaugural service last Sunday. Head pastor Rev. Jay Bakker thought the bread – and the state’s embrace of gay rights – tasted “kind of sweet. So many people have been hurt by the church and by Christianity,” Bakker told the News. “But this was a beautiful moment.” The colorful nod to gay rights was baked up early Sunday morning by photojournalist Courtney Perry. She thought of the idea after Minnesota’s House approved a same-sex marriage bill on May 9. State leaders expected the bill to pass the Senate as well and Perry was ecstatic.

FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE OFFERS MARRIAGE EQUALITY CASE PREDICTIONS

At Keen News, they’re reporting on former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and his thoughts on the marriage equality cases currently before the court:

Former Justice John Paul Stevens, 93, who retired from the high court three years ago after 35 years of service, recently offered his prediction for what the court will do on the two landmark marriage equality cases pending before it. He said he thinks the court will dismiss the Yes on 8 appeal of the Proposition 8 case out of California on procedural issues, and find the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.

FINLAND’S PRO MARRIAGE EQUALITY ENTEY PLACES 24TH AT EUROVITION

In pop culture news, Finland’s Eurovision entry, a pro gay marriage song, didn’t win the competition. Pink News reports:

Krista Siegfrids, the Finnish Eurovision singer, said her song was intended as a hint to her boyfriend to propose to her, but was also meant as a message of marriage equality. She found herself with a place in the final, following her performance of her pro-equal marriage song, which included a lesbian kiss. Siegfrids insisted that her song ‘Marry Me’ was not political, but did go on to say that she did want to make a statement about the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriages in Finland. Organisers forbid “lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political or similar nature”.

Gays and lesbians demonstrated in Venezuela’s capital Saturday to push for an end to discrimination and for civil rights such as same-sex marriage. “In some areas of the capital, two men cannot be seen holdings hands without security ushering them out,” said Cesar Sequera, who leads Diverse Venezuela, among marchers waving signs like “Say yes to inclusion.”

Argentina (and probably now Brazil) recognize marriage equality – could Venezuela be South America’s #3?

With the hilarious Stephen Wallem ( Showtime’s Nurse Jackie) as emcee and NBC’s “The Voice” finalist Vicci Martinez performing, guests will enjoy a celebratory evening of cocktails, dinner, entertainment, awards, a silent auction and more! For complete information including media credentials, please visit www.marriageequality.org/gala.

“As an out performer this issue is incredibly personal to me, which is why I have proudly supported both the cause and Marriage Equality USA (MESUA) for many years,” commented performer Lea DeLaria. “It is an honor to be recognized by my friends at MEUSA.”

“Google is proud to support marriage equality and proud of the work our Googlers are doing in cooperation with national leaders like Marriage Equality USA,” said John Burchett, Director of Public Policy for US States, Latin America and Canada for Google.

“Swish is deeply honored to be acknowledged by Marriage Equality USA with its 2013 Community Partner Award. Our 3,000 straight ally and LGBT members around the world are working in partnership with MEUSA to win the freedom to marry – everywhere, and for everyone. Love is love,” remarked Sue Sena, Swish President and Co-Founder.

“This has already been a tremendous year for marriage equality. With four wins last fall at the ballot box and three more in statehouses in the last three weeks, it is truly an honor to recognize the contributions our honorees have made in helping us make this an historic time for marriage equality,” said Brian Silva, Marriage Equality USA Executive Director.

“On Tuesday May 21, on the verge of historic rulings in the landmark marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, our community will gather in New York City to celebrate how far we’ve come and to acknowledge the leaders who are going the distance to make sure the constitution’s fundamental guarantees of freedom and fairness apply to all Americans,” concluded Cathy Marino-Thomas, Marriage Equality USA Board Co-President.

HONOREES:

LEA DeLARIA, Allied Honoree

Lea DeLaria has distinguished herself in every form of entertainment that she touches. She is a Jazz Musician, Broadway Diva, Actor, Writer and Standup Comic. It is plain to see why Ben Brantley describes Lea as “every inch a star!” She was the first openly gay comic to appear on television in the United States (Arsenio Hall 1993). From that point forward Lea toured the world with her one of a kind blend of cool Jazz and in your face comedy, including specials on HBO, SHOWTIME and COMEDY CENTRAL, as well as work in television and movies. She has 5 records out on The Warner Jazz and Classics label and has given concerts in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, and Royal Albert Hall and was the featured vocalist for the 50th Anniversary of The Newport Jazz Festival. She has done all of the above without ever having once been in the closet!

GOOGLE, Corporate Honoree

Google and its employees actively engaged with the marriage equality campaigns of Fall 2012, including encouraging employees to get involved via a video the employees made to push for others to get involved. As one of the largest corporations to speak out against Proposition 8 in 2008, Google continued that work most recently with the launch of their worldwide “Legalize Love” campaign for LGBT rights.

SWISH, Community Partner Honoree

With more than 3,000 members internationally, Swish creates volunteer, advocacy, and educational opportunities for straight allies to make a difference in the LGBT rights movement. In 2009, Swish was the first organization to endorse the National Equality March in Washington, DC, for which they were named among the Best of Gay New York City by Time Out NY that year. Over the last four years, Swish volunteers have logged hundreds of phone-banking and canvassing hours with state coalitions to win marriage equality in NY, RI, ME, MD, WA, DE and MN!

Gay Wedding Event Location in Firestone, CO, USA. Saddleback Golf Course’s Wedding Pavilion is a casual and carefree venue for your wedding and reception. Movable glass walls provide panoramic, breathtaking, unobstructed views of the Front Range; allowing you to experience the best of Colorado’s scenery year round.

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Gay Friendly Wedding Vendors in Colorado

Late Thursday, Politico reported that Democrats are asking the White House to tell Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to withhold amendments for bi-national same-sex couples until the larger measure reaches the Senate floor — where passage will likely be more difficult. “They’re increasingly uneasy about risking Republican support but reluctant to tell gay rights advocates that an amendment allowing American citizens to seek green cards for their same-sex foreign partners may not get a vote in the Judiciary Committee,” Politico reported. Concern over the amendments follows remarks from Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — as well as comments from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to the Washington Blade — that including the pro-gay language would kill immigration reform.

Their mistake was to not include it in the original bill, where it would have been much harder to strip out. Senate Dems must be hoping the US Supreme Court will step in with their DOMA decision and take this decision off their hands.

It took over 125 years for our government to recognize that only by the people directly electing their United States senators would there be full and equal representation in Washington. It took the marches of the suffragettes to finally assure that all women had the right to vote – just like all American men. It took a Supreme Court’s unanimous vote to overturn years of “inequality,” after bloody marches, and finally declare that “separate” was not equal. It took the death of a president – John F. Kennedy – to move Congress to affirm, through the Civil Rights Acts, that the protection of the fundamental right to vote was guaranteed to black citizens wherever they lived – just as it was for white voters.

…

Despite, the divisions on this issue that remain, my own view has evolved. I concluded that it is a fundamental civil right for an individual to choose their life partner and be able to declare that choice through marriage.

Authored By Senator Robert Marshall – See the Full Story at Delaware Online

Find more articles and gay wedding resources in Delaware.
]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/delaware-usa-senator-marshall-r-why-i-voted-for-marriage-equality.html/feed 2 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/china-gay-activists-arrested-during-idaho-day-protests.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/05/china-gay-activists-arrested-during-idaho-day-protests.html#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 14:57:38 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=41857 During protests in China for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, gay activists were arrested and questioned. Gay Star News reports:

Officers detained about a dozen LGBT advocates who were handing flyers about IDAHO in a busy mall in downtown Guangzhu, yesterday (17 May) afternoon. According to Yang Dai, a local activist, the advocates were taken away for questioning and released about an hour later. Dai added the police was not critical of the event; rather, officers were concerned about the method of handing-out flyers. And in Changsha, capital city of Hunan province, a Pride march drew over 100 China-wide participants aged 16-54, but some were detained.

While some of the activists were released, some are reportedly still being detained.

Over 120 people gathered today outside Abbott’s Manly electorate office to highlight the fact that Australia is increasingly out of step with its international peers, with same-sex marriage legislation passing in New Zealand last month and France becoming the 14th country to allow same-sex couples. Abbott’s failure to allow a conscience vote is the main obstacle to reform in Australia as the ruling Labor Party and coalition partner the Australian Greens both support marriage equality in their party platforms – though Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she personally opposes same-sex marriage and has allowed MPs that share her view to vote against marriage equality bills.

A conscience vote would allow conservative MP’s who support marriage equality to vote that way, instead of being forced to vote the party line.

Find more articles and gay wedding resources in Australia.
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