I’ve spent enough time making fun of reality TV celebs on my blog that I figured I’d better go ahead and “out” myself to all of you before you find out from somebody I’ve snarked about in the past!  Check out my blog today in the Huffington Post to hear all the inside skinny on the making of “Wedding Island,” TLC’s new wedding reality show featuring Sandy Malone and the whole crew at Weddings in Vieques a they plan and execute weddings AND COMMITMENT CEREMONIES on national television!  No room for error there!

Check out the blog at “Your New Favorite Reality Show Has Arrived” on HuffPost Weddings today!!!  And mark your calendars for the premiere of “Wedding Island” on Wednesday, July 17th at 10 pm eastern.

Until next time, happy wedding planning from Weddings in Vieques and Weddings in Culebra!

Sandy

Sandy Malone, a guest blogger with Purple Unions, is the owner of Weddings in Vieques, a full-service destination wedding planning company based on Vieques Island, seven miles off the coast of Puerto Rico.  She and her team (including her husband Bill, a retired SWAT team commander) have planned and executed almost 400 weddings and commitment ceremonies in the Spanish Virgin Islands.  Sandy is a veteran event planner from Washington, DC, with years of experience planning large and small weddings, press conference, and corporate and political events.  She has planned countless events on Vieques Island, beginning with her own wedding back in 2004.  Since that time, her professional staff has executed large and small weddings of all styles, including elopements, vow renewals and fabulously posh events at multi-million dollar waterfront villas.  She has also planned family reunions, destination baby showers, corporate retreats and a variety of other events for clients from all over the United States and Canada.  Sandy is also the owner of Weddings in Culebra (wedding planning on Vieques’ little sister island) , Boutique in Vieques and Flowers in Vieques (a full service floral and décor firm).  Visit her at www.weddingsinvieques.com.

Note: All day of Decision events here are dated Thursday, 6/20 unless they have a set date; tomorrow is the next possible day for the release of the DOMA and Prop 8 Decisions. If they are not released tomorrow, we will forward the dates to Monday, 6/24.

• USA, AK, Anchorage: Jun 27, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Federal Courthouse, 7th & C Sts, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, AR, Fayetteville: Jun 27, “8″ The Play Reading, Northwest Arkansas Equality Pride. Details
  
• USA, AZ, Phoenix: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, TBD, TBD. Details
  
• USA, CA, Bakersfield: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, TBD, 5-8 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Contra Costa: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Rainbow Comm Ctr, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Eureka: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Arcata Plaza & Eureka Courthouse, 6 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Fairfield: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Solano County Government Center, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Fresno: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, City Hall, 6-8 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Guerneville: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Flag pole in downtown, 6 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Hanford: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Civic Park, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Long Beach: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, The Grand, Long Beach Event Center, 7 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Los Angeles: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, West Hollywood Park, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Merced: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Bob Hart Square, 7 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Mountain View: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Mountain View CalTrain station, 6 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Oakland: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Uptown Art Park, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Palm Springs: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Tahquitz and Palm Canyon , 6 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Porterville: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, City Hall, TBD. Details
  
• USA, CA, Rancho Cucamonga: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Foothill And Day Creek, 8:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Redwood City: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, San Mateo County Clerk’s Office, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Riverside: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, 7th (Mission Inn Avenue) and Lemon, TBD. Details
  
• USA, CA, Sacramento: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, West Steps of the Capitol, 6 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, San Diego: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Hillcrest Pride Flagpole, 5-7:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, San Francisco: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Casto & Market, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Santa Ana: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Santa Cruz: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Santa Cruz County Courthouse Steps, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, CA, Vallejo: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, TBD, TBD. Details
  
• USA, CA, Vallejo: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, TBD, TBD. Details
  
• USA, CO, Denver: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, State Capitol, 8 AM-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, FL, Ft. Lauderdale: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, 2040 N. Dixie Highway, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, FL, Jacksonville: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Hemming Plaza, 7-9:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, FL, Tallahassee: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Old State Capitol Building, 4:30-6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, FL, Tampa: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse, 7-9:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, GA, Atlanta: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Corner 10th/Piedmont, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, GA, Savannah: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Wright Square, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, HI, Honolulu: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, TBD, TBD. Details
  
• USA, IL, Chicago: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, 3403 N. Halstead St., 7 PM. Details
  
• USA, IL, Urbana: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Corner Green St/Wright St, 7-8 PM. Details
  
• USA, IN, Bloomington: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Monroe County Courthouse, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, KS, Hutchinson: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Avenue A Park, 5:30-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, KY, Frankfort: Jun 26, United for Marriage Rally, State Capitol Building, 11 AM.
• USA, MA, Boston: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Lir, 903 Boylston St., 6-8:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, MI, Ann Arbor: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Jim Toy Comm Ctr, 4 PM. Details
  
• USA, MI, Detroit: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Geary Park, 6-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, MI, Ferndale: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Forum, LGBTQ Comm Ctr, 3 PM. Details
  
• USA, NC, Wilson: Jun 27, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Video Presentation, Golden Corral, 6-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, NC, Winston-Salem: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Winston Square Park Amphitheater, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, NV, Las Vegas: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Gay & Lesbian Comm Ctr, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, NY, Albany: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, State Capitol, TBD. Details
  
• USA, NY, New York: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Stonewall Inn, 5:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, NY, Rochester: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Washington Square Park, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Akron: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Akron at Square, 7-10 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Athens: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Casa Nueva Restaurant, 5 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Cincinnati: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Below Zero Lounge, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Cleveland: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Twist, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Cleveland: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, City Hall, TBD. Details
  
• USA, OH, Columbus: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Level Dining Lounge, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Dayton: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, MJ’s Cafe, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Toledo: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Tony Packos, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OH, Youngstown: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Lemon Grove, 7-10 PM. Details
  
• USA, OR, Eugene: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, OR, Portland: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Waterfront Park or Terry Schrunk Plaza, 5-7 PM. Details
  
• USA, PA, Harrisburg: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Federal Courthouse, 2-4 PM. Details
  
• USA, PA, Harrisburg: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, State Capitol Bldg, 10 AM. Details
  
• USA, PA, Philadelphia: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Independence Hall, 6-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, PA, Pittsburgh: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Sixth Presbyterian Church, 7 PM. Details
  
• USA, SC, Columbia: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, SC Equality offices, 9 AM-12 PM. Details
  
• USA, TX, Austin: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, City Hall, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, UT, Salt Lake City: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Party, Club Sound, 4 PM. Details
  
• USA, VA, Norfolk/Hampton Roads: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Federal Courthouse, 6:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, VA, Richmond: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Jhn Marshall Courthouse, 10 AM-12 PM. Details
  
• USA, WI, Madison: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Shamrock Bar, 5-9 PM. Details
  
• USA, WV, Charleston: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Lee Street Lounge, TBD. Details
  
• USA, WV, Morgantown: Jun 20, US Supreme Court Day of Decision Rally, Morgantown Brewing Co, 5 PM. Details

If you can make it to one of the rallies, please go – if it’s good news, we’ll celebrate together. if it’s not, we’ll push on ahead without the Supremes.

There are also a number of other events going on this month around marriage equality and LGBT rights:

• USA, CA, Canoga Park: Jun 20-Jun 22, “8″ The Play Reading, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church. Details
  
• USA, CA, San Francisco: Jun 29-Jun 30, Lambda Legal at San Francisco Pride.Details
  
• USA, FL, Lake Eola: Jun 27, Paint Orlando Red Fundraiser, Bandshell, 7-10 PM. Details
  
• USA, IN, Terre Haute: Jun 29-Jun 30, “8″ The Play Reading, Community Theatre of Terre Haute. Details
  
• USA, NY, New York: Jun 20, Equality at Work Awards 2012, The McGraw-Hill Companies, 12:30 PM. Details
  
• USA, NY, New York: Jun 28, The iHeart OUTMusic Awards “Love Equality Benefit Concert” NYC, Stage 72. Details
  
• USA, OH, Cleveland: Jun 30-Jun 30, “8″ The Play Reading, Cleveland Playhouse. Details
  
• USA, OR, Statewide: Jun 20, Bites for Rites 2013. Details
  
• USA, PA, Harrisburg: Jun 22, Rally for Marriage Equality, Capitol Bldg, 3rd & North St, 10 AM. Details
  
• USA, VA, Statewide: Jun 22-Jun 23, Cookout for Marriage Equality 2013. Details
  
• USA, WA, Olympia: Jun 23, Equal Rights Washington at Olympia Pride. Details
  
• USA, WA, Seattle: Jun 30, Equal Rights Washington at Seattle Pride. Details

Meet Tim and Jamie. They’ve been together since August 2006. They got married in June 2012. But in June 2009 they had their first inkling that their international love would be tested: Jamie, a native of Scotland, was detained at SeaTac Airport due to visa problems and was denied the right to call Tim. Now, Jamie and Tim’s marriage in Canada cannot be recognized legally in the United States because of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act.

It’s time for DOMA to go. Let’s hope the Supreme Court sees things the same way.

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/new-video-hilights-heartbreaking-story-of-binational-gay-couple-separated-by-doma.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/australia-petitions-urge-yes-vote-on-marriage-equality-recognition-bill.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/australia-petitions-urge-yes-vote-on-marriage-equality-recognition-bill.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:27:07 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=42700 Australian Marriage Equality turned in 14,000 signatures encouraging an effort to pass a bill that would recognize marriages performed in other countries for gay and lesbian couples. Gay Star News reports:

A petition of 14,000 signatures of people who support the legal recognition of same-sex marriages performed abroad in Australia was delivered to Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young today. Hanson-Young will present the petition at a Senate debate tomorrow about her bill proposing to remove the ban on recognizing overseas same-sex marriages that was inserted in the Marriage Act in 2004. ‘The fact our law disregards the solemn vows of lifelong commitment made by those Australian couples who are forced overseas to marry is disrespectful to these couples and to the countries that allow them to marry,’ said Ivan Hinton, deputy national director of Australian Marriage Equality, who delivered the petition to Hanson-Young.

Anyone in Australia have a sense of this bill’s chances for passage?

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/australia-petitions-urge-yes-vote-on-marriage-equality-recognition-bill.html/feed 1 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/usa-cindy-mccain-thinks-gop-will-back-marriage-equality-by-2016.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/usa-cindy-mccain-thinks-gop-will-back-marriage-equality-by-2016.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:20:23 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=42697 Senator John McCain’s wife Cindy, who has long declared her support for gay marriage, thinks the GOP will follow suit within 3 years. Joe.My.God reports:

“You’re going to see a major turn,” McCain said. “By the next presidential election I think this will be an issue that will be very much agreed on by both parties.” McCain said she was convinced that her husband will eventually endorse gay marriage. “He hears from his own daughters and his own children and from me a little bit about this,” she said. “But it’s also okay to disagree, but do it in a manner that’s respectful.” “We have different views,” She added. “We have raucous dinner table conversations and we encourage that. In fact you have to be tough to survive at our table.”

Given the GOP’s stubborn refusal to back off, at all, on their social issues campaign this year after a stinging loss last November, I’m not convinced. But a boy can dream…

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/usa-cindy-mccain-thinks-gop-will-back-marriage-equality-by-2016.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/seriously-21.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/seriously-21.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:06:43 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=42694 Our semi-regular round-up of the crazy (and often unintentionally hilarious) things that anti-gay folks are saying about marriage equality and the LGBT community.

Today, we start in the UK with Labour MSP Elaine Smith, who doesn’t want to be called a homophobe just because she won’t let gays and lesbians marry Pink News reports:

Speaking at a Scotland for Marriage event – the Scottish anti-gay campaign group against equal marriage – she said: “As a legislator, I intend to vote against this bill and I believe that I am in tune with the wishes of the majority of my constituents. “I certainly don’t believe that I’m homophobic. However, I have no doubt that I will be made to suffer for my views on this issue and by voting against I will undoubtedly be labelled homophobic.”

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s probably a homophone.

Next, we’ll travel down under, where Australian senator Cory Bernardi is alarmed about marriage equality. Dot429 reports:

Australian senator Cory Bernardi reaffirmed his belief that marriage equality will lead to legalizing polygamy and bestiality, particularly in light of the Polyaction Armory Lobby’s petition, which has received 25 signatures. “If we go back to what I suggested in the Parliament when the same-sex marriage debate came up, there is actually now a petition being put together for the Parliament by green activists to recognize multi-member unions,” Bernardi said in an interview with the Australian publication The Age. “Now I said that would happen. It’s happening. We haven’t even taken the first step. I think there should be alarm. If you’re going to redefine a word to satisfy demands of a minority then you are going to face continuing demands in that space.”

Run! The polygamists are coming! The polygamists are coming!

And nearby, in the Philippines, Archbishop Oscar Cruz had an interesting offer for gays and lesbians who want to marry. Gay Star News reports:

‘May a lesbian marry a gay man? My answer is “yes” because in that instance the capacity to consummate the union is there. The anatomy is there. The possibility of conception is there,’ Archbishop Oscar Cruz said at a church forum yesterday, Philippine Daily Inquirer reports. Filipina LGBT rights activist Angie Umbac told Gay Star News she is ‘speechless’ at the comments of the Archbishop, who is a member of the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

I guess the idea is that the holy sacredness of marriage will overcome the evil gayness of the pasrtners, and they will magically become a heterosexual couple?

Over 145 LGBT and LGBT-supportive organizations from 36 states have joined the Pledge for Full LGBT Equality campaign. The groups are calling upon the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus to file a national bill for full equality – something that would encompass, marriage, workplace protections, education, everything. “To change course, it’s important that our existing strategy of filing multiple single-issue bills not be treated as a sacrosanct pragmatic legislative strategy, because it has not worked,” gay rights activist Todd Fernandez, who is working to advance the cause, wrote in a piece for The Huffington Post. Some of the groups that have joined the effort include nationwide PFLAG groups, Equality Pennsylvania, Equality Nevada, Equality Nebraska, Equality Hawaii, Equality Illinois, and Equality Maryland. LGBT Pride committees supporting the cause include one from Jacksonville, Florida.

Chance of passage through the house: Zero. But as the right has shown us, changing toe conversation (and moving it in your direction) is half the battle.

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/usa-groups-band-together-to-push-for-inclusive-lgbt-rights-bill.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/poland-prime-minister-gives-up-on-civil-unions-bill-for-now.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/poland-prime-minister-gives-up-on-civil-unions-bill-for-now.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:38:46 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=42688 Progress on LGBT rights has slowed to a crawl, as PM Donald Tusk admits that opposition to the effort is just too strong to proceed at this time. Pink News reports:

This week Mr Tusk said civil unions legislation could not be rushed, and expressed concern that the legislation would have to be properly worded, in order to fit with Poland’s constitution. The Polish constitution protects opposite-sex marriage, and some have interpreted this as meaning that same-sex unions could not be legalised. “The worst thing that could happen would be a bill that the Constitutional Tribunal found unconstitutional,” he said. “Today I don’t see any chances for a majority to be found in the Sejm over the next 10-15 years that would want radical solutions.”

Sad, but not surprising, in a country that had just 16% support for marriage equality as of January.

Grand Forks has become the first city in North Dakota to protect city employees and city job applicants from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The City Council voted Monday night to add the protection to local law. The measure shares the intent of an anti-discrimination bill that failed in the state Legislature earlier this year. “This is simply a matter of assuring liberty and justice for all,” Councilman Bret Weber said.

More cracks in the dam, as our friend Arturo says…

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/north-dakota-usa-grand-forks-adds-protection-for-lgbt-employees.html/feed 0 http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/malta-prime-minister-promises-civil-unions-by-end-of-2013.html http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/malta-prime-minister-promises-civil-unions-by-end-of-2013.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:19:54 +0000 scott http://purpleunions.com/blog/?p=42684

From Google Maps

Civil unions for same sex couples will be introduced by the end of the year, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this afternoon after he was presented with the Soldier Award as an “agent of change”.The award was presented by the social group Gay Exiles, which represents Maltese who had to leave their families to live in foreign countries with their loved ones, who happened to be of the same sex.

A good first step to provide some legal protections to Malta’s gay and lesbian couples.

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]]> http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/06/malta-prime-minister-promises-civil-unions-by-end-of-2013.html/feed 0