marriage equality

...now browsing by tag

MD: Marriage Equality Hearing Friday

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Officials with two committees of the Maryland House of Delegates planned for at least eight hours of testimony in Annapolis on Friday by witnesses for and against a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.

In a scheduled joint hearing, the House Judiciary Committee and the Health and Government Operations Committee were also to hear testimony on a proposed state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

The hearing was to take place 10 days after nearly 100 witnesses testified on the marriage bill before a hearing of the Maryland Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee. Sources familiar with that committee said it was expected to vote to approve the same-sex marriage bill, known as the Civil Marriage Protection Act, on Thursday, Feb. 9.

Full Story from The Washington Blade

Click here for gay wedding resources in Maryland.

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. We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: hearing, marriage equality, maryland

NM: Marriage Equality Ban Bill Pulled

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Progress New Mexico has sent out word that Representative David Chavez, a Republican, has withdrawn his DOMA bill from consideration. They wrote that:

I’ve just come from the floor of the House where I learned that Rep.David Chavez (R-Valencia County) has withdrawn his “super-DOMA” bill from consideration!

His bill to enshrine discrimination in our constitution, and prevent New Mexico from ever recognizing all healthy and loving relationships, was set to be heard in less than 24 hours, but your work helped to defeat it!

Full Story from Lez Get Real

Click here for gay wedding resources in New Mexico.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Response »
Tags: Gay Marriage, marriage equality, new mexico

Will Spain’s Conservatives Overturn Marriage Equality Law There?

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Spaniards have been taken by surprise by the new conservative government’s aggressive efforts to implement social reforms, overturning several liberal laws passed by the previous government amid tremendous economic uncertainty.

The previous Socialist government passed a substantial amount of liberal legislation in the last eight years, including limiting the role of the Catholic Church in the state, legalizing gay marriage, relaxing abortion restrictions, and reforming the educational curriculum.

While the Catholic Church and the ruling Popular Party accused Socialists of imposing an ideologically-motivated agenda too quickly, Socialists said they were only harmonizing Spanish laws with European standards – with the support of the majority of Spanish citizens. Dozens of polls over the past three years have consistently showed an even split on social issues.

Full Story from the Christian Science Monitor

Click here for gay wedding resources in Spain.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: conservatives, marriage equality, repeal, spain

IL: Marriage Equality Bill Introduced in Legislature

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

On the heels of Tuesday’s federal appeals court ruling for marriage equality in California, Illinois legislators have filed a bill to bring equality to that state.

Illinois’s three openly gay state representatives — Kelly Cassidy, Greg Harris, and Deborah Mell — today introduced the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, which would grant same-sex couples the same marriage rights as opposite-sex ones.

The state began offering civil unions to gay couples last year, but while “an important intermediate step,” those have turned out to be insufficient, said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of LGBT rights group Equality Illinois.

Full Story from The Advocate

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Response »
Tags: Gay Marriage, legislature, marriage equality

WA: House Sends Marriage Equality Bill to Governor on 55-43 Vote

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage Wednesday, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples.

The Washington House passed the bill on a 55-43 vote. The state Senate approved the measure last week. And Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to sign the measure into law next week.

Full Story from Edge Boston

Click here for gay wedding resources in Washington State.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: house, marriage equality, vote, washington state

Marriage Equality Events Today/Tomorrow: 2/8-2/9/12

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Gay Marriage Events If you know of any other events – rallies, meetings, phonebanking, etc – please use the link below to add your event to our list!

USA: Feb 9, Planning for Valentine’s Day 2012 Request Marriage/Marriage Counter Action, Phone, 6 PM Pac. callen@marriageequality.org
USA, CA, Los Angeles: Feb 8, LA Black LGBT Network Meeting, Jewel’s Catch One, 7-9 PM. http://bit.ly/bU7RLC
USA, IL, Chicago: Feb 9, Bayard Rustin at 100: Rediscovering a Forgotten Hero, Chicago History Museum, 6:30 PM. http://bit.ly/xlssz9
USA, MD, Baltimore: Feb 9, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality, Gay and Lesbian Comm Ctr, 6-8 PM. http://bit.ly/vmtc4H
USA, MD, Columbia: Feb 8, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality, Howard County Library-Central Branch, 6-8:30 PM. http://bit.ly/vmtc4H
USA, MD, Silver Spring: Feb 9, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality, Office of Delegate Heather Mizeur, 6-8:30 PM. http://bit.ly/vmtc4H
USA, MN, St. Paul: Feb 8, Phone Bank with Minnesotans United For All Families, 1821 University Ave West, 6:30-9:30 PM. http://bit.ly/vCRR1M
USA, MN, St. Paul: Feb 9, Phone Bank with Minnesotans United For All Families, 1821 University Ave West, 6:30-9:30 PM. http://bit.ly/vCRR1M
USA, NC, Shelby: Feb 8, Race to the Ballot, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 7 PM. http://on.fb.me/zty8Ve
USA, NJ, Lawrence: Feb 8, Marriage Equality Strategy Session, Private Home, 7 PM. http://bit.ly/zoFNon
USA, NJ, Montclair: Feb 8, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality With Garden State Equality, GSE HQ, 6-9 PM. http://bit.ly/Aj1RVS
USA, NY, New York: Feb 8, MENY Phonebank for NH Marriage Equality, SEIU 1199, W. 42nd St., 6 PM. http://bit.ly/iAw9SC
USA, NY, New York: Feb 9, Navigating Your Same Sex Wedding, NYC LGBT Center, 6:30-8:30 PM. http://bit.ly/iAw9SC
USA, NY, New York: Feb 9, MENY Phonebank for NH Marriage Equality, SEIU 1199, W. 42nd St., 6 PM. http://bit.ly/iAw9SC
USA, WA, Seattle: Feb 8, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality with Equal Rights Washington, Equal Rights WA Office, 5:30 PM. http://bit.ly/t6TxA5
USA, WA, Seattle: Feb 9, Drop in Data Entry with Equal Rights Washington, Equal Rights WA Office, 10 AM. http://bit.ly/t6TxA5
USA, WA, Seattle: Feb 9, Phonebanking for Marriage Equality with Equal Rights Washington, Equal Rights WA Office, 5:30 PM. http://bit.ly/t6TxA5
USA, WA, Vancouver: Feb 9, The Love for All March for Marriage Equality Kickoff, First United Methodist Church, 7-8 AM. http://bit.ly/AkZYxa

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Response »
Tags: events, Gay Marriage, marriage equality

MN: Rabbis Oppose Marriage Equality Ban

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

The Minnesota Rabbinical Association, made up of 35 rabbis representing 15 synagogues and the majority of the state’s Jewish population, has come out against the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The rabbis’ resolved that “throughout history, the Jewish community has faced discrimination, and therefore we will not stand by while others are targeted.” Orthodox rabbis did not sign the coalition’s statement.

Full Story from Think Progress

Click here for gay wedding resources in Minnesota.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: ban, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, minnesota, rabbis

NH: State Representative Sends Out Anti Gay Mailing on State Letterhead

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Some LGBT activists in New Hampshire are upset about a legislator’s use of official letterhead and the state seal on a mailing that seeks to drum up support for rescinding marriage equality in the state.

Rep. David Bates (pictured), a Republican, recently sent out the letter, which reads in part, “Very soon, the New Hampshire Legislature will vote on legislation I filed last year to restore traditional marriage in our state. If you believe that our marriage law should define marriage the way we’ve always known it — the union of a man and woman, then please contact your representatives to support House Bill 437.”

Full Story from The Advocate

Click here for gay wedding resources in New Hampshire.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: anti gay, mailing, marriage equality, new hampshire, repeal

TX: Equality Texas Calls on 10 Mayors to Sign Marriage Equality Pledge

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Equality Texas is calling on its members to ask the mayors of Texas’ 10 largest cities to sign Freedom to Marry’s pledge in support of same-sex marriage. “No individual mayor can confer marriage equality. Similarly, no municipality can enact a law providing for the freedom to marry,” the group writes. “However, the mayors of Texas’ 10 largest cities can lead the way in demonstrating their support for eliminating discrimination, and ending the exclusion of lesbian & gay couples from the institution of marriage.”

Equality Texas’ Action Alert includes photos of 13 Texas mayors — the six who’ve signed the pledge, and the seven from top 10 cities who haven’t. Green checks appear next to the mayors who’ve signed the pledge, and, as you can see in the screen grab above, red X’s appear next to those who haven’t. In addition to Mike Rawlings of Dallas and Betsy Price of Fort Worth, the latter group includes Robert Cluck of Arlington and Phil Dyer of Plano. To take action, go here.

Full Story from the Dallas Voice

Click here for gay wedding resources in Texas.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Response »
Tags: equality texas, freedom to marry, marriage equality, mayors, pledge

Read the Ninth Circuit’s Full Ruling on Prop 8

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

From the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals just released the complete opinion on affirming District Judge Vaughn Walker’s historical decision to overturn Proposition 8, the California law that overturned marriage equality.