One year after marriage equality came to New York state, this is how the capital of the world (sorry, London, and don’t even think about it, Paris) celebrated …
North America
10
May 12
PRESIDENT OBAMA BACKS EQUALITY
I don’t know about you but I am sending my thanks to Michelle tonight!
Today, President Obama of the US, most powerful person on the planet, agreed that all couples should have the right to marry.
Like so many others who have made this journey – from Bill Clinton to Laura Bush, most recently Vice President Biden, and a majority of the American people – President Obama has come to know loving and committed gay couples.
It’s telling these personal stories that makes the most differernce, and that has always beethe philosophy of this blog.
The President’s announcement of support today marks a historic turning point for our freedom to marry movement.
Yet there is much left to be done. Forty-four American states and 200 countries globally continue to exclude same-sex couples from marriage.
30
Aug 11
RELIGIOUS YOUTH SUPPORT EQUALITY
Views on Selected Gay & Lesbian Issues by age. Source: PRRI
Well, well, this is a positive development. The United States’ Public Religion Research Institute today released “Generations at Odds: The Millennial Generation and the Future of Gay and Lesbian Rights,” a report into what todays teens and 20-somethings in the US think about us.
62% of American youth favor marriage equality, including 49% of those identifying as Republican and 44% of those who think of themselves as Evangelical. In the last category that means the youth are four times more to support equality than senior Evangelicals.
This is what they call a snowball effect, ladies and gentlemen.
(Interestingly more Catholics think the Church’s approach to gays is too extreme than think it is “about right.”)
22
Aug 11
ANIMAL MARRIAGE IN NEW YORK
Rose Marie Belforti
Which bit of that headline doesn’t look right? None or all, according to New York Town clerk Rose Marie Belforti who has decided she can’t issue same sex marriage licences because the wording “spouse” could lead to animals marrying their owners / gay lovers.
Interesting article here in which Ms / Mrs Belforti seems to confuse her job as a town clerk with her Christian beliefs. No, Mrs Belforti, God isn’t the final word unless you happen to live in an isolated convent. For everyone else, there is the law and daily courtesies for fellow human beings.
18
Aug 11
BRIDE TURNED AWAY FROM STORE FOR HER “ILLEGAL ACTION”
Oh dear, what sort of awful person does this?
I sincerely hope that the Here Comes the Bride store in Philadelphia, USA, suffers major economic retaliation for this act.
Here is a sample of the nonense Alix Genter was forced to deal with:
“She said she wouldn’t work with me because I’m gay,” you recalled. “She also said that I came from a nice Jewish family, and that it was a shame I was gay. She said, ‘There’s right, and there’s wrong. And this is wrong.’ “
16
Aug 11
RHODE ISLAND CIVIL UNION FLOP
Much Ado About Nothing Much
This shouldn’t really come as a surprise … one month after Rhode Island introduced civil unions rather than full marriage (trailing New York on both the time and equality clocks), no-one is much interested.
And why would they be, when you can potter up the road north or south and get the real deal?
I am glad the nine couples in their new unions have some enhanced protections, but I think the numbers speak for themselves. A halfway house is often a nowhere house, and people are obviously voting with their feet.
(And, by the way, you can now get marriage in more US jurisdictions than those left to settle for a civil union.)
26
Jul 11
NEW ANDREW SULLIVAN ESSAY
Andrew Sullivan with Husband
I am always challenged and/or inspired by what Andrew Sullivan writes. One of the most consistent centre-right advocates of equality in the world – Western world or otherwise. A new essay from him in Newsweek.
25
Jul 11
I HEART NEW YORK
These pictures from The Guardian are just great, from the first day of marriage equality in New York. Who the hell could fail to be moved by this joy? Another gallery from LIFE is here. Video here: Gay Marriage arrives in New York. Nearly 700 couples were married on the first day – an all-time record for New York.
14
Jul 11
LESBIANS IN THE LEAD
First up – the overall queer community is marrying at the same rate as opposite sex couples in Massachusetts, thanks to same sex female couples outnumbering the men two to one.
Secondly, in terms of UK divorces lesbians were also in the lead in 2010 (maybe not in a good way) about 3.3% dissolving their partnership compared to 1.6% of the men. These rates are still lower than that of opposite sex couples.
So, we are not marrying less or divorcing more it seems. That’s both no news and good news all round the push for equality I would say.
