Gay Marriage
A Moneybomb For Marriage Equality in Maine
Published October 13, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT
Well, it turns out that the Ron Paul presidential campaign was good for something -- it gave us the term moneybomb. And now LGBT activists are seeking to take the word and use it for marriage equality in Maine.
Before 11:59pm on October 15, activists are hoping to raise as much money as possible to support the No on 1 campaign and their efforts to beat back a ballot measure that will repeal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in Maine. With the National Equality March now over, all eyes can literally turn toward the two states that are fighting ballot initiatives -- Maine, and Washington (which has Referendum 71 it must pass to retain full domestic partnership benefits).
MoveOn has helped raise money for No on 1. Thousands of other people have already given, too. But October 15 is a critical date that we can't afford to miss. It's the first day of early-voting in Maine, and also the last day for which campaigns have to report fundraising numbers. Imagine the momentum we'll have going into the full blast Get-Out-The-Vote efforts if we've got the kind of money that winning campaigns need.
As Joe Sudbay at Americablog writes, "The netroots and online community have been extremely generous...Let's wrap this one up big." He's right. We deserve to close strongly in Maine, so that we can take a victory there to every state in the country. If you can, donate through Americablog's ActBlue page, OpenLeft's ActBlue page, or Pam's House Blends ActBlue page now. Or better yet, hit up all three :)
And lastly, if you want to see the No on 1 campaign's latest ad, here it is:
Harvey Milk Finally Gets His Day
Published October 12, 2009 @ 10:11AM PT
Harvey Milk, the legendary LGBT activist and San Francisco Supervisor who was assassinated in 1978, has finally been given official recognition by the state of California with his own day. The bill to establish May 22 -- Harvey's birthday -- as Harvey Milk Day was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last night, capping off a whirlwind year in which Milk Day was originally vetoed by the Terminator, then the "Milk" movie exploded, then a Presidential Medal of Freedom was given posthumosly to Milk, and now, full circle, Schwarzenegger gets that Milk is an important figure for the state to honor.
Geoff Kors from Equality California noted that the honor for Harvey Milk will set history.
"The Milk Day Bill marks the very first time an openly LGBT person has been officially recognized by any state government. As a result, Harvey’s legacy and our history will be taught for decades to come and youth will learn that they have a role model who sacrified everything to make the world safer and more equal for them," Kors said. (H/T Karen Ocamb at LGBT Pov.)
What's more is that Schwarzenegger also signed into law a bill that allows California to recognize out-of-state gay marriages. This doesn't unravel Prop 8, of course, but it's certainly a welcome sign in a state where 11 months ago advocates for marriage equality were defeated at the ballot box. Said Schwarzenegger of the out-of-state marriage bill (known as Senate Bill 54):
"Following the passage of Proposition 8, there has been some uncertainty as to how California should treat same-sex couples that married out-of-state while same-sex marriage was legal in California. Consistent with the California Supreme Court’s decision that upheld the validity of those in-state marriages entered into prior to the passage of Proposition 8, Senate Bill 54 clarifies that California must also recognize as married couples that legally married in another state during the same period of time in which same-sex marriage was legal in California."
Wow. What great victories to celebrate less than 24 hours after marching on Washington. To quote Harvey Milk, "Hope will never be silent." And in these two cases, hope coupled with hard work has yielded results.
The Effect of Gay Marriage on Gay Kids
Published October 08, 2009 @ 12:17PM PT
What does the anti-gay rhetoric coming out of forces who fight gay marriage say to LGBT kids?
It's an excellent question. We see anti-gay leaders in Maine saying that same-sex marriage will pollute public schools and teach children immorality. We see anti-gay activists in Washington saying that domestic partnerships will threaten the family and force children to learn about debauchery. We see crazy bishops in D.C. blast same-sex marriage as something detrimental to children in the District.
What do all of these messages combined tell LGBT kids? According to Patrick James over at GOOD Magazine, it reinforces negative stereotypes that could leave gay kids feeling isolated, alone, and unable to strive for some very basic things -- a long-term relationship, kids, a family, etc. It also reinforces the 1950s narrative that anyone with an L, G, B or T describing their sexual orientation can't be virtuous -- a terribly destructive message to be sending to a 12-year-old.
James writes, "Traditionally, [an LGBT] young person is told—whether explicitly or tacitly, by means of our societal mechanisms—that he or she will have no spouse, no children, and no chance to enter into a lifelong social contract with another person. The result is a relegation to isolation."
It's a pretty common sense leap. But it's a fact not worth forgetting about. Perhaps the biggest victims in legislative efforts or ballot measures that kill marriage rights for LGBT people are gay kids.
James concludes, "in a world that celebrates the institution, the perceptive distance between being gay and virtuous collapses, and a young person can look forward to a life of commitment, father- or motherhood, and inclusion in the shared experience that binds us as a people."
Marriage isn't for all people. But it shouldn't be denied to a group of people, either. Not in Maine. Not in Washington state. Not in the District of Columbia. Etc., etc. The effects of doing so are just too damn destructive.
All I Want for Christmas is Gay Marriage in D.C.
Published October 07, 2009 @ 04:06AM PT
The City Council in Washington, D.C. saw a marriage equality bill introduced this week that if passed will make the District the next in line to recognize same-sex marriage. That could happen by the end of the year, making 2009 the official year of gay marriage.
The bill's passage is close to certainty -- or at least as close to certainty as anything gets in politics. Already ten city councilors support the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District, and Mayor Adrian Fenty has pledged to sign the bill.
The District's step forward for equality has some anti-gay politicians in the U.S. Congress going ballistic, among them Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah. He wants the U.S. Congress to stop debating health care, education, and War on Terror policies and get involved in the marriage debate in Washington, D.C. Maybe Rep. Chaffertz would also like every member of Congress to start doing bedroom inspections in the D.C. just to make sure only straight people are co-habitating.
Thankfully, Congress isn't showing any inclination of biting on Chaffertz's rhetoric, hinting that Congress is too damn busy working hard for their 21 percent approval rating to get involved in the marriage debate in D.C.
Or, perhaps more correctly, Congress just feels that the District can take care of its own on this issue. And if that's the case, then everyone's Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Boxing Day/Winter Solstice present this year will be another part of the country recognizing marriage equality.
Getting Obama to Say Yes to Marriage Equality in Maine
Published October 06, 2009 @ 04:33AM PT
There was an explosion of news coverage yesterday with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announcing that President Barack Obama will speak before the group this Saturday night, October 10, during the weekend of the National Equality March. Obama, the first President to speak before an LGBT rights organization since Bill Clinton did so in 1997, is I imagine both a catch and a concern for HRC. If Obama goes out and gives a speech that simply rehashes his June 2009 Stonewall anniversary rhetoric, most will likely see the comments as "more of the same." But if Obama gets up on stage and delivers a knockout speech, it could stand to improve the President's image in an LGBT population that has seen him as a little too patient on all of our issues.
So what will make a knockout speech? It could be promising a specific timeline for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," or promising to fight homophobia around the globe, or even saying that the White House will extend full political capital to make sure hate crimes laws and an employment non-discrimination act are passed this session of Congress. But I'm just not sure that rhetoric like that is going to fly...especially when tens of thousands of people are in Washington, D.C. this weekend to protest inaction by the federal government on behalf of equal rights.
Instead, what would really be a knockout blow would be for Obama to say six simple words: "I support marriage equality in Maine."
Maine is facing a ballot initiative that if passed, will repeal the civil rights of gays and lesbians to get married in the state. The opposition is made up of the same cast of characters that brought us Prop 8 last year, and is well funded. Not to mention that anti-gay forces also have the Catholic Bishop of Maine, Richard Malone, arguing that all Catholics should discriminate against gays and lesbians.
The marriage equality side in Maine is well-organized and well-messaged. It needs more money. It also could use a surrogate like President Barack Obama who can deliver a line before a national audience that says, "Maine's legislature voted to enact marriage equality for gays and lesbians, arguing that if equal protection means anything in the state, it means that gays and lesbians ought to be entitled to the full benefits of marriage. I agree with that."
That would be a knockout speech. That would create the type of momentum that will spill over to the tens of thousands of activists who will march the streets of Washington on Sunday for equal rights. And that will be a sign of bold leadership from a President who has been criticized for moving at the pace of Cream of Wheat when it comes to LGBT rights.
Using Disneyland to Sell Gay Marriage in Iowa
Published October 03, 2009 @ 03:07AM PT
Here's something that Iowa has that California does not: same-sex marriage. Here's something that Iowa sees that California does not: tourism dollars from gay couples coming into the state to get married. That's a fact not lost on gay rights organizations or those in the same-sex wedding business, who turned to Disneyland this past week to help them sell gay marriage in the Hawkeye State.
Folks with the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA) traveled to Disneyland during Gay Days to promote marriage equality in Iowa, and to let California same-sex couples know that if they need a wedding vacation destination, Iowa is as good a place as any -- at least when it comes to places that promote equality.
"We want people to know that if the California Legislature is unwilling to take the step to give gay couples the right to marry, then please consider coming to Iowa where we will gladly welcome you with open arms," Jenison said. Prop 8, however, has pretty much rendered the legislature moot on this point. It now becomes a will of the voters to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage.
But the point is still there -- if certain states are going to ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples, then there are other states that will eagerly strike to catch some of the same-sex wedding business. California might have Disneyland and a magic tea-cup ride, but Iowa has equal rights. I know which one I'd rather have.
(Photo courtesy of ewen and donabel's photostream on Flickr.)
Oh, that Marriage Equality Momentum
Published October 01, 2009 @ 04:20PM PT
Massachusetts. Connecticut. Iowa. Vermont. Maine. New Hampshire. They're all of the states that recognize marriage equality (or at least passed legislation to recognize marriage equality). Will Illinois and the District of Columbia be joining their ranks?
Both places are seeing movement on the issue of same-sex marriage. The Illinois State Senate saw its first marriage equality bill introduced today by State Sen. Heather Steans. It couples a bill in the Illinois House for marriage equality, and also matches the increasing support for marriage equality by several high profile politicians in Illinois, including the two folks -- Alexi Giannoulias and David Hoffman -- running for Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate seat.
In D.C., City Councilor David Catania announced that he's getting ready to introduce a bill that will legalize same-sex marriage inside the Beltway. The bill should come on Tuesday of next week, and it's expected that there's enough support on the City Council to pass it.
So add Illinois and D.C. to the list of states where marriage equality takes a potential step forward. We could even expand the list to include New Jersey and New York, which are also seeing a fair share of momentum and political support for marriage equality.
So that's three more states, and the nation's capital. If they all legalize same-sex marriage, nearly one-fifth (20 percent) of the country will recognize full marriage rights. And that's pretty damn awesome, given where we were just two years ago (one state -- Massachusetts).
(Photo courtesy of exgaysurvivordan's photostream on Flickr.)
