Same-Sex Marriage Update

[Stearns]

Freedom to Marry is "the leading campaign working to win marriage nationwide." They "partner with a diverse range of organizations and supporters across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from the responsibilities, protections, and commitment of marriage." The founder, Evan Wolfson, was co-counsel in the historic Hawaii marriage case, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, served in the Peace Corps in West Africa, and is the author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality and Gay People's Right to Marry.

http://www.freedomtomarry.org/ has articles from all over the world and an interactive US map, where you can click on a state and be shown the status of equal marriage, what organizations are actively working on equal marriage, and related blogs and resources.

[Soon]

I don't get why he was asked to move--is this not a violation of his (the videographer's) rights to be there in the public space?

[Soon]

ACLU: Donaldson and Guggenheim v. Montana

Seven committed same-sex couples have sued the state of Montana for failing to offer legal protections to same-sex couples and their families in violation of the Montana Constitution’s rights of privacy, dignity and the pursuit of life’s basic necessities and its guarantees of equal protection and due process. The goal of this lawsuit is to see that same-sex couples are able to protect their families with the same kind of legal protections that the State offers to different-sex couples through marriage.

Because there is a constitutional amendment in Montana barring marriage for same-sex couples, this lawsuit is not seeking marriage. The couples in the suit are seeking the protection of state-recognized domestic partnerships.

[Cyclopea]

A Russian lesbian couple appealed to the European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday after a registry office in Moscow declined to register their same-sex marriage.

When Irina Fet and Irina Shipitko, who have tried to get married since 2009, were turned away, it hardly came as a surprise in a country where the crime of homosexuality was removed from the books in 1993, and where homophobia remains high and often turns to violence.

"A complaint [on same-sex marriage] was lodged against Russia," gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev said.

"We admit that the Russian law system [currently] forbids same-sex marriage but we hope that after the European Court's ruling, our country will be obliged to change its laws," he said.

Alexeyev said that in rejecting to register the marriage, the Tverskoi registry office in Moscow violated Articles 8 and 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

He said he was confident of a positive outcome and referred to a recent Strasbourg Court ruling over a complaint from an Austrian same-sex couple.
"The Court acknowledged that same-sex marriages are protected under Article 8 of the European Convention and Article 12 doesn't cover just heterosexual marriages," he said.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100721/159899084.html

[Cyclopea]

[Soon]

Judge Blocks Arizona Law That Would Eliminate Domestic Partner Benefits For Gay State Workers

PHOENIX — A federal judge is blocking Arizona from implementing a state law that eliminates domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian state employees.

U.S. District Judge John Sedwick on Friday issued a preliminary injunction that requires the state to still make family health insurance available to gay and lesbian state employees who have established relationships that meet standards set under state administration rules.

The judge also dismissed part of a lawsuit challenging the prohibition but left another part intact, allowing the suit to continue.

The Legislature included the prohibition in a budget law enacted last September.

[Jess]

http://www.freedomtomarry.org/page/s/nomstopthehate

[Jess]

http://www.keennewsservice.com/2010/...ss-still-loom/

[christie]

Originally Posted by Jess

http://www.freedomtomarry.org/page/s/nomstopthehate

Just to add - NOM's last stop on their hate tour is Aug 15th in DC. I hope with the start of school for Bratboy, we are able to attend - these ppl make my head (and heart) want to explode.