Marriage Equality

An executive order could end LGBT discrimination in contracts

Submitted by ONE Community on May 17, 2013 - 11:14am

President Obama’s continuing popularity among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans is due in large part to major accomplishments of his first term:overturning the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, abandoning support for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in court and his personal backing for marriage equality, which he announced a year ago this month.

Obama has also supported LGBT rights in other, more indirect ways, including by appointing more “out” LGBT individuals to political office than all previous presidents combined; I was, proudly, one of them. Read more »

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Polls Show Pro-Equality Majorities in Mich., Ariz., and Va.

Submitted by ONE Community on May 16, 2013 - 3:38pm

Momentum for marriage equality is spreading beyond the safely liberal strongholds of the East Coast, according to several new polls that found majority support for the freedom to marry in locales as diverse as Michigan, Virginia, and even Arizona. Read more »

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Older Americans Are Pushing Marriage Equality Forward

Submitted by ONE Community on May 14, 2013 - 9:25pm

Gallup has just released new data on public support for legalizing same sex marriage. They describe support as “solidifying” above 50 percent, and that’s not just because of the rise of the younger generation: older folks, according to the new data, are quickly coming around to the marriage equality cause.

According to the Gallup data, support for marriage equality has doubled in the 17 years since 1996 going from a meager 27 percent then to 53 percent now. This is a quite remarkable rate of change: about a percentage point and half per year. At this rate, we’ll hit 60 percent support by 2018: Read more »

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New Zealand Poised to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

Submitted by ONE Community on April 16, 2013 - 12:18pm

This week New Zealand could become the first Asia-Pacific Nation to legalize marriage equality.

Parliament is set Wednesday for the final hearing on a bill that would amend the 1955 Marriage Act to define marriage as the union of two people, regardless of their sex, sexuality or gender identity

If signed into law, New Zealand would join over a dozen countries to recognize marriage equality nationwide, along with the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and Denmark.

Just last week Uruguay’s House of Representatives gave final approval to a nationwide marriage equality bill, which now awaits President Jose Mujica’s signature. Read more »

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Gay couples in red-state America consider bluer pastures

Submitted by ONE Community on April 16, 2013 - 12:11pm

Kelly Wroblewski lives in Austin, Tx., with her partner of 10 years, Kristina Lestik. Both women are high school teachers in their early 30s, have pets and wear promise rings to show their commitment.

Austin has been a comfortable place for them to live. The city council endorsed marriage equality in 2012 and extended benefits to same-sex partners of city employees.

But that’s a far cry from the full federal rights, benefits and recognition that same-sex couples living in other states stand to gain if the Supreme Court strikes down the Defense of Marriage Act later this year. Read more »

Arizona Production of Dustin Lance Black’s Play on Marriage Equality Adds Five Valley Residents to Cast

Submitted by ONE Community on April 11, 2013 - 10:19am

“8” now includes former TV anchor; former state lawmaker; local performers

PHOENIX – The Arizona production of “8” today announced the addition five leading Valley residents to the cast. Local actor Damon Bolling, producer/singer David Burrola, former TV news anchor Marlene Galan, former State Representative Steve May and Phoenix attorney and arts advocate Bill Sheppard will join the previously announced cast members for the May 7 presentation of “8” at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. Read more »

Gay Marriage Law Passes Crucial Vote In France

Submitted by ONE Community on April 11, 2013 - 9:35am

Gays and lesbians in France may soon be able to marry and become parents.

The marriage equality bill currently before lawmakers would grant French same-sex couples the right to wed and jointly adopt children.

Although the first article of the bill, which removes all gender references from marriage applications, was approved in the National Assembly on Feb. 2, opponents added more than 5,000 amendments in order to slow down the legislation's passage. Final approval of the whole bill occurred on Feb. 12 with a vote of 329 to 229, the CBC reported. Read more »

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The gay-marriage backer's playbook

Submitted by ONE Community on April 5, 2013 - 1:46pm

There’s clearly a new playbook for senators just now coming out for gay marriage: quietly post something on Facebook, slip it into your Tumblr feed or release a statement to friendly media outlets.

What most lawmakers are not doing is talking for the cameras.

In the past month, 11 senators have endorsed gay marriage, providing a nearly daily storyline of increased support for marriage equality. Lawmakers say they’ve “prayed,” “evolved,” discovered gay children to stand behind or had epiphanies following an illness.

“It’s sort of been like flower-of-the-month club,” said LGBT activist David Mixner. Read more »

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Special Presentation of Dustin Lance Black’s Play on Marriage Equality Coming to Arizona

Submitted by ONE Community on March 21, 2013 - 8:47pm

“8”, the play written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, will be performed May 7 at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. The play chronicles the historic federal trial challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage.

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the legality of Prop 8 (Hollingsworth v Perry) on Tuesday, March 26, with a ruling expected in late June.

Black, who won an Oscar for the film “Milk”, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families. Read more »

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois state Senate approves same-sex marriage bill

Submitted by ONE Community on February 14, 2013 - 1:51pm

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois state Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would legalize marriage equality for same-sex couples.

Prior to the vote, state Sen. Martin Sandoval (D) stood in favor of the measure to declare, “It’s a new day in the state of Illinois.”

The bill passed by a vote of 34 in favor, 21 opposed.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), called it “a vote for the history books.”

“We have the opportunity today to welcome all families in Illinois as equally valued,” she said. Read more »

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