Maryland Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Image courtesy of LezGetReal

In yet another victory for marriage equality, Maryland is now the 8th state to have made same-sex marriage legal. The same-sex marriage bill was approved by the Maryland Senate on Thursday evening, and has now been signed by MD Gov. Martin O'Malley. It should also be noted that former Vice President Dick Cheney was among a handful of influential Republicans who lobbied Maryland legislators in favor of the bill. In 2009, Cheney, whose daughter is openly lesbian, told the National Press Club, "I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish."

DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Judge

Image courtesy of Daily Kos

A second federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA"), a law which denies hundreds of federal marital benefits to same-sex married couples, is unconstitutional. According to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, the law "treats gay men and lesbians differently on the basis of their sexual orientation" and the "imposition of subjective moral beliefs of a majority on a minority cannot provide a justification" for it. Although defenders of the law, appointed by House Republican leaders, claimed that DOMA was justified by "tradition", Judge White noted that the same reasoning was used to defend bans on interracial marriages decades ago. Furthermore, he wrote, excluding same-sex couples from the federal definition of marriage "does nothing to encourage or strengthen opposite-sex marriage." The Republican-dominated House of Representatives announced today that they will appeal the decision.

Strong Support for Washington's Gay Marriage Bill

Photo courtesy of Queerty.

Following Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire's statement in support of same-sex marriage, a bill to legalize it has now been introduced in the Washington state Senate with 23 sponsors, two of whom are Republicans. Currently, six Democrats have not signed onto the bill, but only two more votes are necessary to have a majority and pass the bill in the Senate. If successful the bill will move to the House, where the Democrats have an even larger majority, before heading to Gov. Gregoire's desk.

Religious Exemption Dropped from MI Anti-Bullying Law

Earlier this month the Michigan State Senate passed "Matt's Safe School Law", a piece of anti-bullying legislation named after Matt Epling, an East Lansing teen who committed suicide after being subjected to relentless homophobic bullying. The law, designed to prohibit harassment and bullying at school, was met with fierce opposition by anti-gay activists such as the Michigan AFA's Gary Glenn, who called it a "Trojan Horse" for "homosexual activists." Republican Senators briefly added an exemption for bullying based on "religious or moral convictions", igniting a firestorm of controversy and earning them a stinging rebuke from Democratic Senator Gretchen Whitmer. In response, Senator Rick Jones has agreed to drop the religious exemption and leave the bill as it was originally intended.

If Elected Michele Bachmann Would Reinstate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

On Tuesday evening, Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann (R-MN) made a conference call to supporters of the Faith and Freedom Coalition in which she promised that, if elected, she would reinstate the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This, of course, lends further support to critics of a recent 9th Circuit decision to dismiss the ongoing legal challenge to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Presidential Candidates to Join Anti-Gay Speakers at Values Voter Summit

Bryan Fischer at the 2009 Values Voter Summit

Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain and Rick Santorum will all be attending the 2011 Values Voter Summit, a conference for American social conservatives that is hosted by the Family Research Council and the American Family Association. An article by the group People for the American Way gives details about the notorious anti-LGBT figures who will be attending and speaking at the event, including Bryan Fischer, Mat Staver, Tony Perkins and Bishop Harry Jackson.

Rep. Sally Kern Says Gays Are Worse Than Terrorists

Rep. Sally Kern (R-OK) stated during a radio talk show appearance with Peter LaBarbera (head of the certified hate group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality) that gays and gay sex are greater threats to the safety of America than terrorism:

"You know if you just look at it in practical terms, which has destroyed and ended the life of more people? Terrorism attack here in America or HIV/​AIDS? In the last twenty years, fifteen to twenty years, we’ve had maybe three terrorist attacks on our soil with a little over 5,000 people regrettably losing their lives. In the same time frame, there have been hundreds of thousands who have died because of having AIDS. So which one’s the biggest threat? And you know, every day our young people, adults too, but especially our young people, are bombarded at school, in movies, in music, on TV, in the mall, in magazines, they’re bombarded with ‘homosexuality is normal and natural.’ It’s something they have to deal with every day. Fortunately we don’t have to deal with a terrorist attack every day, and that’s what I mean.

...

It’s more dangerous, and yes I think that it’s also more dangerous because it will tear down the moral fiber of this nation. We were founded as a nation upon the principles of religion and morality, if we take those out from under our society we will lose what has made us a great nation, we will no longer be a virtuous people, which we see happening already. And without virtue this nation will not survive."

This, however, is hardly surprising given that Rep. Kern has used such inflammatory rhetoric in the past.

Rep. James Forrester Calls Gays "Unhealthy"

Rep. James Forrester (R-NC), the primary sponsor of an amendment to the North Carolina constitution which would prohibit same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, recently gave an anti-gay speech at a town hall meeting in which he claimed that gays are "unhealthy" and have shorter lifespans than heterosexuals:

"At least 20 years is taken off a homosexual's life, if they practice homosexuality, due to the increased death rate from AIDS, and hepatitis, and all of the other related factors to that. That doesn't seem to discourage them from practicing this unhealthy lifestyle. I'm trying to talk with them. And I've got a few homosexual patients, and I treat them just the same as anybody else. I love them. Perhaps even more, because I know they're going to die at least 20 years earlier. We need to reach out to them and try to get them to change their lifestyle back to the normal lifestyle which we can accept. It's a new day in Raleigh. This could really make a mark on society as we know it."

However, in spite of the audience giving Forrester a standing ovation and his assurances that his marriage amendment will pass, 57% of North Carolinians support same-sex marriage or civil unions according to a recent Elon University Poll.

Gov. Linda Lingle (R) of Hawaii vetoes civil union bill

From the NY Daily News

"Hawaii is supposed to be paradise. But maybe not for everyone.

Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a controversial civil unions bill on Tuesday that would have granted gay, lesbian and opposite-sex couples the same rights and benefits as married couples.

The legislation, which was approved by the Legislature in April, would have made Hawaii one of six states – in addition to California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington – to give the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without sanctioning marriage itself.

Lingle argued that voters, not politicians, should decide on the future of same-sex civil unions.

"The subject of this legislation has touched the hearts and minds of our citizens as no other social issue of our day," she said. "It would be a mistake to allow a decision of this magnitude to be made by one individual or a small group of elected officials."

The American Civil Liberties Union and other pro-civil unions groups said they will file a lawsuit in state court within the next month.

"We are standing ready to file that lawsuit in short order to ensure that LGBT families in Hawaii are provided equal rights and benefits," Lois Perrin, legal director of ACLU Hawaii told KITV4 News in Honolulu. "To be sure, the Hawaii Constitution already provides that and we're going to make sure that the courts agree with us."

Perrin said the lawsuit could take months and perhaps even years to work its way through he legal system.

Shortly after Lingle's announcement, many opponents of the civil unions bill applauded, dropped to their knees, cried and prayed.

"What she did was very just, and I'm very happy about it," said Jay Amina, 50, of Waianae. "It sends a good message throughout the state of Hawaii — that our people here on the islands are standing for traditional marriage."

Supporters of the civil unions were outraged, shouting "We'll keep fighting!" and sang "We Shall Overcome."

"We had hoped the governor would do the right thing for civil rights and equality," Lee Yarbrough of Honolulu said while standing with his partner. "This battle is far from over." "