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Is marriage really just for white people?
As part of a CNN series "Black in America" producer Dionne Hill wonders if she'll ever get married. 45% of black women have never married, as opposed to 23%.
This statistic has led her to believe that marriage might be for white people.
I am neither black, nor female, (I am white and male) but I don't think marriage is that important. I mean I support gay marriage, and straight marriage, but only for financial reasons, and maybe for the open bars at the receptions.
But the whole institution doesn't seem that important to me.
What do you think? As part of a CNN series "Black in America" producer Dionne Hill wonders if she'll ever get married. 45% of black women have never marr... more -
Census won't report gay marriage, claims defense of Marriage Act won't let them
(AP) Same-sex marriage is legal in two states, but not a single one will show up in the 2010 census.
The Census Bureau says the federal Defense of Marriage Act bars the agency from recognizing gay marriages in the nation's 10-year count, even though the marriages are legal in Massachusetts and California.
The agency's director, Steven Murdock, said in an interview Thursday that the 1996 federal law "has that effect, in terms of being a federal agency. We are restricted by it."
The Census Bureau does not ask people about their sexual orientation, but it does ask about their relationships to the head of the household. Many gay couples are listed in census figures as unmarried, same-sex partners, though it is an imperfect tally of all gay couples.
Murdock said the bureau will strive to count same-sex couples in the 2010 census, just as it has in the past. But those people who say they are married will be reclassified as unmarried, same-sex partners.
Same-sex couples with no children will not be classified as families, according the bureau's policy. Those with children who are related to the head of the household will be classified as families.
Gay rights advocates complained that the Census Bureau is depriving them of a hard-fought legal recognition.
"To completely whitewash us out of existence is hurtful, discriminatory and shameful," said Molly McKay of Marriage Equality USA, a California-based group that advocates for same-sex marriage. "It's like the federal government is trying to say that we don't exist."
McKay said an accurate count of same-sex married couples would help policymakers determine the costs of providing benefits.
McKay, 38, said she plans to marry her partner of 12 years on Sept. 1, now that they are legally able to marry in California. She said they consider themselves "an old married couple," even if the government doesn't.
"This is a very sweet moment in our life. It really is an absolutely joyous time," McKay said. "The notion that the federal government is going to come in and erase our existence is un-American."
The Census Bureau is required by the Constitution to conduct a comprehensive count of the nation's residents every 10 years. Every question is either mandated by federal law or used to administer a federal program, Murdock said.
Same-sex marriage was not an issue in the 2000 census because it wasn't legal in any state. The Census Bureau's policy on same-sex marriages was first reported in the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News.
The bureau relies almost entirely on people's responses to classify them by race, ethnicity, age and income. But not marital status - at least not in 2010.
"It really should be what you say you are, not what I perceive you to be," Murdock said. But, the agency director added, "We have some limitations. This particular act limits us in regards to this issue."
(AP) Same-sex marriage is legal in two states, but not a single one will show up in the 2010 census. ... more -
Should Equal Rights be up to Voters?
This article claims "The Field Poll of 672 likely voters found that 51% oppose Proposition 8, which would amend the state Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and woman. Forty-two percent of voters support the November ballot measure." The margin is small, that could easily change...
It makes me wonder - I believe in State rights, but to me, gay marriage is an equal rights issue. The idea that marriage is "defined" as being between a man and woman doesn't hold water- we made up that definition and we can change it (Just look at voting rights!)
So here's my question(s): Should an issue like gay marriage really be up to the states? If the Federal Gov is going to step in and tell us what to do all the time anyway, shouldn't they do it in cases like this, to uphold everyone's equal rights in America?
This article claims "The Field Poll of 672 likely voters found that 51% oppose Proposition 8, which would amend the state Constitution... more -
Dutch replace ‘maiden name’ with ‘birth name’ on marriage forms
The Dutch civil service has developed a new name for "maiden name" so married gay men won't feel awkward.
"Geboortenaam" translates to "birth name". It will replace maiden name on official forms, radio Netherlands reported on Wednesday.
The Dutch Language Union hopes it will save married gay men from any embarrassment when taking their spouses surname.
Despite its liberal reputation, Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands have been facing a rise in homophobic attacks over the last few years.
The government has committed to millions of Euros to fighting homophobia in the country.
A recent European poll found the Dutch to be the strongest supporters of same-sex marriage in the EU, with 82% in favour. The Dutch civil service has developed a new name for "maiden name" so married gay men won't feel awkward. ... more -
2010 census won't count gay marriages
Although gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts and California, census officials say that same-sex partners in both states who list themselves as spouses will be recorded as "unmarried partners" -- just as they were in the 2000 census.
Census Bureau spokesman Stephen Buckner cited the Defense of Marriage Act, approved by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing as a marriage the union of anyone but a man and a woman.
The law "requires all federal agencies to recognize only opposite-sex marriages for the purposes of administering federal programs," Buckner wrote in an e-mailed statement. "Many of these programs rely on Census Bureau statistics."
Census officials have said the agency will retain same-sex spouses' original responses but will edit them for the published census tabulations.
Critics of the policy -- and the law -- say it ignores the changing legal and political landscape in states that contain about 14 percent of the U.S. population. And it ensures that the census results will be factually incorrect, they say. Although gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts and California, census officials say that same-sex partners in both states who list th... more -
Californians to vote on same-sex marriage ban, again
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state.
A gay couple is married in California in June. Voters could void same-sex marriages in the state in November.
The court on Wednesday denied a petition to remove the initiative from the state's general election ballots. The unanimous decision was handed down without elaboration.
Hundreds of marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples since mid-June, a month after the court overturned the state's laws against such unions.
However, on June 2, opponents of same-sex marriage filed for a ballot initiative that would ban such marriages in the state's constitution. Such a ban would overturn the court's May ruling.
Equality California, a Sacramento-based activist group, filed a petition against the initiative -- Proposition 8 -- arguing that it involves a constitutional revision that can't be adopted through a ballot vote.
The group also contended that petitions circulated to qualify the proposition for the ballot contained material that misled readers about the measure's effects.
Jennifer Kerns, a spokeswoman for the proposition, called Wednesday's decision "a huge victory."
Calls Wednesday to Equality California were not immediately returned.
If the proposition is approved, it would be the second time same-sex marriages have been voided in California.
In February 2004, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom -- who is considering a run for governor -- challenged the state's laws against same-sex marriage, ordering city officials to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
Those unions were voided by the California Supreme Court, though the justices sidestepped the issue of whether banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, allowing legal cases to work their way through the lower courts.
Several gay and lesbian couples -- along with the city of San Francisco and gay-rights groups -- sued, saying they were victims of unlawful discrimination.
A lower court ruled San Francisco had acted unlawfully in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. However, the state Supreme Court's ruling in May struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.
That decision made California the nation's second state, after Massachusetts, to legalize same-sex marriage. Four other states allow civil unions
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the stat... more -
Californians cleared to vote on same-sex marriage ban
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state.
A gay couple is married in California in June. Voters could void same-sex marriages in the state in November. The court on Wednesday denied a petition to remove the initiative from the state's general election ballots. The unanimous decision was handed down without elaboration.
Hundreds of marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples since mid-June, a month after the court overturned the state's laws against such unions. However, on June 2, opponents of same-sex marriage filed for a ballot initiative that would ban such marriages in the state's constitution. Such a ban would overturn the court's May ruling.
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the stat... more -
California Supreme Court keeps anti-gay marriage initiative on ballot
"The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to remove an anti-gay marriage initiative from the November ballot.
Meeting in closed session, the court denied a petition calling for the removal of the initiative, Proposition 8, on the grounds it was a constitutional revision that only the Legislature or a constitutional convention could place before voters.
Gay rights lawyers also argued that petitions circulated to get the measure on the ballot inaccurately summarized its effect.
The court, meeting at its regular weekly conference, denied the petition without comment in a brief order.
Proposition 8 would limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. The California Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, struck down a ban on same-sex marriage on May 15, and same-sex couples began marrying last month."
Still trying to stop gay people from getting married, any way they can. Sad. "The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to remove an anti-gay marriage initiative from the November ballot. ... more -
Out-of-state gay couples poised for legal marriage in Massachusetts
The possibility of out-of-state gay couples being allowed marriages in Massachusetts was given a boost by the vote of the Senate to remove a old law.
While presumably not designed with gay couples in mind, the 1913 law prohibited couples to be married if they could not legally wed in their home state. After Massachusetts became the first state to allow gay marriages In 2004, the then-governor Mitt Romney ordered the "then-little-known" law to be enforced, so that out-of-state gay couples could not wed there.
Current Governor Deval Patrick, whose own daughter is gay, is in support of the Senate's proposal, which other critics have said has racist undertones: it dates from a time when the most common "illegal" marriages, that the law refers to, were those between mixed race couples.
The fact that this law is in spirit not about gay marriages, but rather race, seems certain to be abolished and, as one senator remarked, "put the final nail in the coffin of those dark days." The possibility of out-of-state gay couples being allowed marriages in Massachusetts was given a boost by the vote of the Senate to re... more -
Massachusetts Senate Approves Gay Marriage Rights for All U.S. Citizens
"The state Senate voted swiftly and unanimously yesterday to strike down a 95-year-old law that blocks gay and lesbian couples from most other states from being married in Massachusetts, drawing condemnation from Catholic Church leaders but delivering a victory for advocates who have fought for the repeal and who say that same-sex marriage has become an accepted part of the state's culture."
In a unanimous decision, the State Senate would legalize the practice of out-of-state, homosexual couples to join in the right to be married, already guaranteed to in-state couples. Additionally, it would recognize marriage documents obtained from other states which support similar rights for all couples -- California, for example.
If successful in the House, the decision would pave the way for an influx of gay couples into the state, likely bringing in over $111 million in extra revenue, as well as expanding the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of straight couples to marry, to all couples regardless of gender or sexual identity.
Most excitingly, "There were no chanting protesters outside, and not a voice on the Senate floor was raised against the repeal."
" 'People have become resigned to the fact that all the chaos that was predicted in 2004 - the sky was going to fall, it would be catastrophic - it never happened. And so it has become, as we expected it would, as much a part of the reality of life in Massachusetts as anything else,' Senator Dianne Wilkerson, a Roxbury Democrat who has championed the repeal bill, said of yesterday's vote."
"The state Senate voted swiftly and unanimously yesterday to strike down a 95-year-old law that blocks gay and lesbian couples from mo... more -
Out of State Gays can soon Marry in Mass!
"Gay couples from across the country are one step closer to a Massachusetts wedding.
The state Senate voted Tuesday to repeal a 1913 law used to bar out-of-state gay couples from marrying in the state. The move to repeal the law, which prohibits couples from obtaining marriage licenses if they couldn't legally wed in their home states, is driven in part by California's recent legalization of same-sex marriage.
The House is expected to vote on the repeal later this week. Gov. Deval Patrick, whose 18-year-old daughter announced publicly last month that she is a lesbian, would have 10 days to sign it.
An analysis released by Massachusetts' Office of Housing and Economic Development found repealing the law would draw thousands of couples to the state, boosting the economy by $111 million, creating 330 jobs and generating $5 million in taxes and fees over three years.
The study assumes New York would provide the largest number of gay couples — more than 21,000 couples — with New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine bringing the total to more than 30,000 in the first three years after the ban was lifted."
NY should be next legalize gay marriage- we have one of the largest bi/homosexual communities and look at how much MONEY Mass's economy is going to get from this. If every state legalizes gay marriage, the federal government will have to rethink their laws! "Gay couples from across the country are one step closer to a Massachusetts wedding. ... more -
Awaiting the fate of Oregon Dom. Partnerhsips
Last week, on July 8th a panel of 3 judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both sides of Lemons v. Bradbury. There are folks on both sidelines of Lemons v. Bradbury who feel very strongly about the whole issue.For the opposition we’ve got [...] From the other side of the issue, here is an article from [...] Wherever you read news on this story, all agree that it may be weeks before we hear the final decision... Last week, on July 8th a panel of 3 judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both sides of Lemons v. Bradbury... more
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California's LGBT community ditches wedding gifts for donations
Gays and lesbians marrying in California are ditching traditional wedding gifts and asking friends to contribute money to fight a ballot measure that would make their unions illegal.
A month after California began legally marrying same-sex partners, thousands of dollars that might have been spent on toasters or dinnerware for newlyweds have been donated to the campaign against the November referendum that seeks to define marriage in the state as only between a man and a woman.
"Most of the couples marrying have been together a very long time. They have already moved in together and some of them have kids together," said John Duran, president of Equality California.
"So the usual notion of a huge reception or acquiring your first microwave is not really happening. A lot of these couples are directing their family and friends to the wedding registry on our site to help us keep these marriages in place."
California's Supreme Court struck down a ban on same-sex marriage in May, making the state the second after Massachusetts to allow gay weddings. Opponents hope to override the court's ruling by winning the November ballot.
Duran said the Equality California wedding registry Web site ( www.eqca.org ) had raised tens of thousands of dollars in the last three weeks to fight the marriage-definition measure.
Dozens of hotels, photographers and caterers serving the gay community have pledged to donate 10 percent to 50 percent of their proceeds to the campaign when their wedding services are used.
Gays and lesbians marrying in California are ditching traditional wedding gifts and asking friends to contribute money to fight a ball... more -
Gays & Union boycott Hotelier over marriage initiative donation.
Gay rights and union advocates have begun boycotting the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego after its owner, Doug Manchester, donated $125,000 to a ballot measure that would end same-sex marriage in California, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The hotelier's contribution to the proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot struck a nerve among supporters of marriage equality.
Fred Karger, an organizer of the boycott, told the Union-Tribune, "This is someone who is giving an exorbitant amount of money to write discrimination into the Constitution for the very first time."
Activists were joined by Unite Here Local 30, which represents 4,500 San Diego-area hotel and restaurant workers.
The Manchester Grand Hyatt is not unionized, the Union-Tribune reported. Gay rights and union advocates have begun boycotting the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego after its owner, Doug Manchester, donated... more -
We Are Not Born Gay, Sweedish Twin study Shows
Identical twins develop when one fertilized egg separates into two individuals. As such, identical twins have nearly identical DNA. Researchers study the concordance of a trait in identical twins to see whether or not a trait is genetically-linked. In a concordant pair of twins, both show the same characteristic.
Twin studies that have been conducted to date actually demonstrate that homosexuality is not genetic. As Dr. Neil Whitehead notes, “In a nutshell, if you take pairs of identical twins in which one twin is homosexual, the identical co-twin is usually not homosexual. That means, given that identical twins are always genetically identical, homosexuality cannot be genetically dictated. No-one is born gay
In general, twin studies show that when one male identical twin is gay-identified, the other will be gay-identified one time in nine, or only 11% of the time. The percentages are similar for female homosexuality. If homosexual behavior, attractions and identity were completely genetic, the similarity would be closer to 100%. What this tells us is that same-sex attracted twins are not born that way. Thus, within a pair of identical twins – where one twin has same-sex attractions – the other will have opposite-sex attractions eight out of nine times.
So what about this 2008 Swedish twin study ?
The study of twins and homosexuality was touted in a press release as “the largest in the world so far.” The authors said that “more than 7,600 Swedish twins….responded to a 2005-2006 survey of health, behaviour, and sexuality.” I
In their analysis:
Only 7 pairs of male identical twins were found where both had any same-sex partner in their lifetime;
Only 26 pairs of female identical twins were found where both had any same-sex partner in their lifetime;
Only 64 pairs of identical male twins were found where only 1 of the pair had any same-sex partners;
And only 188 pairs of identical female twins were found where only 1 of the pair had any same-sex partners. (10)
Significantly, their data show a very low number of identical twin pairs who had both engaged in same-sex behaviors. The data also show a very low concordance rate (where both twins show the same trait) – less then 10% for the males and slightly over 12% for the females. Again, the study points to what we already know: there is a low concordance rate for homosexuality among identical twins, and the main factors in homosexuality are not genetic.
Click on the link for more details
Identical twins develop when one fertilized egg separates into two individuals. As such, identical twins have nearly identical DNA. Re... more -
Children Raised by Homosexuals are 7 times more likely to be Gays or Bisexuals
This review is a survey of nine studies (click on the link for details)
Based on the average found in the following nine studies, 14% of children raised by homosexual parents develop homosexual or bisexual preferences. These studies reported rates of non-heterosexuality ranging from 8% to 21%. The most frequently reported percentages were 14% and 16% (two studies each). For comparison purposes, data from the best national surveys report that approximately 2% of the general population is non-heterosexual (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, and Michaels,1994). Therefore, if these percentages hold true in better designed studies, children raised by homosexuals appear to be about seven times more likely to develop homosexual or bisexual preferences than children raised by heterosexuals. And, as was explained earlier, 14% may be an under-estimate due to the young ages of many of the subjects in these studies.
The nine studies surveyed are reviewed and include the authors' abstracts or descriptions provided by others, followed by her comments and/or analysis. They are presented in alphabetical order
This review is a survey of nine studies (click on the link for details) ... more -
Gay Marriage couples can be imprisoned, fined $10,000
Can a marriage certificate also serve as an arrest warrant?
California, the second state to recognize same-sex couples' right to civil marriage, became the first to extend that right to couples residing outside the state when its landmark Supreme Court ruling took effect in mid June. Most out-of-state couples, with the exception of those residing in Massachusetts and New York, know that their marriages will not be recognized when they return home.
For couples in Wisconsin, however, second-class citizenship may simply be the appetizer to the main course: Jail time.
In addition to an amendment voted into Wisconsin's constitution in 2006 barring recognition of same-sex marriages, a law on the books prohibits its residents from leaving the state to enter a marriage that would not be legally recognized when they return.
Can a marriage certificate also serve as an arrest warrant? ... more -
Lesbian couple facing jail if they marry out of state
A lesbian couple from Wisconsin who are planning to head out of state to marry could face nine months of jail time and a fine of up to $10,000 for fraud, according to reports by Salon today.
Kathy Cox and Kim Whalen have been together for over 20 years and plan to tie the knot on 8/8/08 in California, but an old law from 1915 prohibits couples from leaving the state to marry and then returning with a union that isn't valid in Wisconsin.
The couple are planning to go ahead anyway, says Cox, "The pioneers get the arrows, and the settlers get the land. So we'll take a few arrows."
Should utterly ridiculous laws like this be, um, outlawed? Could it be that they conveniently provide the anti-same-sex marriage brigade with ammunition to punish and prevent gay marriages?
A lesbian couple from Wisconsin who are planning to head out of state to marry could face nine months of jail time and a fine of up to... more -
Adam and Eve, or Adam and Steve?
If you were in paradise and you were Adam and given a choice between Eve or Steve, which would you choose?
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$125,000 donation to ban gay marriage in California brings boycott for hotel owner
When Doug Manchester, owner of the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel in San Diego, donated $125,000 to support Proposition 8, an amendment to ban same-sex marriage on the November ballot, he probably didn't think it would impact the bottom line of his business.
A gay rights group called Californians Against Hate plans to launch a boycott of Manchester's hotels. Organizers of the campaign, which is expected to be announced at a news conference today, say they believe it is the first time that gay rights supporters have boycotted a business whose owner seeks to ban same-sex marriage.
Leaders will urge the public to avoid the downtown hotel because they say that support for Proposition 8 amounts to unfair treatment of gays and lesbians.
In an interview earlier this year, Manchester said that he decided to donate to Proposition 8 because he had heard that schools that teach that marriage is between a man and a woman could be sued for discriminating against gays.
In addition, he said, he was motivated by his strong Catholic faith to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. When Doug Manchester, owner of the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel in San Diego, donated $125,000 to support Proposition 8, an amendment ... more
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