New Jersey Gay Marriage Bill
Last night the New Jersey state Sentate Judiciary Committee voted 7 to 6 to hand down a bill to the full Senate that would legalize gay marriage in NJ. The legislation was scheduled to head to the full Senate today, Thursday, December 10th, but has been delayed due to fear that the bill does not have enough votes. According to gay365.com, "Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts has not committed to posting the bill." Let's just hope that we can get enough Senate votes to pass it before time runs out in January.
Annise Parker the first Openly Gay Mayor of Houston, TX?
Annise Parker has been facing a lot of opposition from anti-LGBT forces in her race to become Mayor of Houston. Yet polls show she has a slight lead over her opponent and this weekend could become Houston, TX's first openly gay mayor. Parker and her life partner, Kathy Hubbard, have been together for almost 20 years and have two children. (Click here for more information about the opposition she's been facing.)
Comprehensive Sex Education in Pennsylvania?
A new bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would flip the 'opt-out' for sex education. The current policy "allows parents an opt-out if, for religious or other reasons, they'd prefer their kids don't get comprehensive education" (examiner.com). This comprehensive education includes information on birth control and pregnancy prevention as well as how to prevent sexually transmitted infections. "The new bill, sponsored by Represenatative Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, would require public schools to notify parents if the sex-ed curriculum teaches only abstinence when it comes to preventing pregnancy and the spread of disease" (examiner.com).
This bill is something we should all push for. Current abstinence-only education overlooks and ignores those in the LGBT community and puts all young persons at a disadvantage. According to examiner.com, "abstinence-only education programs have been proven to have no effect at all on the sexual activity of teenagers who participate in them." This means that while teenagers are still having sex, they are uninformed on how to protect themselves from disease and pregnancy.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Another Loss for Marriage Equality
Yesterday, quite unfortunately, the New York State Senate voted down a bill that would have ended marriage discrimination in their state. Both the ACLU and the HRC expressed their disappointment in the state senate's failure to legalize same-sex marriages, the vote being 38 to 24 against.
This is a disappointment not only for New Yorkers and for the equal marriage rights movement in general, but also specifically for those in New Jersey who had been hoping that similar legislation would come up in the state congress. According to 365gay.com, "It’s going to help cement defeat for gay marriage in New Jersey, and [could] get a whole bunch of politicians in New Hampshire who voted for gay marriage this year pretty nervous when they come up for election.”
The fact is that as all these equal marriage movements are defeated, it gets harder and harder for others states to have success. The passing of issue 1 in Maine and now the defeat of equal marriage in New York are creating painful disappointment in the LGBT community.
But there is hope. According to NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman, "this is only a temporary setback in our campaign to protect all New York families. The majority of New Yorkers support fair marriage laws that protect lesbian and gay families, and the day will come when we achieve that goal."
If there is hope in New York, than there is hope in New Jersey, and there is hope across the country. There will come a day when the goal of equality for the LGBT community is achieved. But we must hold on and keep strong until that day comes.
Sources:
ACLU Website: "NYCLU: Senate's Failure to Pass Marriage is Disappointing..."
365gay.com: Gay-marriage opponents welcome NY bill’s defeat
This is a disappointment not only for New Yorkers and for the equal marriage rights movement in general, but also specifically for those in New Jersey who had been hoping that similar legislation would come up in the state congress. According to 365gay.com, "It’s going to help cement defeat for gay marriage in New Jersey, and [could] get a whole bunch of politicians in New Hampshire who voted for gay marriage this year pretty nervous when they come up for election.”
The fact is that as all these equal marriage movements are defeated, it gets harder and harder for others states to have success. The passing of issue 1 in Maine and now the defeat of equal marriage in New York are creating painful disappointment in the LGBT community.
But there is hope. According to NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman, "this is only a temporary setback in our campaign to protect all New York families. The majority of New Yorkers support fair marriage laws that protect lesbian and gay families, and the day will come when we achieve that goal."
If there is hope in New York, than there is hope in New Jersey, and there is hope across the country. There will come a day when the goal of equality for the LGBT community is achieved. But we must hold on and keep strong until that day comes.
Sources:
ACLU Website: "NYCLU: Senate's Failure to Pass Marriage is Disappointing..."
365gay.com: Gay-marriage opponents welcome NY bill’s defeat
HRC Website: New York Senate Rejects Marriage Bill for Same-Sex Couples
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Washington D.C. Council Votes to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage!
Good news out of the District of Columbia today as the D.C. Council voted 11-2 to pass a bill legalizing marriage for same-sex couples within the District!
The bill must still be voted on once more by the D.C. Council--which is schedule to take place in two weeks, December 15--before it can be sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has pledged to sign it into law. According to the District's legislative protocols, the U.S. Congress has a thirty day window to review the bill, but both chambers (House and Senate) and the President's signature are required to repeal any bill passed by the Council.
If the bill passes as expected, it should go into effect as early as February or March, and Washington D.C. will join Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, and Massachusetts in allowing same-sex marriage.
The bill must still be voted on once more by the D.C. Council--which is schedule to take place in two weeks, December 15--before it can be sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has pledged to sign it into law. According to the District's legislative protocols, the U.S. Congress has a thirty day window to review the bill, but both chambers (House and Senate) and the President's signature are required to repeal any bill passed by the Council.
If the bill passes as expected, it should go into effect as early as February or March, and Washington D.C. will join Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, and Massachusetts in allowing same-sex marriage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)