Tag Archives: civil unions

LGBT broadcaster to become New Zealand MP

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New Zealand is set to welcome a new LGBT legislator to its House of Representatives. Claudette Hauiti, next on the governing National Party’s list, is set to replace disgraced former MP Aaron Gilmore, who has resigned from Parliament.

Hauiti is a former broadcaster of Maori descent who is automatically eligible to become MP in New Zealand’s mixed-member proportional electoral system. The National Party has confirmed that she will be asked by the Electoral Commission to take Gilmore’s place.

New Zealand recently passed opposition member Louisa Wall’s marriage equality bill. Civil unions have been available to LGBT New Zealanders since 2005. Hauiti and her partner (pictured) are currently in a civil union and have a five-year-old daughter; they plan to marry next year.

Despite the National Party’s centre-right orientation, during the recent same-sex marriage debate several National MPs, most notably Maurice Williamson, distinguished themselves with their support for marriage equality. Hauiti joins Attorney-General Chris Finlayson as the National Party’s only openly LGBT parliamentarians.

New Zealand has been a leader in LGBT political representation since the outing of National MP Marilyn Waring, notably electing the world’s first transgender MP, Labour’s Georgina Beyer, in 1999. Hauiti will become the seventh openly gay, lesbian or bisexual MP in New Zealand’s 121-member House.*

* Seven gay, lesbian, or bisexual MPs were elected in 2011; Labour MP Charles Chauvel has since resigned his seat.

FRC’s Tony Perkins Gets Pissy Over Colorado Civil Unions

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Tony Perkins of the nationally recognized hate group the Family Research Council is all pissy that civil unions passed in Colorado once again proving that it’s not about “gay marriage” and just plain old hate and bigotry.

Via Press Release:

“After an emotional–and at times heated–debate, the Colorado  legislature managed to do something that the past two statehouses could  not: legalize civil unions. With Democrats in control of the Colorado  House and Senate, they made counterfeiting marriage their top priority.  By a 39-26 vote, the House sent the bill to Governor John  Hickenlooper–a Democrat–who is celebrating the bill even before  signing it. ‘#CivilUnions passes! Today, every Coloradan has equal  rights,’ he tweeted. In a state that has had a marriage protection amendment since 2006, nothing is acceptable but complete capitulation.” – Tony Perkins aka Princess Tiny Meat.

Even though I’m not completely thrilled about the seperate and unequal civil union “crumbs” and would much more prefer same-sex marriage in Colorado.   I must admit that if they piss Tony off It takes a bit of the edge off.  For now.

 

Colorado House of Representatives Approves Civil Unions Bill

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The Colorado House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a civil unions bill by a 39-26 vote margin.

Sponsored by Sens. Pat Steadman and Lucia Guzman in the Senate, and Speaker Mark Ferrandino and Rep. Sue Schafer in the House of Representatives, the bill passed the senate last month 21-14, and today 39-26 in the house.  Advocates at One Colorado worked tirelessly to secure passage of this bill.  Gov. John Hickenlooper, a vocal supporter of the legislation, is expected to sign the bill into law immediately and couples will be able to apply for a civil union license beginning on May 1 as the state joins California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island in recognizing some of the state-level spousal rights tosame-sex couples

We are proud that this debate was led by Colorado’s openly LGBT lawmakers and their allies,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute.  ”Having a place at the table really matters.”

Really Chuck?  Even if it’s at the end of the table with the UNEQUAL and SEPERATE seating?

Civil Unions ARE SO 2001.

 

Progress on same-sex marriage in New Zealand

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A private member’s bill to amend the Marriage Act has cleared another hurdle on its way to ensuring marriage equality for LGBT New Zealanders.

The change has been spearheaded by openly lesbian Labour MP Louisa Wall, who is of Maori descent. At first reading, the bill was supported by 80 parliamentarians (out of 120), a surprisingly strong showing, including a majority of MPs from the governing centre-right National Party.

New Zealand introduced civil unions in 2005 under the preceding Labour-led government. According to a recent poll – ironically conducted on behalf of the Family First lobby group that opposes gay marriage – 47% of New Zealanders back a change in the law while 43% believe that civil unions are sufficient.

Prime Minister John Key’s support for the legislation has no doubt convinced many right-leaning National supporters. Also on board are some unlikely allies, such as Key’s coalition partner John Banks of the Act Party. As a National MP in the 1980s, Banks had vociferously opposed equal rights for gay and lesbian New Zealanders.

New Zealand has been a leader in LGBT political representation, having elected the world’s first transgendered MP, Georgina Beyer. Currently there are openly gay and lesbian members in each of the three leading – National, Labour, and Green – parties’ caucuses.

 

Denver Nuggets Power Forward Kenneth Faried: “No One Can Tell Me I Can’t Have Two Mothers”

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BRAVO to Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried, who stepped forward and recorded this clip below with his  rwo moms, Carol and Waudda. on behalf of One  Colorado, a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to securing and  protecting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender  Coloradans.

GOP Legislators Use Obstructionist TacticsTo Filibuster Colorado’s Civil Unions Bill Into The Trash

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Last night Colorado’s GOP filibustered in order to prevent the civil unions bill from coming to a vote  by running the clock out without taking a vote on it with hour-long debates on noncontroversial legislation about historic license plates and trans-fats in school lunchrooms.

GOP House Speaker Frank McNulty (R) held the civil unions bill hostage, refusing to guarantee that he would bring it up to a vote. In fact, he dishonestly rejected the notion that any sort of stalling tactic was underway. Meanwhile, Rep. Mark Waller (R) attempted to play damage control  on the floor, evoking uproarious laughter from the press when he claimed, ? “The Democrats in the State House right now are playing procedural games to have one bill heard over every other bill.?”

A bill to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions died on the calendar late Tuesday, taking down more than 30 other measures with it in a dramatic game of political chicken in which no one would blink. When Republican Speaker Frank McNulty acknowledged there was an impasse and abruptly ended his news conference on the House floor, Coloradans watching in the gallery started chanting: “Shame on you! Shame on you!” GOP-controlled Judiciary Committee for the second year in a row were enraged and lobbied McNulty and House Majority Leader Amy Stephens to use every procedure to kill Senate Bill 2.

That’s exactly what happened, but in the process of making sure civil unions died on the calendar, a slew of other bills became casualties too. Among the bills ensnared in the tug-of-war in the House: $20 million worth of water projects statewide and a bill that sets a standard for driving while stoned. Throughout the evening, Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat and a supporter of gay rights, worked with legislative leaders to try to break the impasse, briefly meeting with McNulty outside the speaker’s office. At another point, Republican Mark Waller of Colorado Springs and Democrat Mark Ferrandino held dueling news conferences on the House floor

Jace Woodrum Deputy Executive Director of One Colorado spoke to supporters shortly after the bill’s defeat in the Colorado House.

Illinois Bill HB 5170 To Overturn States DOMA Law Stalled And All But Dead For 2012

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HB 5170 a bill which was introduced on February 8th and would repeal the current state law defining marriage as a union between a man and woman and pave the way for same sex marriage in Illinois sits stalled and ignored in various Illinois House Committe’s will probably not make it to the floor for a vote this year.

I never say never,” said State Rep. Greg Harris “[But] I don’t think there will be a push before the end of this session.

The Illinois state budget, rimming pension and Medicaid outlays are taking precedence and many politicos in the House do not want to touch what they call a  “hot button social issue”, especially in an election year.

Early last year Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Monday legalizing civil unions for gay and lesbian couples which  gay and lesbian couples official recognition from the state and many, but not all of the rights that accompany traditional marriage.

Seven states currently allow same sex marriage:  Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Federal Government does not officially recognize any of those marriages.

Rick Santorum: No Gay Marriage, No Civil Unions. EVER.

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 “CBS Evening News,” interviewed Rick Santorum and surprise, surprise!  Not ONY does Ole Frothy NOT believe in Civil Marriage but he also doesn’t believe in Civil Unions for same sex couples and says that same sex couples should only live together and pay thousands in legal fees to draw up “contracts”  so they can can have legal standings for certain benefits together.

Ten grand for legal fees vs. 40 dollars for a marriage license. 

Right now I’d willingly spend thousands to get a “contract” for Santorum thats for sure.

Rhode Island First Lady to Perform Civil Union

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Rhode Island’s First Lady, Stephanie Chafee, has announced that she is planning on performing the civil union of friends. Boston.com reports:

Lynn McKinney and Ron Margolin first asked Gov. Lincoln Chafee to officiate at their Nov. 5 ceremony in Newport, but he plans to be in Israel for an economic development trip.

McKinney and Margolin have been partners for 32 years. They are political supporters of Chafee.

Governor and Stephanie Chafee have long been an advocates of LGBT equality, and Mrs. Chafee was one of the first AIDS research nurse in Rhode Island.

1400+ Gay Couples Marry In New York As Only 9 Couples Sign Up For Civil Unions In Rhode Island

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Almost after one month of the beginning of legal gay marriage in new York and the passage and beginning of legal Civil Unions in Rhode Island the data proves overwhelmingly that the Lesbian and Gay Community will not stand for separate and unequal treatment as over 14oo gay couples have wed in New York and only a handful have signed up for civil unions in the state of Rhode Island.

The city doesn’t know for certain how many of the 5,587 total marriage licenses issued through Aug. 12 were for same-sex couples, as officials removed the gender requirement from the application.

However, since applications have hovered around 4,200 licenses for the same period the prior three years, it’s reasonable to presume that this year’s 33 percent spike is almost entirely due to gay marriage, City Clerk Michael McSweeney said.

But in Rhode Island the picture is bleak.  More than a month after it became legal, only a few Rhode Island same-sex couples are taking advantage of the state’s new civil unions law.  Only nine couples were joined in civil unions in July, which was the first month licenses were available.

Even for Rhode Island, the smallest state  with a population of 1 million people, the total is miniscule, and marriage equality advocates said it proves their point that civil unions are a “poor substitute.” for gay marriage and that the lesbian and gay community wants nothing to do with it.

Advocates have vowed to push for the marriage equality legislation again in next year.  Last year’s marriage equality push failed miserably due to lack of support of   lawmakers including Gordon Fox, the gay speaker of the Rhode Island House and lack of backbone of Marriage Equality Rhode Island which  took up civil unions as a compromise solution believing that something is better than nothing.