Tag Archives: marriage equality

Texas among states ‘Least Likely to Legalize Gay Marriage Anytime Soon’

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While a record number of Texas voters support some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples, the Lone Star State is still viewed as one of the last states that will legalize it.

A Huffington Post article ranks the nine states that are the least likely to legalize same-sex marriage in the near future based on the percentage of voters who favored a state constitutional ban.

Mississippi was No. 1 with 86 percent of voters who supported the ban, followed by Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.

Texas passed its constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions in 2005 with 76 percent of voter support.

Austin’s KUT News recently examined if marriage equality could come to Texas, which could happen depending on how the U.S. Supreme Court’s rules in the Proposition 8 case that challenges California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

LGBT experts believe that if the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t affect Texas, it could take a decade for the high court to hear another case that would ultimately force Texas to recognize same-sex marriages.

—  Anna Waugh

Marriages in Maine to begin at midnight

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Marriage begins in state No. 8 tomorrow. Several city and town halls in Maine are planning special hours to accommodate people planning to marry as soon as the marriage-equality law fully takes effect.

Two other states that voted for equality in November are Washington and Maryland. Marriages began in Washington earlier this month and will begin in Maryland on Tuesday, Jan. 1.

The Portland Press reported that Portland’s city hall will open at 12:01 a.m. and stay open until 3 a.m. to issue licenses and perform ceremonies. Officials said they can accommodate up to 100 couples. Doors open at 10 p.m. tonight.

In Maryland, one company is pulling a Baylor Health Care System and will no longer offer its services for weddings of any type. Discover Annapolis Tours said it would lose $50,000 a year when it stops its business rather than serve same-sex couples.

“If they’re providing services to the public, they can’t discriminate who they provide their services to,” said Glendora Hughes, general counsel for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights.

Gay Weddings In Maine is a new website to help couples getting married in Maine. The site includes legal advice, practical information and more than 300 vendors happy to provide everything from flowers, limousines and catering halls to rehearsal dinner and honeymoon spots around the state.

—  David Taffet

Marriage equality battles rage in France, Great Britain and Uruguay

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Uruguay’s Congress building in Montevideo

A marriage equality bill passed the lower house of Uruguay’s congress. The bill is expected to pass the Senate as well. The country already has civil unions.

President Jose Mujica is expected to sign the bill into law making Uruguay the second South American country with marriage equality after Argentina.

In Latin America, Mexico City has marriage equality as well, and a recent Supreme Court ruling makes other states in Mexico recognize those marriages.

France and Great Britain already have domestic partnerships.

In France, President Francois Hollande was elected on a promise to legalize same-sex marriage. Yesterday, however, about 20,000 people in five cities turned out for an anti-equality march.

Hollande suggested mayors from more conservative rural cities could opt out of marrying same-sex couples.

More than 2,000 mayors have signed a petition that they would opt out, according to Press TV.

In Great Britain, the debate over marriage equality continues. Because the Church of England is a state religion, the church is involved in the debate in a way in which it is not in other European countries. A new proposal would allow same-sex civil ceremonies but would ban the Churches of England and Wales from performing those ceremonies. It would also allow other religious groups to opt out.

Other religious groups would be able to opt in, according to the BBC. Among those in favor of marriage equality are the Quakers, Unitarians and Liberal Jews. Liberal Judaism in Great Britain is equivalent to Reform Judaism in North America, which has recognized same-sex marriage for 15 years.

In Europe, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Norway, Spain and Sweden already have marriage equality.

No word on when France and Great Britain will vote on their pending marriage equality legislation.

—  David Taffet

Same-sex marriage breaks color barrier

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Gay folks measure victories incrementally: The first time the New York Times acknowledged “longtime companions” in their obits of gay men; the time Ellen came out on TV and the cover of Time; the first time — recently — that broadcasters casually referred to the partner of a gay celeb as his or her spouse, husband or wife.

Well, add to those media milestones Jet magazine.

The 51-year-old lifestyle magazine targeting the African-American community has long featured a weddings section called Jet Love, and in the Dec. 10 print edition, it features for the first time a gay couple, as reported by The Advocate. Among the photos of tuxedo-and-gown-clad duos shoving cake in each others’ faces and tossing bouquets is the happy (and handsome) couple of Ravi Perry and and Paris Prince, who were wed in Worcester, Mass.

Congratulations to the couple … to the gay community … and to Jet for taking an important step.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Independents, urban dwellers fuel jump in support for same-sex marriage in TX

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A poll released in October showed that 69 percent of Texas voters support some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples.

A three-year analysis of University of Texas/Texas Tribune polls shows that support for same-sex unions has risen most significantly among Independents and urban dwellers.

A poll released in October found a record 69 percent of Texas voters favor some sort of relationship recognition for same-sex couples, either civil unions or same-sex marriage, which is a record high. Of those polled, 75 percent of Democrats favored recognition, compared to 64 percent of Independents and Republicans, though only 15 percent of Republicans support marriage equality.

More graphics breaking down the poll results are below.

Continue reading “Independents, urban dwellers fuel jump in support for same-sex marriage in TX” »

—  Anna Waugh

Charges dismissed against 1 of 2 gay Dallas men arrested at marriage sit-in

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Mark ‘Major’ Jiminez, left, and Beau Chandler outside the courthouse this morning.

UPDATE: Dallas attorney Chad West, one of the couple’s attorneys, said the dismissal was a plea bargain and Chandler could still push the case to trial if he wanted. However, he said the couple wanted a trial or dismissal and this was the only way to get a dismissal in this case.

“In my mind, it’s a complete win,” he said. “There’s nothing better than this other than a full dismissal.”

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Trevizo, the prosecutor on Chandler’s case, said the case is a conditional dismissal and would be dismissed when the community service was completed. She declined to comment on why the case wasn’t simply dismissed altogether.

ORIGINAL POST:

Beau Chandler and Mark “Major” Jiminez, the couple arrested at a marriage equality sit-in in July, are one step closer to their goal. The couple has vowed to see their charges of criminal trespass through to trial unless their cases are dismissed.

Chandler’s case was dismissed Tuesday during his first court appearance. Supporters lined up for a rally in the chilly weather in front of Frank Crowley Criminal Courts Building before the couple went inside.

One of the couple’s attorneys, Chad West, met with the assistant district attorney and agreed to a dismissal and a waive of the $650 fine if Chandler completes 40 hours of community service.

Chandler said he felt neutral after he learned the outcome because he wanted a full dismissal instead of community service. However, he and Jiminez often volunteer so 40 hours wouldn’t be hard to finish.

“I feel kind of neutral. I’m not happy. I’m not disappointed,” he said. “It’s a win.  All in all, it sort of worked out. It is a dismissal which was out ultimate goal.”

Jiminez said his two cases are still pending and he doesn’t know when his next court appearance will be. His cases were moved to another court, so he said that is part of the hold up.

More photos from the rally below.

Continue reading “Charges dismissed against 1 of 2 gay Dallas men arrested at marriage sit-in” »

—  Anna Waugh

Eureka Springs becomes 1st city in Arkansas to endorse marriage equality

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Eureka Springs on Monday became the first city in Arkansas to endorse marriage equality, according to a report from retired journalist Michael Walsh, a resident who authored the city’s domestic partner registry five years ago.

In an email to Dallas Voice, Walsh said he was one of two leaders of a low-profile campaign to persuade the City Council to adopt the marriage equality resolution who spoke in favor of it at Monday’s meeting. Lamont Richie, a former city official and currently a Carroll County Quorum court judge, was blunt about the resolution’s intent.

“This will put you on record as supporting marriage equality,” Richie told the council.

Continue reading “Eureka Springs becomes 1st city in Arkansas to endorse marriage equality” »

—  John Wright

When will same-sex marriages begin in Washington, Maryland, Maine?

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On Election Day, three states approved same-sex marriage and one, Minnesota, defeated an anti-equality constitutional amendment. But marriages have not yet begun in the three states — Maine, Maryland and Washington — that voted for marriage equality.

Maryland’s new marriage law takes effect on Jan. 1, but according to state officials, it will be a few more days after the New Year before marriage licenses will be issued. According to the Washington Post, that’s because Jan. 1 is a holiday and Maryland has a 48-hour waiting period from the time licenses are issued.

In Maine, marriage will go into effect sometime between Dec. 6 and and Jan. 5. The initiative goes into effect 30 days after the governor makes a “public proclamation of the result of the vote,” within 10 days after the result has been determined.

Maine voters on Tuesday overturned a 2009 ballot initiative that blocked a marriage equality law passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. Equality lost in 2009 by 47 to 53 percent. The overturn vote this year was 53 to 47 percent.

Because Washington’s elections are done by mail, results came slower, but marriage passed by roughly the same margin here that it passed by in Maine and Maryland. Washington’s procedure is for the ballot initiative to be certified on Dec. 5. Marriage is expected to begin in that state the next day.

The biggest prize this year may still be California. If the Supreme Court decides not to hear the Proposition 8 case at its next conference Nov. 20, the lower court’s ruling stands and marriage begins immediately or within weeks in that state. If the high court decides to hear the case, a ruling would probably not be issued until June.

Marriage opponent Brian Brown, president of National Organization for Marriage, said his group was outspent 4 to 1, which he blames for the first successful votes for equality. Polls show 53 percent of Americans support marriage equality.

—  David Taffet

Record number of Texas voters back legal recognition for gay couples

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A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll this week showed nearly 70 percent of Texans support legal recognition for same-sex couples – the highest percentage since polls began asking the questions in 2009.

The Tribune’s poll showed 36 percent support same-sex marriage and 33 percent support civil unions, for a total of 69 percent in favor of relationship recognition. Although with 25 percent against marriage or civil unions, the data could be interrupted as 58 percent against same-sex marriage.

Still, the findings in support of relationship recognition are 6 points higher than the second-highest result in February 2010, when a Tribune poll found 63 percent of Texans supported relationship recognition, with 28 percent in favor of marriage and 35 percent supporting civil unions.

The new poll is also 9 points higher than a Tribune poll from this February, which showed 31 percent supporting marriage and 29 percent favoring unions, totaling 60 percent in favor.

Erin Moore, who serves as co-chair of National Stonewall Democrats Leadership Council and was a member of the national Platform Committee, said polls are not a good basis for argument, but help get conversations started.

“I think it’s a great gauge of attitude, but I don’t think we should use it as ammunition for a basis for any sort of argument,” she said.

Moore said she questions the new poll because the percentage for marriage equality and civil unions were equal, as it has been in past years. She said she worries if people are against relationship recognition but choose civil unions to not appear bigoted.

“I wonder how much of that is support and how much of that is let me pick the non-bigoted answer but still not say I’m in favor of marriage,” she said.

As for the 9-point jump in support from February and the highest percentage in favor of marriage equality, Moore said that high a jump is a “significant shift” and that President Barack Obama’s public support for same-sex marriage and local efforts have helped the movement.

“What I attribute it to is that we’re continuing to do our work and get out into communities and to let people know that separate but equal doesn’t work in that we are full-fledged citizens who deserve rights that everybody else has, and that word is getting out,” she said.

In May 2011, a Tribune poll found 61 percent of Texans supported gay relationships with the support split between 30 percent backing  marriage and 31 percent favoring civil unions.

A Texas Lyceum poll in October 2010 found that Texans supported gay relationships by 52 percent. More than half at 28 percent supported marriage equality and 24 percent supported civil unions.

An Equality Texas poll released in December 2010 asked Texans 12 questions related to LGBT equality. The survey didn’t give an either/or option, but rather asked each question separately, resulting in 43 percent supporting gay marriage and 63 percent favoring civil unions.

In 2009, a Texas Politics Poll found 61 percent of people supported relationship recognition, with 29 percent for marriage equality and 32 percent for civil unions. A Texas Lyceum poll the same year found 57 percent in support, with 25 percent for marriage and 32 percent for civil unions.

—  Anna Waugh

For 7th time in 3 years, poll shows most Texans support legal gay unions

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Yet another poll has found that a solid majority of Texans support legal recognition — where it be marriage or civil unions — for same-sex couples.

Results from a University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll released today show that 36 percent of Texans support same-sex marriage, while another 33 percent support civil unions but not marriage. Twenty-five percent said they oppose all forms of legal relationship recognition — both marriage and civil unions — for same-sex couples.

The UT/TT poll surveyed 800 voters from Oct. 15-21 and has a margin of error of 4.22 percentage points.

It’s at least the seventh poll since 2009 that has showed that a solid majority of Texans  support civil unions or marriage — with the figure consistently hovering around 60 percent — which might lead one to wonder why they don’t ask a new LGBT-related question.

In case these pollsters haven’t noticed, Texas has a constitutional amendment banning both same-sex marriage and civil unions. Overturning the amendment would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, as well as a simple majority of voters,  which is extremely unlikely to happen anytime in the foreseeable future.

Therefore, we’d suggest they ask something more relevant, such as, “Would you support a law banning employment discrimination against LGBT people?”

—  John Wright