A nine-year-old in Denver, Colorado has become an unlikely posterchild (literally) for marriage equality. Ethan McNamee of Montclair Elementary School organized a rally in support of same-sex marriage at his school reportedly after hearing slurs on the playground. There's an unmarried gay couple in his neighborhood as well, which led to McNamee's desire to speak out on the issue. Controversy over whether the third-grader is being used by his parents or teachers as a mouthpiece for a mature debate is inevitable, but it's evident from news report footage that McNamee is confident in what he believes and is wise beyond his mere nine years. We see a lot more activism in his future!
“The court is holding a legal gun to the head of the State Legislature, and saying, ‘Listen, there are two bullets, you get to pick the bullet: either gay marriage or civil unions,’ ” said Matt Daniels, president of Alliance for Marriage, an organization based in the Washington area that supports a federal Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. “And that is not democracy. That is court-imposed policy-making that takes this out of the hands of the people.”
Silly, silly, Matt Daniels. Why do these people continually forget that protection of the few is as much a part of democracy as rule by the many? He sees our government working and believes that it's broken. It's like seeing Iraq and believing that a war between factions or regions of the same country is not civil war.
Like it or not queer marriage is everywhere in the news from married queer icons splitting up to state constitutional ammendments banning gay marriage so take a quick second and vote in our poll about what gay marriage should be called.
Some say they don't mind same-sex couples having the same rights but marriage is for heteros only. Do you agree or disagree? Is it a nomenclature issue or something bigger? Is marriage a straight religious institution that gays should shun or is it about equal rights?
Vote now and comment (poll is at the top of near right column). Let us know your thoughts. In the meantime here are some of the latest headlines on same-sex unions.
One of the biggest impediments to achieving full marriage equality, I think, is the widespread perception within communities of color that the movement for same-sex marriage is composed solely or at least primarily of white queers. Even within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, there is a perception that it is the most privileged elements in our community -- including professional gay white men and lesbians -- who will benefit disproportionately from marriage rights. And some argue (falsely, I think) that the marriage equality movement is composed solely or primarily of those who have embraced an assimilationist discourse of heteronormative values -- those guys (and sometimes gals) who advertise for "straight-acting, straight appearing only" in the personal ads.
Cartoon by Kevin Siers
I am so sick of going to straight weddings. Yes, I care about my straight friends. Yes, I respect their right to wed. And yes, I want to help them celebrate their nuptials. But besides the fact that I have mixed feelings about this archaic institution that was once all about owning and controlling a wife, as if she were nothing more than piece of property (think Nora in A Doll's House), I am, if I may be completely honest, beginning to get really bitter about marriage inequality and it's making me resent even the thought of having to celebrate the nuptials of one more straight couple no matter how much I care about them.
And yes my friends and family do support giving queers the same legal and social rights (although some debate what it should be called) that marriage affords straight couples. Unfortunately, except for a few close friends, ideological backing seems to be the extent of support from most heterosexuals, which leads me to ask, "Where are all the straight activists!?"
Virginia is for lovers, or at least so goes that famous marketing slogan that the state used to attract tourists. But as the voters are now being asked to consider an amendment to the constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia that would ban same-sex marriage, truth in advertising would require the state to tell us that Virginia is only for lovers of the opposite sex.
The Marshall/Newman amendment being submitted to the voters of Virginia in November would amend the state's constitution not only to bar same-sex marriage, it would also prohibit any other form of recognition of relationships for unmarried partners. The text of the amendment reads as follows:
Thanks to Brandy from University of Memphis for this tip about a a GLBT marraige study.
Researchers from PRISMresearch.org at the University of Kentucky and University of Memphis are looking for participants for a new online gay marriage survey about experiences related to the debate over the recognition of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples.
This is a study of the attitudes and experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, same-gender loving, and same-sex partnered persons regarding the debate over recognition of civil marriage for same-sex couples. The purpose of this study is to document attitudes and experiences at several points in time in all states. Our hope is that the findings from this research project will contribute to an understanding of the experiences of GLB and same-sex partnered individuals in the United States during these times. The survey is open to those that identify as GLB, same-gender loving, or same-sex partnered, are 18 or older and a U.S. citizen or living in the U.S.
The deadline to complete the survey in order to enter a drawing for gift certificates is June 15, 2006.
As someone who grew up from the nourishment of the British colonial government, I never considered that I might have the option to be married to my same-sex partner at British diplomatic offices. For those who reside in Hong Kong and hold a British passport (both British nationals and Hong Kong Chinese who don't have the right to adobe in Britain), they were told today that they can't do so in that tiny, packed Special Administrative Region while they can do it in other countries including, believe it or not, the USA. Hong Kong objected to ritght of British passport holders to be entered into same-sex civil unions. Read the report from the International Herald Tribune.
What's the surprise here? Do you think the Hong Kong government would really let same-sex couples marry on their soil (even though the Consulate is considered foreign territory) when they are still in the process of considering if laws preventing discrimination against gays are even necessary? Let's do the math: if half of the Hong Kong population holds a passport that entities them to get married in the British Consulate, we could reasonably expect that more than few might want to make official their same sex untions. This is most likely causing the Chinese to freak out. Gay marriage? Over their dead bodies!
And by the way, they've already spent more than a year contemplating on the necessity for the anti-discriminating laws against gays. What's there to consider for those damn laws? Discrimination is discrimination and they should legislate equal protection for gays just like any other marginalized gorup. And can you guess who's opposing the anti-discrimination laws in Hong Kong? Did I hear you say the religious right? That's right, you got it, it's them again, they're everywhere and they are trying to prevent equal rights everywhere. They might as well make their rallying cry "Kill the Gays." Hmm I wonder what Jesus would do?
Picture by Wajaja during his visit to Hong Kong many years ago.
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