New Zealand Now Has Gay Marriage

15th Country to Allow Same-sex Marriage On Monday, August 19, 2013, New Zealand became the thirteenth country to welcome same-sex marriage.  Some newlyweds, estimated at three dozen, took advantage of the new law such as  Rachel Briscoe and Jess Ivess as well as Richard Rawstorm and Richard Andrew in Rotorua, New Zealand.  As promised, the Modern Family star was present at the marriage of Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau for the first gay wedding in New Zealand.. Married at 39,000 Feet Activist Ferguson, with his new husband laywerJustin Mikita, who were married in New York City last month, attended the wedding aboard Air New Zealand,  “What an unforgettable way to mark the new law and “a great celebration of New Zealand’s diversity!”… more

The Great Gay Migration – Suze Orman Urges Gay Couples to Move for Marriage Equality

Love Wins: Respect For Marriage Finds Federal Support – But Which States Are Most Supportive?Love Wins: Respect For Marriage Finds Federal Support – But Which States Are Most Supportive? “People ask, ‘What’s the big deal about being married,?’ When it comes to insurance, estate benefits, pensions, it’s really important that this happens on the federal level, not just the state level.” – Suze Orman Financial consultant, author and CNBC TV personality Suze Orman recently told the press that gay couples should put their money where equality lives—so much so, that they should move to pro marriage equality states.… more

California Allows Gay Marriage, but School Doesn’t

Rally and Online Petition for Fired Gay Teacher A popular English teacher at St. Lucy’s Priory High School in Glendora, California has been fired not for incompetence, but because news of his same-sex wedding went public.  The teacher, Ken Bencomo, 45, married his partner of 10 years, Christoper Persky, on July 1 in a civil ceremony at San Bernandino City Hall of Records.  They were among the first gay couples to wed after the Supreme Court struck down Proposition 8 in California. The pictures of the wedding, accompanied an article about marriage equality, were in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on July 1st and created quite a stir with the Catholic private high school’s administration which employed Bencomo. … more

PROPOSITION 8 SUPPORTERS FAIL AGAIN TO STOP SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN CA

On Monday, July 15, 2013 the California State Supreme Court without explanation refused to issue an emergency halt to same sex marriage as requested in the latest petition filed by Project Marriage on behalf of Ernest Droneburg, a San Diego county clerk. The legal brief filed on Friday, July 12, 2013 asked that the California State Supreme Court stop same sex marriage until the legal arguments could be considered in full. The legal brief was filed in the California State Supreme Court as the United States Supreme Court has already barred them from defending Proposition 8 in federal court.… more

Gay Marriage in French Prison Is Actually Anti-Gay Marriage

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Trying to beat them by joining them is one of the newest anti-gay marriage protests in France. Last week, news outlets were buzzing as two male inmates, both serving long sentences for murder, were married in a civil ceremony. Germain Gaiffe and Alfredo Stranieri had their “wedding ceremony” in a high-security prison at Poissy, near Paris. Gaiffe received a 30-yar sentence for beheading and chopping up a shopkeeper into pieces, and Stranieri gained the nickname the “small ads killer,” since he targeted his victims through classified advertisements, and was given a life sentence for killing four people and burying them in his garden.… more

Gay Marriage Opponents in France More Violent and More Pink

If you’ve been worried about protesters arguing against gay marriage in the United States, you should hear about what’s been going on in France. Gay marriage in the country has been legal since May 18 of this year, and had a huge pride parade to celebrate a month later, but ever since its passage the country has had protesters demanding a change in some odd and scary ways. After the ruling of the constitutionality of same-sex marriages, Paris saw protests flare up in its streets, some of which had to be broken apart by police forces.… more

Protest Marriage in Indiana? Don’t Even Think About It

Part of the strategy to get same-sex marriages recognized nationwide has been to apply for marriage applications and ignore the fact that the state didn’t recognize the union. Indiana’s tired of it and doing so could get you, your partner, and everyone involved some jail time and a fine. A 1997 law in Indiana that makes supplying false information on a marriage license or application a class D felony has been recently updated. Beginning July 1, 2014 any same-sex couples applying for marriage licenses will automatically fall under this statute and be liable for prosecution.… more

Illinois State Ban on Gay Marriage Being Challenged

ACLU & Lambda Legal Argue Case for Twenty-Five Illinois Scurrying to Strike Down “Unsconstitutional” Ban Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a federal same-sex marriage ban, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), states that do not have same-sex marriage are filing suits for federal benefits such as Pennsylvania, New Mexico and New Jersey The American Civil Liberties Union and New York-based gay rights organization Lambda Legal are busy filing suits challenging gay marriage bans. They are also planning to lodge same-sex challenges in North Carolina and Virginia.… more

House of Lords Backs Gay Marriage in England and Wales

LGBT Couples Can Marry Next Spring Queen Elizabeth is expected to give her approval (“Royal Assent”) to the same-sex marriage bill by the end of the week of July 15, 2013. With her signature, the concept of marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman comes to an end.  The legislation is championed by Prime Minister David Cameron and brings to an end the debate which has divided the Conservative Party and sometimes pitted Church against State. In The House of Lords Peers in the House of Lords, the unelected second chamber of the UK Parliament for making and shaping laws, gave their verbal affirmations to the third reading of the Government’s bill without a formal vote.… more

Attorney General in Pa Won’t Defend Gay Marriage Ban in Court

Leaves Job To Republican Governor Tom Corbett Kathleen Kane, the Attorney General of the state of Pennsylvania, said on July 11, 2013, that she will not defend the state’s gay marriage ban in court.  Under Pennsylvania law, it’s the Attorney General’s duty to defend the constitutionality of state laws.  But the law also says that the Attorney General may allow lawyers for the Governor’s office or Executive Branch agencies to defend a lawsuit if it’s more efficient or in the state’s best interest. Kane’s Decision Not To Defend the Ban “I cannot ethically defend the constitutionally of Pennsylvania’s (law banning same-sex marriage) where I believe it to be wholly unconstitutional,” Kane, the first Democrat and woman to be elected to Attorney General, said.… more