If the anti-gay groups really want to see what same-sex marriage has done to families and the institution of marriage, they only need to look at Canada, which is celebrating 10 years of gay marriage. Families haven’t dis-intigrated, straight marriages still thrive, and the world hasn’t come to an end. I appluad all those couples who set the stage for the fight for all of the rest of us to be able to enjoy marriage[Read More…]
Need something to do in this cold winter weather? Why not check out this queer film series: Contemporary Queer Cinemas Public Film Series Event: Contemporary Queer Cinemas Public Film Series Location: 3415 WWPH (Wesley W. Posvar Hall), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA Date: See schedule below for various dates Time: 7:45pm, unless noted below Cost: Free and open to the public Description: This public film series is sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh’s Women’s Studies[Read More…]
His sexual orientation becomes important when the generic image of “gay” put out there for the average news consumer, is negative, and when folks are allowed to think they don’t know of any gay people, or know of any gay people who don’t fit the negative stereotypical hate stuff. But if the positive folks aren’t identified and celebrated at the time, then when will this become known? It is like making sure that these facts get entered into history, while history is being written.
Equality PA, the ACLU, and the Human Rights Campaign has been co-sponsoring a series of town hall events across Pennsylvania following the election last November. Two such events are slated for Western PA in the coming weeks. Ted Martin, the executive director of EQPA was a guest on my BlogTalk Radio program last week, and he talked about the purpose of the town halls, especially given the climate in Harrisburg, now that the Republicans control[Read More…]
The anti-gay forces are fighting like crazy on every front in their battle against same-sex marriage. In the case of California, the current knee-jerk sound-bite is, “the will of the people.” The premise is captured perfectly in this tweet: SaveOurNation: Can an attorney general and a governor veto the voice of the ballot box…the voice of the people [as in California’s Prop. 8 case]? This is the perfect fear-mongering/ hate speech sound-bite. On a surface[Read More…]
Saw this on the blog, Talk About Equality, link below. Now, in 2011, there’s a new crown-hopeful who is making waves. Miss New York, our very own Claire Buffie has chosen as her platform, LGBT Equality. This is the first time in 90 years that a contestant is standing up for the equal rights of a community that has helped make the Miss America Pageant what it is today. We frequently talk about the need[Read More…]
January 5, 2011 – Allentown, PA – Pennsylvania Diversity Network (PDN) praises the Allentown City Council Human Resources, Administration, and Appointments Committee passage of landmark civil rights legislation to grant equal benefits to same-sex partners of City employees. The committee, chaired by Councilwoman Jeanette Eichenwald, passed the legislation with a unanimous recommendation to the full Council to begin review of the bill. More than 50 supporters attended the meeting and only 3 people spoke against[Read More…]
When talking about same-sex marriage, it is often a muddy subject where the religious and the civil collide or overlap. But when discussing, a state’s recognition of a same-sex marriage in another state, the dialogue is free from the religious discourse.
So many activists are busy screaming about equality and equal rights, and that isn’t really a bad thing. But if we don’t do more to voice how our rights are connected the the founding and foundational documents of our states as well as our country, we may as well be screaming where no one can hear us. The very nature of everything we hold as Americans is up for grabs, if the constitutionality of laws doesn’t matter.
Ginny LaRoe, writing on Legal Pad offers further comment about the status of the Pro 8 Appeals case, currently before the Federal Ninth Circuit panel of judges. Here is my earlier recap/commentary on the state of the case. LaRoe writes about how a Washington DC ruling could offer the Californai panel direction in the question of if the Prop 8 proponents have standing. She writes: With the panel judges on the Prop 8 appeal so[Read More…]