via Queerty by Lester Brathwaite on 2/5/13
Today, the UK’s House of Commons voted by 400 to 175 in favor of allowing same-sex marriage, a cause embraced by Conservative Party Prime Minister David Cameron.“The depth of feeling, love and commitment between same-sex couples is no different from that depth of feeling between opposite-sex couples,” said Equalities Minister Maria Miller in introducing the measure. “The Bill enables society to recognize that commitment in the same way, too, through marriage. Parliament should value people equally in the law, and enabling same-sex couples to marry removes the current differentiation and distinction.”
But even as Cameron touted his support for same-sex marriage as being in line with his conservative values, some of his fellow Tories aren’t fans of the effort. “[The campaign for equal marriage] has caused deep and needless divisions within the Conservative Party,” said former Defense Minister Sir Gerald Howarth. “There is no mandate for it.”
MP Edward Leigh, meanwhile acknowledged equality is important, “but not at the expense of every other consideration. Not at the expense of tradition.”
Those Conservative Party members who backed the measure were joined by the bulk of Labour MPs, including David Lammy who dismissed the theory that civil unions were adequate for gays and lesbians:
Separate but equal are the words that justified sending black children to different schools than their white peers. It is the same statement, the same ideas and the same delusion that we borrowed in this country to say that women could vote but only if they were married and only when they were over 30.The next step is for the bill to examined in detail by the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Separate is not equal, so let us be rid of it. As long as there is one rule for us and another for them we allow the barriers of acceptance to go unchallenged. As long as our statute book suggests love between two men or two women is unworthy of being recongized through marriage we allow the rot of homophobia to fester.
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via Advocate.com - Gay News | The Advocate | The World's Leading Source for LGBT News and Entertainment by Trudy Ring on 2/5/13
via Steve Rothaus' Gay South Florida by Steve Rothaus on 2/5/13
BY LOLITA C. BALDOR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The policy change would come about 16 months after the Pentagon repealed its ban on openly gay service.
Officials say Panetta has not made a final decision on which benefits will be included, but the Pentagon is likely to allow same-sex partners to have access to the on-base commissary and other military subsidized stores, as well as health and welfare programs.
Officials say the military is likely to require that some type of document be signed to designate the military member's partner as a legitimate recipient of the benefits.
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly.
Click here to read more.
News release from HRC, Human Rights Campaign.
Pentagon Vows to Extend Benefits to Gay Service Members, Families
HRC calls on Panetta to include “every benefit possible under the law”
WASHINGTON – In response to news that the Pentagon would be extending certain benefits to the spouses of gay and lesbian military personnel, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin issued the following statement:
“We welcome the news that benefits will be extended to the same-sex spouses and partners of gay and lesbian service members, and urge Secretary Panetta to make sure every benefit possible under the law is included. This is the logical next step in ensuring all our military families are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2010, HRC has called on the Pentagon to change its policies that currently deny many benefits from gay and lesbian service members and their families. As part of ongoing effort to achieve full equality in the military, HRC has called on Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to issue military IDs to same-sex spouses and extend every possible benefit not specifically barred by the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The revisions would ensure same-sex spouses in the military receive the same benefits afforded all other service members.
Some of the regulatory changes Panetta could make with the stroke a pen include:
Such actions have already been taken, for example, by the State Department to extend benefits to the partners and spouses of Foreign Service officers and by OPM to extend sick leave, long-term care insurance, travel and relocation assistance, and other benefits to civilian federal employees.
- Housing – Same-sex spouses and partners in the military are currently ineligible for the economic benefits that come with on-base housing, such as rent-free living quarters.
- Military ID cards – Same-sex spouses and partners are currently ineligible for the identification card that is essential for accessing bases, morale and recreation programs, and a number of other on-base amenities and services.
- Access to Commissaries and Exchanges – Same-sex spouses and partners can’t access the discounted stores where most military families typically save an average of 30 percent on grocery bills.
- Personnel assignments – Military regulations currently do not include same-sex spouses or partners when considering assignments. However, opposite-sex, dual-career military couples may be assigned to the same geographic reason.
- Legal Services – Opposite-sex military service members and their families have access to free legal services on a variety of items, including the drafting of wills and serving as advocate and counsel. Same-sex spouses and partners do not have access to these free legal services.
- Spousal Privilege to Refuse to Testify – The Rules of Evidence in the Manual for Courts-Martial grants opposites-sex spouses the privilege to refuse to testify against one another in criminal cases – a benefit not extended to same-sex spouses or partners.
“The military leadership have dragged their feet long enough,” Griffin added. “Two years after ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was relegated to the dustbin of history, it’s time for our heroes in arms to finally receive the justice they deserve.”
via Queerty by Dan Avery on 2/5/13
Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected to announce the extension of benefits for families of gay and lesbian servicemembers this week, reports the Washington Post.“Secretary Panetta established a strong civil-rights record long before taking office at the Pentagon, so his unwillingness to extend support and recognition to gay and lesbian service members and their families where it is clearly within his authority to do so has baffled many of us,” says OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson. “We are hopeful that he will not take half-measures here,” she added. “For him to grant anything less than the full extent of benefits available under current law would be an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exemplary record on civil rights.”
Advocates have been fighting for equal access to housing and base recreational facilities, and joint-duty assignments for same-sex military couples. The Armed Forces is expected to confer at least some of these benefits, even while DOMA is still the law of the land. And former Sen. Chuck Hagel, currently being considered as Panetta’s successor, has said he would work to speedily enact these benefits if confirmed.
A group of lawmakers lead by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) has urged Panetta to move on the benefits before he leaves office. “As long as they remain in place, these restrictions have the effect of perpetuating discrimination against same-sex spouses and their families,” the letter explained. “Current policy is treating same sex service members, their spouses and families as second class citizens.”
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via Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines on 2/5/13
However, officials must be careful not to violate the Defense of Marriage Act.
via Gay/Lesbian News on 2/5/13
The margin of victory in the House of Commons ended up being 225. Members of the British Parliament approved same-sex marriage for England and Wales 400 to 175 at the end of a full day of debate. Prime Minister David Cameron called in an important step forward in the strengthening of society. This was, however, the first reading. There is still more legislating to go.
via Gay News - New York's Facebook Wall by Gay News - New York on 2/5/13
Huff Post Live Tackles Gay Rights As Civil Rights (VIDEO) - Huffington Post
Huff Post Live Tackles Gay Rights As Civil Rights (VIDEO)
Huffington Post
In his inaugural address, President Obama discussed the civil rights movement and the fight for gay …
Huff Post Live Tackles Gay Rights As Civil Rights (VIDEO) - Huffington Post
Huff Post Live Tackles Gay Rights As Civil Rights (VIDEO)
Huffington Post
In his inaugural address, President Obama discussed the civil rights movement and the fight for gay …
Huff Post Live Tackles Gay Rights As Civil Rights (VIDEO) - Huffington Post
via gay rights puerto rico - Google News on 2/5/13
George Kalogridis Becomes Walt Disney World's First Openly Gay President
Huffington Post The Chicago native recently released "Cloud Atlas" and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/lana-wachowski-transgender-cloud-atlas-director-reveals-pain-suicide-attempt_n_2009112.html">received the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award ... and more » |
via Gay TV's Facebook Wall by Gay TV on 2/5/13
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality Subscribe to the Guardian HERE: …
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality Subscribe to the Guardian HERE: …
Supporters of the gay marriage bill voice their reasons for equality
Mike Nova's starred items
via gay travel puerto rico - Google News on 2/5/13
 Salon |
Jon Favreau, 31, is leaving the White House come March
Salon People protest outside the government pension headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday. Puerto Rico is confronting what economists and financial analysts say is a ticking fiscal time bomb: a public pension system with a $37.3 billion unfunded ... and more » |
via gay rights puerto rico - Google Blog Search by chiwow on 2/3/13
The gay rights movement is working to make sure bi-national same-sex couples are included in immigration reform legislation making its way toward Congress, a tricky task for a constituency at the nexus of two hot-button social issues. So far, it has done so with strong backing .... Once he reached 18 and finished high school in Puerto Rico, Martin relocated to New York to launch his solo career, releasing his first album in 1988. But he didn't achieve international fame ...
via gay rights puerto rico - Google Blog Search by The Huffington Post News Editors on 2/5/13
In a June 2009 <em>Rolling Stone</em> cover story, Lambert said, "Right after the finale [of "AI"], I almost started talking about it to the reporters, but I thought, 'I'm going to wait for <em>Rolling Stone</em>, that will be cooler,'.. I didn't ..... History was made in October when active professional featherweight boxer <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/orlando-cruz-comes-out-gay_n_1939204.html">Orlando Cruz of Puerto Rico came out</a>. He said in a ...
via gay rights puerto rico - Google Blog Search by lisaparavisini on 2/5/13
Puerto Rico's LGBT Community Receives Bipartisan Support. gay-rights-march-1. In an otherwise conservative “state” (unincorporated territory, to be precise), LGBT rights received support from members of both political ...
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