Watershed Year for Gay Rights

[babylonsister]

Gains outweigh setbacks in a landmark year for gay rights
Repeal of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy may be the movement's biggest victory yet, activists say.

By Robin Abcarian and Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times

December 19, 2010


Today the military, tomorrow the marriage altar?

In an era when gay Americans have seen stunning progress and many setbacks in the quest for equality under the law, many believe 2010 will go down in history as a watershed that will lead inexorably to more legal rights.

Saturday's vote in the Senate to allow the repeal of the federal law banning gays from openly serving in the military is "one of the greatest, if not the greatest, victory in the history of the movement for gay and lesbian equality," said Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a UC Santa Barbara think tank that studies the issue of gays in the military. "Going back thousands of years, the marker of a first-class citizen has always been someone who's been allowed to serve in the military."

snip//

Indeed, the most important victories for gays have been won this year in the courts and Congress, rather than through the electorate.

In July, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman, is unconstitutional. The Obama administration supported the statute, saying it was obligated to defend federal laws, even though President Obama has called it "abhorrent."

In August, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban passed by California voters, is unconstitutional. The ruling is on hold pending appeal.

And in September, another federal judge ruled the "don't ask, don't tell" law unconstitutional in response to a lawsuit brought by the gay group Log Cabin Republicans.

"The momentum in America," said Evan Wolfson, executive director of the national advocacy organization Freedom to Marry, is "toward the freedom to marry and ending unfair treatment of gay people." Gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gay-rights-year-20101219,0,2690533.story

[terrya]

1. That's a good article. I'll add another example.

Here in Illinois. A few weeks ago, we passed a civil unions bill here. And before anyone mentions that civil unions isn't the same as marriage...of course. But this state didn't have anything. And now we'll have some legal protections and benefits for gay and lesbian couples, statewide. And...this is a big AND....NO ONE expects that we'll be satisfied with civil unions here. Bold prediction...Illinois will have same-sex marriage in the next 2 years. It took this state 30 years to pass a gay rights bill here. It took civil unions a fraction of that time. It was fairly stunning how quickly we got civil unions.

Thanks for posting this, babylonsister and Merry Christmas to you and your family. :-)

[cate94]

2. The nice thing about the IL

civil union bill is that it specifically allows CU's or marriages from other states be recognized in IL- without going through the process all over again.

I hope you are right about marriage here. That would be great.

[jaxx]

5. Also IL civil unions are for everyone.

People do not have to get married, gay or straight, all can have civil unions. It is truly a nondiscriminatory law.

[terrya]

6. Exactly

Senior citizens in relationships wanted civil unions. Straight couples who don't want to get married will benefit from civil unions.

It is a pretty amazing law. It will benefit all Illinoisans.

[Pirate Smile]

9. That reminds me of an Iowa Republican saying that people from Illinois would come over to Iowa to

get their "sodomy licenses". :D

GOP attorney: Despite civil unions, Illinoisans will still visit Iowa for ‘sodomy licenses’

The Iowa legislature must pass a residency requirement for marriage in order to stop the exportation of same-sex marriage to other states, argued Nathan Tucker, a Davenport attorney and writer for The Iowa Republican website. Even in states like Illinois, which recently passed civil union legislation, same-sex couples will still flock to Iowa in order to “obtain their sodomy licenses” and return to their state.

“Despite now being able to enter into a de facto marriage relationship in their home state, many gay Illinoisans still desire the perceived public approval and legitimacy that comes from the actual word ‘marriage,’ Tucker said. “For them, the reciprocity provision provides the best of both worlds – obtain an actual marriage certificate in Iowa and have it recognized in Illinois.”

http://iowaindependent.com/48463/gop-attorney-despite-civil-unions-illinoisans-will-still-visit-iowa-for-sodomy-licenses

I think there are a lot of both straight and gay couples out there practicing without a license. :evilgrin:

[babylonsister]

3. You're very welcome, my friend, and a wonderful

Christmas to you and your family, too! :hug:

[JackBeck]

7. Before your well-earned victory in Illinois, we were the last state to have civil unions.

And if you notice, every other state that historically had civil unions now has marriage equality.

Although the NJ Supreme Court denied our request to re-open our marriage equality case, we are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Prop 8 case, since it may make our current lawsuit mute.

Happy Holidays, Terry. :pals:

[terrya]

8. My best hopes for you and the gay and lesbian residents of New Jersey

I recall that a study came out in your state, the results clearly stating that civil unions do NOT offer the same rights, the same legal protections, the same benefits as marriage. It was clear cut proof that they aren't the same. I was hoping that your state's supreme court would take those results, as well as your marriage equality case, up and ultimately bring marriage equality to New Jersey. I'm sorry it didn't.

You're absolutely right about how every state that had civil unions then had marriage. Illinois' civil unions law...as civil unions go...is a good one. I honestly expect my state to have marriage within 2 years. Once people see that fire won't rain from the sky, hordes of locusts won't sweep across the prairie, any and all Biblical plagues won't happen, etc, etc, then people will understand that same-sex marriage won't be a big deal...but for us, it absolutely will be.

Happy Holidays to you and your partner, Jack. And may you enjoy the RIGHT of marriage soon.

:pals:

[AnneD]

4. Another example....

A major metropolitan city voted into office the first openly gay mayor. The only people that were shocked at this were people that did not live in Houston. Oh yeah, we are so suffering from all the boycotts :sarcasm:

AnneD, whose church was NOT struck by lightening when Annise Parker and her partner came by for a met and greet in our tiny little Methodist Church.

[moose65]

10. Is New Hampshire in trouble, though?

I know that Republicans re-took both houses of the NH legislature with veto-proof majorities. Is it a possibility that they will try to outlaw marriage equality now? I can't believe that our rights are going to be subject to the back-and-forth of a tennis match, with the possibility of switching every time an election is won by the other party. I keep hope that people will see the light and get tired of this endless struggle. I love NH and enjoy visiting there frequently, but it is sure is a fickle state, isn't it? LOL