Gay Marriage Election 2012 Countdown

With 118 days until election 2012 we have encouraging news for our LGBT community. First is that at the Episcopal General Convention in Indianapolis, the House of Bishops voted 111-41, with 3 abstentions, to authorize a provisional rite for same-gender unions for the next 3 years. The liturgy next goes to convention's deputies for their authorization. Monday the national convention also cleared the way for transgender ordination. Then out of Washington State where gay marriage is on the November ballot Washington United for Marriage (WUM), the broad coalition working to defend the bipartisan marriage law & Approve Referendum 74, announced this week that the campaign raised $952,267 in June, driven in large part by new in-state donors & representing the highest monthly intake for the campaign, bringing total contributions to over $2 million. At the same time, WUM now has more than 1,000 volunteers actively working to Approve Referendum 74, with 20 phone banks operational each week resulting in hundreds of conversations with voters every night. Then on to Maine where gay marriage is also on the ballot. However, this time the anti-gay group, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) decided to obey Maine election law & has filed as a PAC. In the 2009 election NOM spent $1.9 million in Maine & refused to register as a PAC. It broke Maine’s longstanding campaign finance laws by not reporting any of its contributions or expenditures. This contributed to why marriage equality lost in that state last time it was on the ballot. Though gay marriage in the US seems to be moving forward nicely we must never become complacent. Minnesota is also faced with gay marriage on their ballot in November & that fight is really heating up. If it’s all about money in that state, the anti gay Amendment opponents, Minnesotans United for All Families, have raised $4.6 million in contributions & are going for a streak of 30 states passing a gay marriage ban. The umbrella group fighting for the amendment, Minnesota for Marriage, reported $1.4 million in donations. It’s still remains obscene however, that in this country the government allows the majority to vote on the rights of a minority. Updates to Come…:)
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Gay Ally Google ‘Legalize Love’ Campaign

Over the weekend the buzz is that Google has launched a new campaign called ‘Legalize Love’ aimed at advancing our LGBT equality in countries with anti-homosexuality laws. They claim they're not promoting gay marriage but instead a Google spokesperson stated the campaign will “promote safer conditions for gay & lesbian people inside & outside the office in countries with anti-gay laws on the books”. The campaign was announced at the Global LGBT Workplace Summit in London. Google Executive Mark Palmer-Edgecumbe stated, “We want our employees who are gay or lesbian or transgender to have the same experience outside the office as they do in the office. It is obviously a very ambitious piece of work. Singapore wants to be a global financial center & world leader & we can push them on the fact that being a global center & a world leader means you have to treat all people the same, irrespective of their sexual orientation.” As you know Google has been a strong ally & supporter of LGBT civil rights. The company offers full employee benefits to LGBT staff & spoke out against Prop 8 in California. Now if we could only get more global companies onboard perhaps we could even see President Obama sign an ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) Executive Order barring LGBT workplace discrimination by federal contractors which would give millions of LGBT Americans the right to come out of the closet. There is some form of legal recognition in 21 US states but in 29 states gay workers can still be fired or denied promotions simply because they're gay. For transgender US citizens it's a lot worse with only 16 states that have any protections in place. Updates to Come...:)
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Congressman Frank & Jim Ready Marry

Well it’s finally official. Congressman Barney Frank & Jim Ready married Saturday in Newton, Massachusetts. The wedding was officiated by Governor Deval Patrick. “As you might imagine, at the request of the congressman, this service will be short & to the point,” said Governor Patrick. Deval then asked the couple whether they would love each other “under the Democrats or the Republicans, whether the slopes are powdery or icy, whether the book reviews are good or bad, for better or for worse, on MSNBC or on Fox.” There were 300 guests. Frank has served in Congress since 1981 & was the first openly gay member of Congress. He is not seeking another term. Before elected to Congress, he served 8 years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He is the first gay member of Congress to be legally married. Gay Marriage has been legal in Massachusetts since 2004. Jim Ready lives in Ogunquit, Maine & works as a photographer & also runs a small business that does custom awnings, carpentry, painting, welding & other services. They met in November 2005 at a LGBT political fund-raiser in Ogunquit in support of ENDA. Guests included US Senator John F. Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat; House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California; Congressman John F. Tierney, a Salem, MA Democrat; US Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat; & US Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat who served with Frank on the House Financial Services Committee. Obama was not invited because of the security he would require. Congrats Barney & Jim!!
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Gay Activist Mom Stands with Brad Pitt

GetEQUAL Director, Robin McGehee was not happy to hear that Jane Pitt, Brad Pitt’s mom had published a letter in a Missouri newspaper condemning our LGBT community. This is what Jane Pitt said, “Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama — a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same sex marriage.” We at OUTTAKE VOICES™ would rather she used gay marriage or same gender couples but we heard her homophobic rant loud & clear. Robin McGehee responded, “I don't have to tell you that rhetoric like Mrs. Pitt's is what gives license to schoolyard bullies, anti-LGBT legislators & even violent gunslingers. And I don't have to tell you that letting this kind of hateful & inflammatory language go unchecked is part of what contributes to people feeling as though our lives are disposable. As a mother of 2 children 9 years old & 6 years old -- I couldn’t help but see Mrs. Pitt's letter as a direct attack against my family & the LGBT community at large. Brad Pitt has been an active supporter of marriage equality & of our community. We were incredibly surprised & disappointed that his own mother would use her public notoriety to support hateful, religion-based bigotry against LGBT people & LGBT families. We need your help in making sure that our voices counter the harm Mrs. Pitt has done to our community.” Help GetEQUAL buy a full-page ad in the Springfield News-Leader, where Jane Pitt’s letter appeared to show Missouri to stop the hate.
For More Info Click Here.... Updates to Come…:)
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London Gay Pride Cancelled

Though the United Kingdom is flying a rainbow flag at the personal request of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, London’s WorldPride celebration has been cancelled. This is totally messed-up. On the UK national front you have Clegg stating, “it was about time for Whitehall to bring itself up to date by flying the flag in solidarity with the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgendered) community.” Then you have UK Gay Activist Peter Tatchell lashing out against London Mayor Boris Johnson for not stepping in to save WorldPride stating, “The World Pride organizers have made mistakes & must share some of the blame for the current shambles. However, they are not the sole villains. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, could have rescued Pride but has apparently chosen to not do so. The actions & inactions of the Greater London Authority (GLA) have compounded the problems that Pride now faces.” Of course this is all a financial disaster which could have been resolved. Tatchell says that just last week, corporations like Gaydar & Smirnoff offered more than £60,000 ($90,000) to cover Pride’s funding shortfall but that Mayor Johnson declined the offer, saying it was “too late.” Tatchell also accuses the Greater London Authority of price-gouging Pride organizers, vetting all WorldPride press releases & forcing organizers to pay for everything up front even though festival profits would have bridged the budget gap. Also London’s LGBT GFest, the city’s annual LGBT arts festival, has been cancelled because of funding problems as well. So now London is left with a Gay Pride Protest Walk instead. This is all on the heels of the Olympics that take place at the end of the month. For More Info:pridelondon.org Updates to Come…:)
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Gay Marriage Federal Rights in 2013

Just before the 4th of July holiday began the encouraging news from DC is that the Obama administration has asked the Supreme Court to finally settle the legal fight over the law that denies federal benefits to legally married gay couples. The Justice Department on Tuesday asked the court to hear an appeal in its next term of lower court rulings striking down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act. This is section 3 of DOMA that would then allow legally married gay couples to receive the 1,138 federal rights of marriage. The earliest the justices might decide to hear the case is late September. Arguments probably would take place over the winter & a decision would happen by late June 2013. So this will all be in motion during & through the upcoming presidential election. The administration says it agrees with the lower court rulings which found this part of DOMA unconstitutional but still wants a prompt high court review because unfortunately President Obama has instructed federal agencies to continue to enforce the discriminatory law’s ban on federal benefits for legally married gay couples until there is a final court ruling. So this action is good news & bad news mixed together. To look on the bright side legally married gay couples could have federal rights & benefits equal to heterosexual couples by next summer. Now that definitely would be worth celebrating.
Have a Safe & Fab 4th Holiday!!
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LGBT Fireworks Have Begun

As we’re about to celebrate the July Fourth Holiday the fireworks have already started for our LGBT community. Yes we all knew that Anderson Cooper was gay but his coming out was still significant in achieving our equality. More & more people are becoming openly supportive of marriage equality. In Washington State where gay marriage appears on the November ballot Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer & co-founder Bill Gates have each donated $100,000 to the campaign supporting the state's new gay marriage law. Zach Silk, campaign manager for Washington United for Marriage, stated, "It's going to make a tremendous difference. It's very important for us to have that broad support from business leaders & companies themselves." Before this donation, Washington United for Marriage had raised nearly $1.5 million for the campaign to fight back attempts to overturn the law. Preserve Marriage Washington has raised more than $130,000 according to the most recent numbers with the Public Disclosure Commission. However the money race is expected to heat up significantly in the coming months. This is no time to become complacent. Maine & Minnesota also have gay marriage on their November ballot. Independence Day is a time to celebrate that all Americans are equal, not just some of the people. So have a Safe & Fabulous Holiday & Get Ready to Rumble…:)
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