Shegufta

gaywrites:

Virginia lawmakers have recently tried to overturn the state’s constitutional ban on marriage equality, but their efforts were not successful. A repeal measure was turned back in a House of Delegates subcommittee yesterday.

Del. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County, chief patron of the repeal measure, said public opinion has shifted over the past seven years, making Virginia “increasingly isolated” on the issue. He warned that businesses would be hesitant to locate in Virginia because the state is perceived as unfriendly to gay employees.

Surovell’s measure (HJ665) was defeated on a voice vote with no discussion by the Republican-dominated panel, drawing the support of only one member, Del. Algie Howell, D-Norfolk.

Ugh. One day we’ll make this better. 

gaywrites:

So much news on the marriage front lately! 

Tomorrow, lawmakers in Rhode Island will introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Rep. Arthur Handy says the bill has been drafted, but that he is still seeking signatures from co-sponsors, including openly gay House Speaker Gordon D. Fox. 

One thing lawmakers will be sure to consider is concern from religious groups, and so the bill includes a religious exemption:

Handy has said that the legislation will include, as it has in past versions, language granting religious groups protections, if they object to same sex unions as a matter of their religious beliefs.

Citing the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, a 2011 version of Handy’s gay marriage bill stated that every religious institution has “exclusive control over its own religious doctrine, policy, and teachings regarding who may marry within their faith, and on what terms.”

I love the momentum for equality in the States right now. I freaking love it. 

gaywrites:

Last night, Washington, Maine and Maryland all voted to allow same-sex couples to marry.

What’s more, Minnesota voted down a proposed amendment that would have constitutionally banned same-sex marriage.

Oh, and we elected the first openly LGBT senator, the incredible Tammy Baldwin, and the first pansexual elected official, Mary Gonzalez. 

What a great night. We made history. 

gaywrites:

The Supreme Court announced today that it will meet to discuss whether to review challenges to both California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act, both of which have been found unconstitutional by lower courts. This private meeting will happen on November 20.

Here’s AFER’s breakdown of what could happen for Prop 8:

The Court is expected to either:

• Grant review of our Prop. 8 challenge, at which point AFER’s legal team, led by distinguished attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, will submit written briefs and present oral arguments by April 2013. A final decision on Prop. 8 and marriage equality is expected by June 2013.
• Deny review, making permanent the landmark federal appeals court ruling that found Prop. 8 UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Marriage equality will be restored in California.

We will hopefully know whether the court will take these cases for full review by November 26, though there are no guarantees. Here we go, here we go.