2011 may bring same-sex couples civil unions if all goes well.
According to sources, “The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009 was passed in the Dail on 1 July 2010 and was passed by the Seanad on 8 July 2010 by a vote of 48-4. It will now either be signed by the President or be referred by her in whole or in part, after consultation with the Council of State, to the Supreme Court for a ruling on its constitutionality. If approved by the Court the President must sign the Bill.”
If and when approved, civil unions for same-sex couples will be able to legally commit to each other in 2011.
According to the Washington Post, A U.S. judge ruled Thursday that a federal ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional because it interferes with a state’s right to define marriage.
Judge Tauro said the act forces Massachusetts to discriminate against its citizens. The act (DOMA) ”plainly encroaches” upon the right of the state to determine marriage.
Very true-if marriage is a state matter, how can a federal act override it? When the matter (marriage) is only enacted by the state and not the entire government?
Journalist and playwright Jonina Leosdottir married Johanna Sigurdardottir, Prime Minister of Iceland over the weekend (Pride Weekend). There was no ceremony, but it still was a major moment in history as the first world leader in modern history to legally marry a same-sex partner. Congrats to the Leosdottir-Sigurdardottir family! Let this send waves of justice to other lands in the near future!
Thats right! A same-sex wedding magazine will have a launch party tonight in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Equally Wed is the nation’s premier same-sex and gay wedding magazine, providing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender couples with a modern, elegant and unique guide to gay wedding planning, from ring shopping and proposing to tying the knot and living happily ever after—and everything in between. Fresh and innovative, Equally Wed offers a closer look into Real Weddings around the world, as well as engagement stories, a socially interactive community and Local Resources, a vetted marketplace rich with GLBT-friendly wedding vendors.”
“Equally Wed magazine publishes seasonal issues of features, beginning with its premiere Spring 2010 issue. Other departments of EquallyWed.com, such as Beauty & Grooming, Honeymoons, Health & Fitness, Planning, Engagement, Etiquette and Fashion will be refreshed with new content more frequently, as well as its blogs: Headlines (news from the frontlines of the fight for marriage equality), In bloom (fresh ideas from Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Palladino) and Broom closet (cool new finds and thoughts from the masculine woman’s perspective).”
Not only is their leader, Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, is the first openly Lesbian world leader, but today in a unanimous vote, “the Althingi parliament voted 49 to zero to change the wording of marriage legislation to include matrimony between “man and man, woman and woman,” in addition to unions between men and women.”
The Williams Institute and the Kirkland & Ellis LLP Diversity Committee’s LGBT Subcommittee invite you to:
“When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage”
June 7, 2010 6pm
Kirkland & Ellis LLP (300 N. LaSalle, Chicago)
Featuring:
Lee Badgett, Research Director, The Williams Institute and Doug NeJaime, Associate Professor of Law, Loyola Law School
Please join us after the presentation for drinks and light hors d’oeuvres!
RSVP to Katie Dowd, dowd@law.ucla.edu or 310-794-5192
The Williams Institute advances sexual orientation law and public policy through rigorous, independent research and scholarship, and disseminates it to judges, legislators, policymakers, media and the public. A national think tank at UCLA Law, the Williams Institute produces high quality research with real-world relevance.
“We envision a school where all students are challenged to question the world around them, to develop healthy, personal identities, to participate in meaningful civic and social experiences that will allow them to formulate and realize their educational and career goals. We seek to cultivate an inclusive, academic program emphasizing literacy, technology infusion, and life-long learning skills. With the support of the extensive services provided by The Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) and the involvement of our students’ parents/guardians in the educational process, we envision all members in the school community to share accountability for the creation and maintenance of a safe, supportive, academically rigorous, and standards-driven learning environment.”
Founded in 1985, Harvey Milk High School became a fully accredited 4 year high school in 2002. The school provides a safe haven for students of the LGBT population, but is open to ALL students regardless of sexuality and gender identity. To learn more CLICK HERE
2011 may bring same-sex couples civil unions if all goes well.
According to the Washington Post, A U.S. judge ruled Thursday that a federal ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional because it interferes with a state’s right to define marriage.
Thats right! A same-sex wedding magazine will have a launch party tonight in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We envision a school where all students are challenged to question the world around them, to develop healthy, personal identities, to participate in meaningful civic and social experiences that will allow them to formulate and realize their educational and career goals. We seek to cultivate an inclusive, academic program emphasizing literacy, technology infusion, and life-long learning skills. With the support of the extensive services provided by The Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) and the involvement of our students’ parents/guardians in the educational process, we envision all members in the school community to share accountability for the creation and maintenance of a safe, supportive, academically rigorous, and standards-driven learning environment.”
