Posts Tagged: marriage
Polyamory: The Next Big Court Battle
Every primate has a different method of mating, and ever since Darwin first described his theory of evolution, people have been arguing over whether or not our behavior is the result of evolution or our society’s influence. Polyamory is one such idea being constantly debated. What is polyamory? It means having a relationship with more than one person, and it has been a touchy topic amongst feminists in the past. Many support “ethical polyamory,”while others find it harmful. Some believe it can lead to abuse or appropriation, though I would argue that’s possible with any style of relationship. Even so, polyamorous relationships seem to be making something of a comeback in the public eye. Both scripted and reality TV has looked at the phenomenon. Last week in Utah, polygamous marriage… Read more »
We Still Have a Long Way to go for True Equality in Kansas
Many of you have probably read about the recent Supreme Court decision not to hear cases from the 4th, 7th, and 10th Circuit courts striking down same-sex marriage bans. This move by the Court paved the way for marriage equality in many states, with the possibility of 30 states having freedom to marry by the end of the year. This is a huge victory for activists and advocates that have been pushing for decisions like this for a long time. We should take the time and celebrate this accomplishment and remember the long road it took to get to this point. But here in Kansas, as well as in many other states across the nation, this fight for marriage equality is far from over. Although Kansas is in the 10th… Read more »
Inside the Fight for Marriage Equality in Ohio
Marriage equality seems to be expanding every month, with states like Michigan and Arkansas having court cases and lawsuits against the state. The issue of marriage equality has been dividing several state-wide LGBT organizations in Ohio. While some groups believe that Ohio is ready for marriage equality to be put on the ballots, others argue that not enough of Ohio’s voters would vote in favor in favor of the ballot measure. While 17 other states have made it a reality, the question must be asked: Is Ohio ready for marriage equality? A ban on marriage equality was first voted on in Ohio in 2004, passing with 62% of the voters in favor of instituting the constitutional ban. As recent as April, a federal judge has ruled the ban on recognizing… Read more »
Can We Stop Pretending “Religious Liberty” is the Real Motivation for Legislation?
You know, after getting back from a national conference with 4,000 queer folks and allies, I was floating on a little rainbow hued cloud, having all the queer feels, and so on—until that queer cloud gets swallowed up by a thunderstorm of oppression and the dismantling of civil rights. Otherwise known as the latest bill my home state’s legislators have introduced that attempts to target queer people, by allowing both private AND public employees to not “treat any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement as valid.” Oh, though apparently it’s all about religious freedom and not queer people. My bad, homies. I am a ~little~ tired of having a bunch of old white dudes claiming that being able to rescind someone’s else’s rights is inherently promised within the… Read more »
New Year, New Florida: Domestic Partnership on the Horizon
Over the past few years, the movement for LGBTQ equality has made some tremendous progress throughout the country. With the number of states that allow same-sex marriage nearly doubling in 2013, and the landmark decision of Windsor v. the United States this past summer, it’s hard to believe that the movement is still barreling forward with the same speed and determination. Before Christmas, State House Representative Linda Stewart introduced a state domestic partnership registry bill. This is huge! In Florida, where no protection for queer people exists on the state level, it’s been hard to watch such successes create waves throughout the country that continue to not touch me. But with this Stewart’s bill gaining support from other pro-equality politicians as well as the public, Florida’s disposition toward the queer… Read more »
The South And Marriage Equality, Part I: Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Days after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court hearings for Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act, Sue Everhart, a chief figure in Georgia’s Republican Party, voiced disdain over the proceedings. “Lord, I’m going to get in trouble over this, but it is not natural for two women or two men to be married,” Everhart told The Marietta Daily Journal. “If it was natural, they would have the equipment to have a sexual relationship.” Juxtaposed with the masses of celebratory, often high-profile, marriage equality ralliers on the marble steps of America’s highest court, Everhart’s sentiments are a sobering reminder that the posterchildren of the anti-gay opposition are changing. The National Organization for Marriage–the leading anti-marriage equality organization in the States–has suffered critical drops in funding in the past year. The… Read more »
The First Same-Sex Wedding at West Point Chapel is a Watershed Moment
Recently, the first same sex wedding was held at West Point Chapel for the seventeen year sweethearts, Brenda Sue Fulton and Penelope Gnesin. The media responded surprisingly positively. Same-sex marriage and military opposition to open homosexuality are both hot topics for the gay rights movement and media outlets alike. Thusly, the marriage of Fulton and Gnesin being taken so well shows an advance for the world around us in more than one area of concern. For lesbian culture visibility in 2012 America this is undoubtedly a monumental event. An Army chaplain married Brenda Sue Fulton and Penelope Gnesin on December 1, 2012. Fulton had graduated from West Point in 1980 in the very first female class. She rose to the rank of captain by 1986. Soon after she left the… Read more »
