TresSugar

What Are Your Favorite Same-Sex Love Stories?

DearSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Today is a historic occasion in California: Starting at 5 p.m. PDT, same-sex couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses throughout the state. Most courts and clerk's offices are staying open later to accommodate couples who've been waiting years to the knot, including Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, who have been together for more than half a century.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi have announced their plans to wed, and if you live in California, you probably know at least one couple who plans to do the same. I remember when the city of San Francisco briefly legalized gay marriage in 2004, we had an impromptu champagne toast at my office for two couples who'd just gotten hitched. Even if you don't live in a state where gay marriage is legal, chances are you know a same-sex couple who has had a commitment ceremony or who has been together for years. What are some of your favorite love stories of same-sex couples? Share them in the comments below!

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Same-Sex Marriage - Native American Style

LibertySugar — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:00:36 -0700

Oregon's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage won't stop one lesbian duo from getting their marriage legally recognized in the state. After the couple asked, the Coquille Indian Tribe in southern Oregon adopted a law recognizing same-sex marriages. The Coquille is the first tribe to legalize same-sex marriage, but it isn't the the first Indian tribe to take a stance on the matter: the Navajo and Cherokee tribes both ban same-sex marriage.

The Coquille tribal leader explained:

For our tribe, we want people to walk in the shoes of other people and learn to respect differences. Through that, we think we build a stronger community.

Indian tribes have legal authority over domestic relations between members, unless Congress decides to take away that right. Nonetheless, the state of Oregon and the federal government will not recognize the unions performed by the tribe. Do you see a tidal wave of same-sex marriage legalization coming, or will this evolution of marriage stay on the reservation?

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Briefing Book! Google Opposes Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0700

Same-Sex Marriage: Wrapping up the Google vote? Google makes a public stand against California's proposed same-sex marriage ban. - SFist
Supreme Court: Gotcha questions or crucial questions? Roe v. Wade may be the only Supreme Court case Sarah Palin knows. - Femisting
Bailout: What would voters do? Voters split on bailout 45 percent for, 45 percent against. - Donklephant
Conservatism: Why does conservative writer David Brooks hate conservatives? It's one thing to disagree with House Republicans' vote, but another to question their motives. - Townhall
Pirates: They just want the money? Questions and answers with a pirate. - The Lede
Obama: How Obama wins? Hint: he already did. - 23/6

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Mormons Leave Church Over Stance on Same-Sex Marriage

CitizenSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:30:45 -0800

People were enraged last week when California passed Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage, but now opponents are lashing out at the Mormon church for its well-funded campaign against it. And Mormons themselves are speaking up.

OK, so they're not saying this (warning! NSFW profanity), but they are mad enough to resign from the church and post letters of disappointment on Signing For Something. Their reasons? Hatred, bigotry, and discrimination are cited the most, and claims are backed up with LDS doctrine, which says "We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government."

How can Mormons be blamed for a statewide vote? Besides misdirected anger, it didn't help that church authorities asked members to "do all [they] can to support the proposed constitutional amendment." And with that righteous request came millions of donated dollars to fund a campaign against Prop. 8 and produce what are clearly well-funded videos.

I've also heard some rumblings about straight people boycotting marriage. Would you ever leave your religion or not get married because gay people cannot?

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News Flash: 92% of Iowans Say Gay Marriage Has Had No Impact on Their Lives

TresSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Despite Iowa's legalization of same-sex marriage earlier this year, 92 percent of people there say life has continued as normal. Surprise! Apparently allowing gay people to participate in an institution designed to stabilize society hasn't caused all hell to break loose or threatened anyone's "traditional" marriage (or divorce).

Ironically, this same poll found that Iowans are still divided about whether gay marriage should be legal - 41 percent said they would vote to ban gay marriage and 40 percent said they would vote to continue it. Certain respondents must not have cared about the cognitive dissonance required to say on the one hand, gay marriage has brought no change to my life, but on the other, I'm still opposed to it.

Do these contradictory opinions surprise you?

When Married Isn't Married: Rights Denied to Gay Spouses

TresSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Hey there, same-sex married couples in Vermont, Iowa, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. So you think you finally got equal rights now that gay marriage is legalized? Think again! Sadly these giant steps toward equality don't go all the way.

Same-sex couples are denied benefits granted to other legally married couples. While gay couples in most US states still have to fight for marriage, once they succeed, the journey is not over. Among the benefits denied to legally married same-sex couples:

Immigration rights: Legally married same-sex couples do not have a right to sponsor their foreign spouses for green cards.
Tax breaks: When filing tax returns, couples cannot check "married filed jointly." This can cost them thousands of dollars each year.
Social Security, Medicaid, veteran, and other federal benefits: The federal Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex spouses these rights. For example, heterosexual spouses receive Social Security payments upon the death of a spouse.
Family and medical leave: Same-sex spouses are not granted up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from work to care for a seriously ill spouse.
Retirement: Same-sex couples cannot inherit 401(k)s and other property without a will.

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Que Pasa? Understanding California's Prop 8 Hearings

CitizenSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:44:40 -0800

Crowds gathered outside San Francisco's Supreme Court today while inside the court argued the hair-splitting details of the California Constitution and what it takes to change it.

The court has 90 days to make two major decisions: First, whether Prop 8, which eliminated the right to same-sex marriage, should be upheld or overturned. And second, whether the 18,000 same-sex marriages that already took place should remain valid.

It comes down to two words, really - amend and revise. The court needs to decide whether Prop 8 amends the constitution or revises it. The difference? A revision is a fundamental change that no ballot proposition can pass. It requires support from two-thirds of the state legislature and a follow-up majority vote by the people. Because same-sex marriage was deemed an "inalienable right" by the court last year, gay-rights proponents see it as a revision. On the other hand, an amendment is a routine change that simply requires a majority vote, like Prop 8 got with its 52 percent, and no legislative approval.

So while we wait till June for a decision, a new question emerges: Should it be harder to change a constitution?

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McCain and Obama Assume Their Positions on Gay Marriage

LibertySugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:00:35 -0700

With a same-sex marriage ban on the ballot in Florida, John McCain and Barack Obama have staked out their positions on what could prove to be a consequential issue again this Fall. Both candidates have weighed in on the California ballot initiative that would override the state's supreme court ruling legalizing gay marriage: Obama opposes the ban, and McCain supports it.

The candidates characterize the measure differently. McCain calls the campaign to amend California's constitution an effort "to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman." Conversely, Obama stated that he opposed "the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution."

The San Francisco Chronicle explores the candidates' records on the issue. For that information, read more.

Obama has said that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that ultimately it is for the states to decide. He also supports civil unions (which are not completely kosher with everyone in the gay community). McCain also wants to leave it up to the states. He opposed a federal constitutional amendment, but backed a similar losing Arizona initiative that would have banned same-sex marriage and domestic partnerships.

While California will undoubtedly vote Obama, as the Chronicle points out, Florida is a toss up. Will positions on gay marriage once again be a national litmus test for the candidates? Could it make or break their chances to pick up Florida? Who do you think is on the right side of the debate this time around?

Do You Want Your Legislature to Legalize Gay Marriage?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:00:03 -0700

Today was a big day for gay marriage proponents. Vermont's legislature overrode the governor's veto to legalize same-sex marriage. And in Washington DC, the district's council voted to recognize same-sex marriages issued in other states. The council will hold a final vote next month.

But not everyone's on board. A new poll out of New York state shows that only 41 percent of the state's voters support same-sex marriage.

Many people have objected to less-democratic courts inserting themselves in the same-sex marriage debate. The argument goes like this: if a state wants to legalize gay marriage, let the democratically elected representatives or the people decide not a handful of isolated judges. Do you think it's time for your state lawmakers to cut out the courts and follow Vermont's lead?

Pro Gay Marriage Ad: The Mormons Are Coming!

TresSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:59:04 -0700

California taught East Coast supporters of same-sex marriage a valuable lesson: the Mormon church is a force to be reckoned with. The organized and well-funded church did a good job mobilizing voters in favor of "traditional marriage" to successfully pass Prop. 8. Hoping to mobilize themselves for the battles in other states, one marriage equality group placed ads on newspaper websites warning that "The Mormons are coming! The Mormons are coming!"

The group has been told that its ads were insulting and denigrating to a set of people based on their religion. The founder of the group says he thinks Mormons are the nicest people and that his "single goal is to get them out of the same-sex marriage business and back to helping hurricane victims."

I would imagine that Mormons would get a lot of heat for running ads claiming that the "The gays are coming! The gays are coming!" Should people fighting for marriage rights be more respectful of their opponents, or do they have no obligation to be tolerant of those who want to infringe on their rights?

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