Tag Archives: Same-Sex Marriage

Love Wins | US Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage Will Become Permanent Tomorrow

From tomorrow, the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage becomes permanent cross the USA – as the window to overturn it expires.

Last month, America highest court in the US ruled in Obergefell vs Hodges that equal marriage is a constitutional right, and that all 50 states must both recognise and perform same-sex marriages.

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Desperate anti-gay activists have called for the ruling to be thrown out and the case to be re-heard, because two liberal justices on the court had already performed gay weddings.

However, from tomorrow even that course of action will be closed to them – as the 25-day window in which a Supreme Court ruling can be challenged expires.

Californians React To Supreme Court Rulings On Prop 8 And DOMA

This means that the ruling is permanent – and there is almost nothing opponents can do to change it, short of radically amending the Constitution.

Victory!!

Taiwan Looks to be The First Asian Country to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage

Taiwan’s government’s plans to draft a “same-sex partnership” law, which would make Taiwan the first region in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalisation of same-sex marriage last month, the authorities in Taiwan have announced that they have decided to draft a same-sex partnership law to mirror with the global trend and keep up with the public’s changing opinion regarding the subject.

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Lo Ying-hsueh – head of Taiwan’s judicial body – said the government will put proposed bills regarding same-sex marriage online, allowing the public to vote on them freely.

The results of these votes would then serve as a guide to the government when they make changes to legislature, the Global Times reports.

Last year, an online poll revealed that 68% of the population supported same-sex marriage.

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Taiwan’s LGBT community have been campaigning for same-sex unions for years – last week, thousands of supporters flooded the streets of Taipei in a bid to urge the government to change the country’s stance on gay marriage.

And although many welcome a law aimed at giving homosexuals legal protection, some activists have questioned why the government’s decision to draft a completely new law, rather than make amendments to the current marriage law.

Chen Ling – a lesbian as well as gay rights activist – argued

The fact that the government decided to set a new same-sex partnership law discriminates against homosexuals and it shows that homosexual couples are different from heterosexuals.”

Also read: Lesbian Couple in Taiwan Fight Court Over Adoption Rights

However, politicians from the country’s main parties have attempted to quash rumours that the change is simply an attempt to gain votes in the upcoming election and promised that the proposed changes will only strengthen the LGBT community’s place in Taiwanese society.

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Hong Chih-kun, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s central executive committee said

Taiwan’s gay movement has been active for at least 10 years and many polls show that Taiwan society is mature enough to accept gay marriage.”

DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said gay marriage reflects equality and upholds human rights, while Hung Hsiu-chu, Kuomintang’s head, also said she maintains an “open and optimistic” attitude toward homosexuality.

The marriage equality bill – which would legalise same-sex marriage and allow married gay couples to adopt children – was reviewed for the first time at the Judiciary Committee in December last year, after the DPP described current laws as discriminatory and unfair.

However, the discussion was put on hold, due to opposition from conservative Christian groups who have formed a network to organise rallies and petition signature collections to lobby against marriage equality.

Japan’s LGBT Community Launch Bid for the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage in the Country

455 members of the LGBT community in Japan, including 142 same-sex couples, have filed an unprecedented petition to the government requesting the recognition of same-sex marriage across the country.

In the petition they argue that denying them marriage is against their human rights. It has now been submitted to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA), argues that Japan is in violation of human rights and therefore its constitution by not permitting same-sex marriages, The Japan Times reported.

At a press conference one of the petitioners, a woman from Tokyo who is in her 40s, said:

I spent more than half of my life being unable to tell anything about my partner even to my parents and friends. I could only hope the children of current and future generations don’t have to live the kind of life I did and can be celebrated regardless of whether they like people of the opposite sex or not.”

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Although gay marriage is not illegal in Japan, there is no framework in place to allow same-sex couples to wed, making it impossible under the current law.

The petition says that the Japanese government is denying LGBT people the principle of equality and individual dignity protected by their constitution.

The JFBA will now investigate the allegation and issue a warning to the government if a constitutional breach of rights is found.

The warning would not be legally binding but would have a “far reaching” impact on LGBT legislation in Japan, according Toshimasa Yamashita, a lawyer representing the JFBA. A warning would likely be referenced in all future trials relating to same-sex marriage, Mr Yamashita said.

The JFBA, which represents social justice cases, said this is the country’s first attempt to legalise same-sex marriages by appealing through human rights law.

Currently Shibuya, a ward of Tokyo, is the only part of Japan, which recognises same-sex partnerships. The district became the first to do so in March when the local assembly voted in favour of the change, granting same-sex couples to right to rent apartments together and have hospital visitations as family members.

The capital celebrated its LGBT community with the Tokyo Rainbow Pride march on 26 April, which over 12,000 people attended.

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Members of the Japanese LGBT community submitted the bid following the landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court on 26 June which declared that the right to same-sex marriage is guaranteed by the American constitution, and Ireland becoming the first ever country to vote for marriage equality on 22 May.

The petition argues that LGBT people are suffering “a wide variety of disadvantages” and are not being given their constitutional “right to pursue happiness”.

Without the right to marry, same-sex couples are unable to make their partners as inheritance beneficiaries in the event that they die without a will or share health insurance benefits granted to married couples. And if one of the couple is not Japanese, they are not eligible to hold a spouse visa.

Marriage Equality Around the World (Video)

Did you know the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2000? And when it did the world went crazy.

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Now look the state of play.

A little over a decade later, marriage equality has spread to four continents, with new debates raging in places once considered unthinkable. The historic vote by the Supreme Court to legalise same-sex marriage adds the United States to the increasingly crowded map of countries with full marriage equality.

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Watch the video below to follow the incredible change as it has unfolded over the past 15 years.

LGBT Rights Campaigners Tackle Job and Housing Discrimination Following Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Last month, history was made when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 5-4 in favour of same-sex marriage. While some states around the county have been steadily bringing same-sex marriage into law, in many others it remained illegal to marry a same-sex partner, meaning that same-sex couples may have to travel across the other side of the country just to get married.

Thanks to the Supreme Court’s ruling, same-sex marriage is now legal in all of the United States, and same-sex couples can get married wherever they would like.

This is a monumental achievement and it follows the growing acceptance of the LGBT community  – something also signified by the fact that many straight allies and many companies have turned their social media icons ‘rainbow’ in support. However, it’s not the be all and end all of the LGBT rights movements and much needs to be done.

For example, in 27 states, employees can still be fired for being gay. While President Obama did recently sign an executive order that banned federal agencies and contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, that doesn’t include everyone.
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Furthermore, some local governments have antidiscrimination laws (even if the state does not) but Ruth Colker, an expert on discrimination law at Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, told The New York Times that

typically, the penalty for violating a city ordinance is more akin to a traffic violation” and that “state-level penalties can be much more significant.”

As a result, LGBT rights activists will be tackling job and housing related discrimination as their big, post-marriage equality fight. While there has been a lot of push back previously, specially from right-wing religious groups who feel that discrimination law will be used to persecute them for their religious beliefs, things do seem to be looking up.

Chai R. Feldblum, a commissioner at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, says that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, LGBT discrimination is illegal and that they have pursued over 200 cases based on this. Meanwhile, Shannon P. Minter, legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, says that

I think there’s a very strong consensus now among advocacy groups that we need a broader bill that puts discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity on the same footing as race, religion and gender”

It is yet to be seen how activists’ efforts will pay off, or the work of politicians such as Senator Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon (who wants to specifically add LGBT protections to the Civil Rights Act), but hopefully the Supreme Court’s ruling will snowball into comprehensive equality.

 

Lesbian Couple Marry in China to Push for Same-Sex Marriage in the Country

A prominent Chinese lesbian couple held a simple ceremony on Thursday to announce their informal marriage in their latest effort to push for the legalisation of same-sex unions in China.

Dressed in white bridal gowns, they held an informal wedding in front of two dozen friends at a restaurant in Beijing.

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They had planned to try and make it official at their local registry office but were warned against “making a scene” by police.

Talking to CNN, Li said before the wedding banquet

I feel like this is the right time. We’ve been together for so long.”

In their push to get same-sex unions recognised in China, Li and her partner said they were partly inspired by last week’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court decision to extend same-sex marriage rights across all 50 states.

The ruling has provoked a national conversation in China about gay rights, not least because the court’s majority decision quoted the Chinese sage Confucius – “Marriage lies at the foundation of government.”

The passage has been shared widely on Chinese social media; mainly drawing supportive comments.

Li, a well-known women’s rights campaigner, was among five feminists detained in China in early March for 37 days in a crackdown on social activism.

During that time, she wasn’t allowed to see her partner because same-sex unions aren’t recognised, she said.

I hope by doing this, we’re married no matter whether it’s legal or not. We’re married women now!”

Li said her parents didn’t attend the wedding, which was attended by two dozen of her friends. She said they were ashamed of her.

But they will spend their honeymoon in Harbin, northern China – Xu’s hometown – as her parents are more supportive.

26 Million People Across the World Turn Their Facebook Profiles into Rainbows

If you went on Facebook over the weekend you may have seen friends’ profile pictures turned multi-coloured.

In fact over 26 million people across the world turned their Facebook profiles into rainbows to support the LGBT pride and after last week’s landmark Supreme Court decision, which cleared the way for same-sex marriage across the US. 

The company introduced a rainbow filter tool that allowed user to simply change their profiles, and so far the rainbow photos received more than half a billion likes and comments, and the momentum shows no sign of slowing down.

Among the millions were a number of familiar faces, with stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Elizabeth Banks, and Arianna Huffington taking part.

Arnold Schwarzenegger had a particularly memorable encounter with an anti-gay fan:

Congratulations America, US Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage is Legal Nationwide

The Supreme Court has delivered a historic victory for gay rights, ruling 5 to 4 that the Constitution requires that same-sex couples be allowed to marry no matter where they live and that states may no longer reserve the right only for heterosexual couples.

Advocates have called the right for same-sex ‘the most pressing civil rights issue of modern times’, while critics said the courts had sent the country into uncharted territory by changing the traditional definition of marriage.

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Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion

Under the Constitution, same-sex couples seek in marriage the same legal treatment as opposite-sex couples, and it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right.”

He was joined in the ruling by the court’s liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

All four of the court’s most conservative members — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. — dissented and each wrote a separate opinion, saying the court had usurped a power that belongs to the people.

It is unclear how soon marriage licences will be issued in states where gay unions were previously prohibited.

Before the ruling on Thursday, same-sex couples could marry in 37 states in addition to Washington DC.

Hundreds of people had camped out for hours awaiting the news, and when it was delivered a loud cheers erupted outside the court.

On social media, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton merely tweeted the word “proud” and the White House changed its Twitter avatar into the rainbow colours.

Hillary Clinton Releases New Video Honoring Same-Sex Couples

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule on the constitutionality of states’ same-sex marriage bans, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign released a new video honouring same-sex couples across the country.

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In the video, titled “Equal,” same-sex couples, including one couple featured in her announcement video, speak about the strides the LGBT equality movement has made in recent years.

Watch below

World’s Smallest Country Legalises Gay Marriage

The Pitcairn Island is a country with only 48 people living there – have unanimously legalised same-sex marriage.

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They actually legalised it a month ago, but couldn’t get the news out because the island’s website was down.

Deputy Governor of Pitcairn, Kevin Lynch said that the local council unanimously accepted the law change after England, Scotland, and Wales legalised gay marriage last year.

Rodney Croome, the National Director of Australian Marriage Equality said

It shows how much the islanders value equality and inclusion. I could imagine some couples from off the island might find it a romantic destination, including Australians who can’t marry in their own country.”

Established in 1790 by a bunch of English mutineers and Tahitian passengers, Pitcairn is a part of the Pacific British, and is considered the smallest country in the world.

Jamaican Lesbian Couple Wants to Get Married Before They Die

As far as LGBT rights goes, Jamaica has a pretty abysmal track record. Sexual acts between two men are still punishable by law (they face up to 10 years of imprisonment if caught), and levels of anti-LGBT violence in the country are incredibly widespread.

There are regular reports of ‘corrective rapes’ of non-heterosexual women and it’s not uncommon to hear about gay men being stoned or beaten to death – and these crimes are often overlooked by the police, who fail to acknowledge them as a hate crime.

In the past few years, Jamaica has been criticised by both the United Nations (who said that the country allowed legalised homophobia) as well as by President Barack Obama who recently spoke about the need for equality in the country when he visited the island earlier this year.

However, the country has a long history of homophobia due to British colonialism and the religious beliefs of its citizens too.

As a result, Jamaica’s current landscape makes same-sex marriage – or any LGBT rights at all –  a far off possibility.

This is a shame for lesbian couple Carla and Krystal, who recently gave an interview with the Jamaica Gleaner saying that they hope to get married in Jamaica before they die.

Speaking to the publication, Carla said that:

My partner and I used to contemplate marriage. Perhaps we were naive at first, but that blossomed into a bit of boldness. I’m not sure if my partner knows how disheartening it has been for me, when I sometimes sit in solitude and question why things have to be this way. Why are people so opposed to allowing lesbians to marry each other?

She has always been there for me when I was unemployed and on the verge of depression. She always provided emotional support like no other, and who remains equally, if not more committed to us and the prosperity of our union, and yet, I am not allowed to marry her.”

Carla also added that when the time is right, she and Krystal would like to challenge Jamaica’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms; these state that marriage is a human right. Though, Carla also realises that she will have a hard time getting two-thirds of Jamaica’s government to rule in favour of a same-sex marriage ruling should she go ahead with that legal battle.

Mexico’s Supreme Court Effectively Legalises Same-Sex Marriage

The Supreme Court in Mexico has legalised same-sex marriage in a landmark legal ruling.

However, the country doesn’t have equal marriage rights just yet.

A court has decreed that it is unconstitutional for Mexican states to bar same-sex marriages.

As the purpose of matrimony is not procreation, there is no justified reason that the matrimonial union be heterosexual, nor that it be stated as between only a man and only a woman. Such a statement turns out to be discriminatory in its mere expression.”

Whilst no official legislation has been brought forward in parliament to introduce marriage for gay and bisexual couples, the court ruling represents a precedent that will require courts throughout the country to follow suit.

This means that same-sex marriage has effectively been legalised throughout Mexico.

Estefanía Vela, a legal scholar at a Mexico City university told the New York Times of the ruling:

Without a doubt, gay marriage is legal everywhere. If a same-sex couple comes along and the code says marriage is between a man and a woman and for the purposes of reproduction, the court says, ‘Ignore it, marriage is for two people’.”

However, same-sex couples might still run into a few snags because local registrars are not required to follow this ruling; however gay couples denied marriage rights in their states are able to seek injunctions from district judges since the jurisprudential thesis now requires the judges to grant them.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just ignoring the discriminatory code or the local registrar. Even though judges are now required to provide marriage licenses, if a registrar denies a same-sex couple, it is up to that couple to appeal the courts.

That process can cost $1,000 or more and the legal process can take months. While this means marriage is not 100% equal, the recent ruling in Mexico is definitely a step in the right direction.

A number of Latin American countries have allowed same-sex marriage in recent years. Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay have already done so, whilst Chile and Ecuador are set to do so in the near future.

JK Rowling Takes on Westboro Baptist Church on Twitter (and its Brilliant)

Once again JK Rowling  has demonstrated her considerable talent for shutting down Twitter haters.

This time she is taking on the Westboro Baptist Church who have objected to her recent comment on Ireland’s vote for marriage equality.

Early this week, Rowling tweeted of a fictional wedding of Harry Potter character Dumbledore and the Lord of the Rings wizard Gandalf.

Her joke was quickly pounced on by social media accounts affiliated with the Westboro Baptist Church, who had been tweeting homophobic messages “reminding” Ireland of its slogan.

The Kansas-based church has picketed Ground Zero, the funeral of soldiers and celebrities such as Michael Jackson in the past and threatened to picket Robin Williams’ funeral after saying the actor is “going to hell” and was “hated by God”.

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Never one to ignore hate-speech circulating on social media, Rowling responded excellently:

When challenged by a Twitter user for giving the Church “counter-productive” attention, Rowling insisted it is important to confront hate speech in all forms.

Greenland’s Parliament Unanimously Approves Same-Sex Marriage

Greenland’s Parliament has unanimously approved same-sex marriage and adoption.

MPs in the country, which has a population of 57,000, voted to adopt Danish legislation on the issue.

Denmark became the first country to allow same-sex partnerships legality in 1989, and in 2012, the parliament approved a law that allowed gay couples to be marriage in a formal church wedding ceremony.

Two MPs were absent, but none voted against the measure.

The new measure will now scrap Greenland’s domestic partnership laws, adopted from Greenland in 1996, which allowed couples to register as same-sex couples and receive nearly the same rights as married opposite-sex couples.

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Going into effect on 1 October 2015, the new law also grants adoption rights to same-sex couples, say reports.

Greenland in 2008 introduced discrimination protection for gay people, and in 2010 held its first gay

Singapore Bans Lesbian-themed Song by Jolin Tsa

Singapore has banned the song We’re All Different, Yet The Same by Taiwanese queen of pop, Jolin Tsai.

The video is based on the true story of a lesbian couple who have been together for more than 30 years. When of the women are hospitalized due to old age and required emergency surgery, her partner not able to sign the consent form, because she was not a legal spouse or family member. She then has to call around to try and find her partner’s estranged family members to the sign the form.
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Also read: Taiwanese Queen of Pop, Jolin Tsai Tells Touching Lesbian Love Story in New Music Video

The music video has already received a lot of attention in Taiwan, where same-sex marriage is a hot topic.

Singapore’s censorship board, the Media Development Authority, recently issued a document to all TV and radio stations banning the broadcast of the song, which it said promoted gay marriage and therefore contravened Singaporean law.

Gay sex is still technically illegal in the country.

Tsai’s manager said:

Jolin expressed her support for gay marriage through the music of We’re All Different, Yet The Same. She will feel it’s a pity, but respects different opinions.”

Irish People From Around the World are Going #hometovote on Same-Sex Marriage Referendum.

Today Ireland votes on the referendum on same-sex marriage. If it passes, it will become the first country to introduce the legislation by popular vote.

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Because of Irish voting laws, expats aren’t allowed to vote today unless they’re actually in the country.

Refusing to let go of their say because of a technicality, lots and lots of people have been going back to Ireland over the past 24 hours so they can vote today.

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They’ve been documenting their trip with the hashtag #hometovote.

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Lesbian Couple Fulfil Dying Wish With Fairy Tale Wedding

With just weeks to live, an Australian woman has fulfilled her dying wish to marry the woman she loves.

After waiting years for gay marriage to be legalised in Australia and being left disappointed, Sandra Yates and her partner, Lee Bransden, decided to take their marriage into their own hands.

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With the help of a crowd-funding campaign, the couple flew to neighbouring New Zealand to finally complete their short-lived fairy tale.

Surrounded by ferns and flowers in the Rotorua’s beautiful Mitai Village, Sandra and Lee celebrated their wedding in a wide glade near a flowing spring, with Maori warriors blessing the marriage.

We’re blown away by all the support and friendship. All our dreams are coming true.”

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In a recent update after the wedding, new bride Ms Brandsen has announced she has just weeks to live as her lung cancer has progressed.

We wish them all the best.

 

3 Female-Led Movies That You Should Pay Attention To

It can be hard out there for a female filmmaker. Not only is the movie industry not interested in making films about women, but they also aren’t particularly interested in letting women make films either. Especially if those women are not heterosexual, not cisgendered or are women of colour.

For that reason, it can be very difficult for female-led and female-focused films to get funding and many of them have to turn to crowdfunding. Crowdfunding can also be a great way for creators to get the word out about their projects too and so with that in mind, we’ve put together this list of three female-led movies that you should pay attention to.

1. Wedlocked

The talk of LGBT human rights has almost been entirely dominated by debates about same-sex marriage. While many argue that same-sex marriage isn’t as important as say, protection from discrimination in the workplace, same-sex marriage is a big deal. So why is it then that so few people ever talk about same-sex divorce?

Wedlocked is a comedy but it riffs off of the director’s real life experience. It looks at the issue of getting married in one state that has legalised same-sex marriage but living in one that doesn’t permit it; what happens when you want to get divorced but the state you reside in won’t allow it? One of the director’s friends was actually forced to move all the way to Los Angeles, California just to fulfil the state’s residency requirements so that he could get a divorce.

Of course this situation may change with the upcoming Supreme Court ruling that will decide whether or not the entirety of the United States has to legalise marriage equality. But for now, Wedlocked is going full steam ahead having raised $27,050 of its $30,000 goal.

2. Who Owns Yoga?

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Yoga originates in India where the practice is commonly used in Hindu and Buddhist teachings and principles. However, in the 1950s Yoga became massively popular in the West and now everyone from flexible atheists to fitness focused Christians take part in yoga every single day.

In addition to being something that Westerners just do, yoga is also a billion dollar business. From how-to books, DVDs and the many membership classes that we can sign up for at the gym, yoga has gone from being a free tool of expression and learning to a commercialised feature in our society. Given yoga’s religious origins, the practices’ popularity often raises the question of ‘is this okay?’

Who Owns Yoga? is a documentary that also wants to explore this, covering commercialisation, the cultural and financial implications and they also talk to yoga practitioners and those who no longer see yoga as they used to. The film hit its $20,000 goal and will be released in July.

3. Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl

If you live outside of the United States, it is highly unlikely that you know what ‘Geechee’ is or what it means (my word processor even considers it a spelling mistake), nor is it likely that you’ve ever heard of Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor. Vertamae Smart- Grosvenor is one of the most important figures in American history.

Geechee most likely comes from the ‘Ogeechee’ River near Savannah, Georgia. The Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans and they live in South Carolina and Georgia. Vertamae is a proud Geechee girl and having been heavily inspired and influenced by her heritage, she has travelled the world as a writer (she was a huge part of the beat literary movement), a costume designer and she has also released several cookbooks including Vibration Cooking or The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl.

Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl is a documentary based on Vertamae’s life that looks at her career as she travelled all around the world, taking in part of some of the most significant social, historical and cultural movements of our time. Vertamae’s story is one that very much needs to be told and having raised $33,000 of its $50,000 goal (it has flexible funding and so received all of the funds raised) it finally will be.

Watch: Beautiful Couples Who Have Been Together For Years Talk About Love

Support for marriage equality doesn’t just come from same sex couples – it comes from individuals who believe in equality for everyone.

Watch as real couples and families share their stories and explain why marriage matters to them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=79&v=tyWuSl7Bi1w

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Out Smarts Same-Sex Marriage Opponents in Court

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the leader of the Supreme Court has become a liberal champion for her support of gay marriage and and left little doubt where she stands on the upcoming gay marriage case.

The 82-year-old justice had the perfect response to every argument against gay marriage put forward at the Supreme Court on Tuesday (28 April).

First, Ginsburg promptly shut down the argument that the court does not have legal right to change a ‘millennia’ of tradition.

Marriage today is not what it was under the common law tradition, under the civil law tradition. Marriage was a relationship of a dominant male to a subordinate female. That ended as a result of this court’s decision in 1982, when Louisiana’s Head and Master Rule was struck down.

Would that be a choice that state [still] should be allowed to have? To cling to marriage the way it once was?’

‘No’ was the reply from John Bursch, the lawyer representing the four states seeking to preserve their bans on gay marriage.

Then Ginsburg destroyed the argument that marriage is for procreation.

Suppose a couple, 70-year-old couple, comes in and they want to get married? You don’t have to ask them any questions. You know they are not going to have any children.”

Next, Ginsburg dismissed the argument that gay marriage ‘impinges on the state’ and takes benefits away from straight couples.

How could that be, because all of the incentives, all of the benefits of marriage affords would still be available.So you’re not taking away anything from heterosexual couples. They would have the very same incentive to marry, all the benefits that come with marriage that they do now.’

Ginsburg, a former civil rights lawyer, has been uncharacteristically outspoken in advance of one of the most significant civil rights decisions in decades. In August, shebecame the first Supreme Court justice to officiate at a same-sex wedding. Since then, she’s highlighted the big shift in public opinion on gay marriage in interviews and public speeches, breaking from her usual reticence when it comes to talking about upcoming cases. In February, Ginsburg told Bloomberg that it “would not take a large adjustment” for Americans to accept nationwide marriage equality, given the “enormous” change in people’s attitudes about same-sex marriage.

Two anti-gay-marriage groups, the National Organization for Marriage and the American Family Association, have since called on Ginsburg to recuse herself, arguing that she can no longer be impartial. They’ve also targeted Justice Elena Kagan for officiating at a same-sex marriage, asking her to step down from the case, too.

Legal experts say the calls for recusal are unwarranted, given the 2012 ruling that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages in states that allow them. The constitutional issue at stake in the current case is whether states can ban same-sex marriage at all. Officiating at a same-sex marriage in a jurisdiction that already allows it does not call into question the justices’ impartiality on that question, according to Columbia Law School professor Jamal Greene.

Sad, Powerful Ad for Same-Sex Marriage Shows You Wedding Memories That Were Never Made

For most, a wedding day is among the happiest moments in a person’s life, a milestone to look back on for years to come, which makes it all the more strange that people are still denied the right just because they love someone of the same sex.

Same-sex marriage is currently legal in Canada, as well as 36 states in the U.S., Washington, D.C., and some 15 other countries around the world. But with the U.S. Supreme Court currently hearing arguments on the constitutionality of other states’ bans on the right, the spot certainly makes for a timely reminder of what’s at stake.

Nobody’s Memories is a new ad from FCB for LGBT advocacy group PFLAG Canada, which imagines the joys missed by couples unable to legally marry in years past.

This is our tribute to all those in the past who were never allowed to marry by law – and to everyone who is still denied the right today. Share your love stories, wedding photos and videos on Instagram and Twitter with #lovemadelegal and let’s make gay marriage legal everywhere.”

They’re seen walking down the church steps to applause, piling into the wedding car, sharing a bite of cake at the reception, and the myriad other little images and traditions associated with the big day.

It’s a simple, powerful illustration of why the right to same-sex matters in societies that purport to pride themselves on ideals like freedom, equality and the pursuit of happiness.

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Watch | Alabama Couple Fight Back Against Discrimination

Tori Sisson and her partner, Shanté Wolfe, became the first same-sex couple to get married in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 9.

Same-sex marriage may soon become the law of the land in after the US supreme court hears oral arguments next week, but the fight for equal rights for gay people promises to be long and bitter.

Like many states in the US, Alabama has no legal protections for LGBT people facing discrimination in employment, housing or education. ‘In the south, gay couples don’t really show affection’, Tori says

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Brides Celebrate Japans First Celebrity Same-Sex Marriage

The first celebrity lesbian wedding was held in Japan, Tokoy this weekend. Former Gravure model and television personality Ayaka Ichinose (34) and actress Akane Sugimori (28) got married in a symbolic ceremony on Sunday amid growing calls for Japan to legalise gay marriage.

While their marriage will not be recognised under law, actresses – both dressed in white – tied the knot in front of some 80 relatives and friends.

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Sugimori told press after the ceremony in Shinjuku ward.

We held the wedding ceremony so that it might become easier for others to do the same in the future.”

Akane Sugimori

She said they would try to register their marriage with the municipal office, but expected their application to be rejected.

Ichinose came out as a lesbian in 2009, and met Sugimori at a gay bar in Shinjuku, Tokyo in October 2012.

We hope gay people will also be able to marry in Japan, and hope our wedding can help promote this goal.’

Ayaka Ichinose

Japan has a rich gay history, but LGBT rights get short shrift in the mainstream media. Japan’s views on homosexuality are a complex one. Despite artistic cultural exports that shows Japan as being a socially progressive society in regards to gender and sexual expression, the country still struggles with broad legislation that would ensure LGBT equality.

Last month, a Tokyo council voted to issue “partnership” certificates to gay couples, the first such recognition of same-sex unions in Japan. Other municipalities are now considering doing the same.

The certificate will carry only symbolic significance, since the Japanese constitution identifies marriage as a union based on mutual consent of the parties from “both sexes”.

Ichinose said she was ‘very pleased’ by the move and was considering moving to the ward, but she noted that as the certificates are effective only in Shibuya, there would not be many cases in which they would be useful.

Two other districts and one city are now considering similar measures.

Clare Balding and Long-term Partner Alice Arnold Covert Their UK Civil Partnership to Marriage

Speaking on the Jonathan Ross Show this week, British sports presenter, Clare Balding, confirmed that she and former Radio 4 newsreader Alice Arnold had converted their civil partnership to a marriage.

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“It’s about equality. It’s just about knowing that you can and knowing that you can say ‘I’m married’, and nobody’s going to think that’s married in inverted commas, no that’s actually married. I think it’s great. We converted. So it was a civil partnership that we did in 2006, and then we actually went to the same registry office and they just backdate it to when you did your civil partnership, so officially now we have been married since 2006.”

Clare Balding

The couple, who have been together 14 years, had a private ceremony in Chiswick. They initially became civil partners in 2006, and announced their intention to convert to marriage last year.

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She said it was an important step as it meant they would now be considered as legitimately married as opposite-sex couples.

Balding told Ross that their marriage was backdated to the day the couple entered into a civil partnership.

“We didn’t have a big party at all actually, nobody came apart from us, I’m quite keen on the whole idea of a party obviously, I don’t know the etiquette though, are you allowed to ask for presents again? It’s all about the party and the presents,” Balding joked.

She later tweeted:

UK Prime Minister David Cameron, this week declared Balding his “gay hero”.

“I’m a big fan. I love her enthusiasm; her zest for life… it doesn’t matter what sport she’s talking about, she can make it interesting. She’s a wonderful human being.”

David Cameron

8 States Where Same-Sex Marriage Has Passed, Are Now Among Those Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to Uphold Same-Sex Marriage Bans

Eight states where same-sex couples can marry are among 15 states urging the Supreme Court to uphold gay marriage bans and leave the matter to voters and lawmakers.

The 15 states are telling the justices in a brief filed Thursday that the court would do “incalculable damage to our civic life” if it decides that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry everywhere in the United States.

The states say they should be free to decide the issue for themselves.

Those seeking a nationwide decree in favour of same-sex marriage “urge the court to declare that the Constitution compels all 50 states to adopt this new form of marriage that did not exist in a single state 12 years ago. The court should decline that invitation,” the states wrote.

Plaintiffs from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee are asking the court to declare that the Constitution forbids states from denying same-sex couples the right to marry. The justices are scheduled to hear arguments on April 28.

Same-sex couples can marry in 37 states as a result of court decree, voter approval or legislative action.

The eight states on Thursday’s legal filing where gay and lesbian couples can marry after courts struck down bans on gay marriage are: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia.

Seven other states where same-sex marriage remains illegal also joined the brief. They are: Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.

China’s ‘Homowives’ Are Leading the Gay Rights Movement

Being married to someone who isn’t truly in love with you can be a miserable thing, but what can you do when it’s not in your best interests to leave? You’re miserable yes, but without your other half you’d lose your livelihood and would be criticised for getting a divorce.

This is the reality that many women in China are facing. Referred to as ‘homowives’ (which is the Chinese language equivalent of the phrase ‘beard’) these women get married – unknowingly to gay men – and find themselves stuck in loveless, sexless partnerships. The men are forced to do this to hide their sexualities and to stick to the social belief that people should get married and have children and the women are innocent bystanders in it all.

Yet despite the fact that the wives have to suffer, they don’t hold it against their husbands. Speaking to Quartz, one such ‘homowife’ named Qiu Xuan explained that being “homosexual isn’t wrong” but “what’s wrong is to marry a heterosexual to make a tragedy” and it’s one of the reasons why she’s campaigning for gay rights.

Maybe if there wasn’t such a stigma surrounding homosexuality, less people would be forced into a similar situation as her. Xuan explained to the publication that it’s incredibly difficult for ‘homowives’ to get a divorce and when she was granted one (though court mediation) she was forced to accept just $114 in alimony a month as her husband’s family threatened to stop her from seeing her 9 month old daughter if she didn’t agree. Later, when she tried to appeal for more money, she was denied as she couldn’t prove that her husband was having an extramarital affair; China’s judicial system only deems it adultery when it’s being committed with a member of the opposite sex.

Part of the homowive’s campaigning involves running a support group for other women in their situation. They run groups on QQ (a popular Chinese instant messaging service) and hold regular meetups. Other forms of campaigning are more vocal and involve protests (such as the one at Hong Kong’s annual gay rights parade, which attracted thousands) and one member of a QQ chat group is even translating two books (My Husband Is Gay and When Your Spouse Comes Out) into Chinese in order to raise awareness.

Sadly, although their work is gaining traction, China’s legislator are unwilling to address the topic of gay rights. Efforts to get marriage equality legalised have failed on several occasions as the government feels that the topic of LGBT equality is ahead of its time.

It’s estimated that millions of people across China have these sorts of marriages though, so hopefully the law will change sooner rather than later so that they can be freed.

Apple, Microsoft, Google and Facebook Call on the US Supreme Court to Strike Down Bans on Same-Sex Marriage

A number of corporate firm – including Microsoft, Apple,Walt Disney, Coca-Cola, Nike, Visa, American Apparel, General Mills, Barnes & Noble, Google, Twitter and Facebook, eBay and Amazon – have signed an employers’ amicus brief, which argues that permitting same-sex marriage is crucial to recognising employees’ rights.

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More: US President Continues Support For LGBT Community, Telling Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage Bans Are Unconstitutional

The brief states in part:

“Some of the states in which amici (the 379 companies) do business make marriage equally available to all of our employees and colleagues; others prohibit marriages between couples of the same sex and refuse to recognize existing same-sex marriages. This dual regime burdens amici. It creates legal uncertainty and imposes unnecessary costs and administrative complexities on employers, and requires differential employer treatment of employees who are similarly situated save for the state where they reside.

State laws that prohibit or decline to recognize marriages between same-sex couples hamper employer efforts to recruit and retain the most talented workforce possible in those states. Our successes depend upon the welfare and morale of all employees, without distinction. The burden imposed by inconsistent and discriminatory state laws of having to administer complicated schemes to account for differential treatment of similarly situated employees breeds unnecessary confusion, tension, and diminished employee morale.

A diverse, inclusive workplace environment increases the total human energy available to the organization. People can bring far more of themselves to their jobs because they are required to suppress far less. Inclusive companies are more open to new ideas and opportunities, while less prone to overconfidence when approaching challenges. Companies that are diverse and inclusive obtain better profits and other outputs, thanks to improved team collaboration and commitment.”

The Supreme Court is to hear arguments on same-sex marriage from April 28.

The companies are:

A.L. Nella & Company, LLP, CPAs, A.T. Kearney, Aardema Whitelaw, PLLC, Acacia Home LLC, Accenture, Aetna Inc., Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., AJ Leo Electric and Solar, Akamai Technologies, Inc., Alaska Airlines, Alcoa Inc., Amazon Services Inc., Amazon.com, Inc., American Airlines Group Inc., American Apparel, American Express Company

American International Group, Inc., Aparicio-Mercado Law, L.C., Apple Inc., AppNexus Inc., Aramark, Arbor Brewing Company, LLC, Arnold & Porter LLP, Aspen Skiing Company, Assemble Sound LLC, AT&T Inc., Atlas Cut Stone, Atticus Circle, The Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Avanade Inc.

Bain & Company, Inc., Bakehouse Art Complex, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Bank of America, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, Barclays, Barnes & Noble, Inc., bebe stores, inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Belcampo Inc., Ben & Jerry’s, Big Duck Studio, Inc., Bigelow Villa LLC, Billy’s Farm, BlackRock, Inc., Bloomberg L.P., Blue Apron, Inc., Blue Heron Ventures, Blue Moon Hotel / Winter Haven Hotel, Blume, Faulkner & Skeen, PLLC, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boston Community Capital, Inc., Boston Consulting Group, The Boston Foundation, Boston Medical Center Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Brady Mills LLC, BrandQuery LLC ,Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Broadcom Corporation, Brocade

Cablevision Systems Corporation, Capital One Financial Corporation, Captain Wendell’s Marine Services LLC, Cardinal Health, Inc., Care Resource, CBS Corporation, CEB, Central Physical Therapy and Fitness PSC, CGI, Charlotte Business Guild, The Chubb Corporation, CIGNA Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Citigroup Inc., City Catering Company, City Lites Neon, Inc., The City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Civitas Public Affairs Group, Clean Yield Asset Management, CloudFlare, Inc., CMIT Solutions of Seattle Downtown, The Coca-Cola Company, Cohen & Associates, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Columbia FunMap, Inc., Comcast Corporation, The Computer Butler, ConAgra Foods, Inc., The Corcoran Group, Corner Brewery, LLC, Corning Incorporated, Cox Enterprises, Inc., Crazy Misfits Pet Services, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Cummins Inc., Cupcake Royale, CVS Health Corporation

Dallas Voice, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., Danaher Corporation, David J. Jarrett, P.C., David Kosar Insurance Agency, David Mack Henderson Income Tax Preparation, DCI Group AZ, L.L.C., Deloitte LLP, Delta Air Lines, Inc., Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, The Desert Business Association, Deutsche Bank AG, Diageo North America, Inc., DIRECTV, DocuSign, Domini Social Investments LLC, The Dow Chemical Company, Dreamcatcher Arts and Publishing Ltd., Dropbox, Inc., DuPont

eBay Inc., Edelman, Eldercare Consulting, Electronic Arts Inc., EnduringHydro, LLC, Ernst & Young LLP, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Event Rents, Everything Real Estate LLC, Express Movers Inc.,

Facebook, Inc., Farella Braun + Martel, LLP, Fastsigns, Fenwick & West LLP, First Data Corporation, 1st Security Bank, 1stdibs.Com, Inc., FIT Technologies, Flanery CPA, Full Court Press Communications

G.A.W., Inc., The Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Nevada, General Electric Company, General Mills, Inc., Gensler, Gilt Groupe Holdings, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Gleason & Associates Claims Services, Go Factory, Inc., Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Google Inc., Goulston & Storrs, P.C., Great Officiants LLC, The Greater Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Greater San Diego Business Association, Greater Seattle Business Association, Greensulate, Grossman Marketing Group, Group Health Cooperative, Groupon, Growing Hope,

Harrell Remodeling, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Healthline, Hewlett-Packard Company, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., Holdredge Wines, Homeward Pet Adoption Center, Horizon Air Industries, Inc., House Packard LLC, HSB,

Ikard Wynne LLP, The Independence Business Alliance, The Inland Northwest Business Alliance, Insala, Ltd, Inspirato, LLC, Integrated Archive Systems, Inc., Integrity Law Group, Intel Corporation, Intuit Inc., INUS Group, LLC,

Jackson Hole Group LLC, Jagod Designs, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Jenn T. Grace International LLC, Jennifer Brown Consulting, JetBlue Airways Corporation, The Jim Henson Company, Johnson & Johnson, Johnston, Kinney and Zulaica LLP, Jonathan L. Bowman, Attorney at Law, PS, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Julian Chang Consulting, Inc.

kapchur.us photography, The Kathy A. Janssen Foundation, Kazan, McClain, Satterley, & Greenwood, PLC, Keir Jones Agency – State Farm, Keker & Van Nest LLP, KEO Marketing Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corp., Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC, Kollmar Sheet Metal Works, Inc., Kotzan Chiropractic, KPMG LLP

Lambda Business Association, Laparoscopic Institute for Gynecologic Oncology, Larson Marketing & Communications LLC, Laughton Properties, Law Offices of Joel L. Sogol, Law Office of Lisa E. Schuchman, Law Office of Lorie L. Burch, PC, Law Offices of Robin L. Bodiford, P.A., The Law Office of Susan K. Fuller, PLLC, Levi Strauss & Co., Liberty Burger, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Life & Love Celebrations, Link in the Chain Foundation, Inc., Littler Mendelson, P.C., LNT, Inc., The Long Beach Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Lori Karbal et al, Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Trust, LLC, The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

Main Street Hair Shoppe Ltd., Marriott International, Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, McGraw Hill Financial, Inc., McKesson Corporation, McKinsey & Company, Inc., Merca Property Management, The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft Corporation, The Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Miller & Olson, LLP, Miller Shelton Group, LLC, MillerCoors LLC, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Mona Smith PLLC, Moody’s Corporation, Morgan Miller Plumbing, Morgan Stanley, MWW Public Relations,

NAMI Dallas, Inc., The Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Neumann Capital Management, LLC, The New England Patriots, New Leaf Columbus, New York Life Insurance Company, Nifty Hoops, LLC, NIKE, Inc., Nixon Peabody LLP, North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce, Northrop Grumman Corporation,

OBOX Solutions, Office Depot, Inc., The Ogilvy Group, Inc., Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., ONE Community Media, LLC, 1 Source Consulting Solutions, Oracle America, Inc., Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, Outerwall Inc.

Pakmode Publications, LLC, d/b/a Pakmode Media + Marketing, Pandora Media, Inc., PATH, Peabody & Arnold LLP, Pepper Hamilton LLP, PepsiCo, Pfizer Inc., Pixelligent Technologies LLC, Plexus Education Foundation, Plexus LGBT and Allied Chamber of Commerce, Portland Area Business Association, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, PrideFest, the PrintingWorks, Pro-Tec Data, Inc., Procter & Gamble, ProTrials Research, Inc., Prudential Financial, Inc., Puma Spring Vineyards, Qualcomm Incorporated, Quorum

RAFI Architecture and Design, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley, Ralph’s Regal Weddings, Ray Holley Communications, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Replacements, Ltd., Restaurant Management Concepts, Reverberate! Marketing Communications, Inc., Rising Tide Brewing Company, RJR Photography, Robert H Stutz Jr CPA, Rockwell Automation, Inc., Rotella & Hernandez, LLC

The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, Sadek Bonahoom PLC, The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, The San Francisco Giants, The Seattle Lesbian, LLC, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Sempra Energy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Shingles Roofing LLC, Sidetrack, Inc., Simon, Schindler & Sandberg LLP, Skellenger Bender, P.S., Skyworks Solutions, Inc., Sleeves Up Productions, LLC, Sōw, Spectra Law PS, Spry Vision, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., Staples, Inc., Starbucks Corporation, Starrtek LLC, State Street Corporation, Steven Graves Insurance Agency, Stonewall Behavioral Health, Stonewall Columbus, Stuffed Cakes, LLC, Sun Life Financial (U.S.) Services Company, Inc., SunDaily, Support.com, Inc., Sweet Dixie Kitchen, Symantec Corporation

Taber Food Services, Inc., dba Hobee’s California Restaurants, The Tampa Bay Rays, Target Corporation, TD Bank, N.A., TD Securities (USA) LLC, Tech Data Corporation, TestTracks, Thinking Cap Communications & Design, Third Point LLC, Thomson Reuters, Tiwary Entertainment Group LLC, TNT Promotions, LLC, TOCA Events, LLC, TravelOut, Inc., Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, Twitter, Inc., 206 Inc.

UBS AG, The Ultimate Software Group, Inc., United Air Lines, Inc., United Therapeutics Corporation, Uptown Physicians Group, VCB Consulting & Accounting Services

Verizon Communications Inc., Viacom Inc., Visa Inc., VitaPerk, VMware, Inc.

W. M. Martin Advertising, W.W. Grainger, Inc., W/S Development Associates LLC, Walsh Wellness Center, The Walt Disney Company, Wasserman Media Group, Wells Fargo & Company, Whey Natural! USA LLC, Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Witeck Communications, Inc., The Workplace Equality Index, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation

Xerox Corporation, Xfund

YES DESIGN GROUP, Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority

Zausmer, Kaufman, August & Caldwell, P.C., Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, ZoomSystems, Zynga Inc.

Dolce & Gabbana Condemns Unenlightened ‘Ignorance’ of Elton John After #BoycottDolceGabbana Campaign

Last week fashion icons Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (aka Dolce & Gabbana) – who are gay themselves – made comments on their opposition to same-sex couples having children.

The designers, whose recent Milan Fashion Week show was a celebration of motherhood and featured models and their babies on the catwalk, said:

We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one…. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed.”

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Out singer-songwriter Elton John, who has sons Zachary and Elijah with his husband David Furnish, has since hit back at the pair.

How dare you refer to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic’. And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.

Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana”

Sir Elton John

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Celebrities gay and straight were only too happy to offer their support for Elton John’s boycott, and to share in decrying Dolce & Gabbana comments attacking LGBT families.

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Now Gabbana has spoken in more detail about the scandal to Corriere Della Sera, labelling Elton John’s call for his fans to boycott the Dolce & Gabbana brand “unenlightened” and “ignorant”.

Speaking to Matteo Persivale, Gabbana argues that Dolce’s comments were taken out of context.

They’re just putting words into our mouths, now. They’re saying we are against gay parenting. It’s not true. Domenico only expressed his opinion about the traditional family and about In Vitro Fertilisation. If someone else wants to make different choices, fine, they are free to do it. We demand the same respect.”

Asked about how he felt after reading Elton John’s comments on Instagram and his hashtag #BoycottDolceGabbana, Gabbana describes his shock.

I didn’t expect this, coming from someone whom I considered, and I stress “considered”, an intelligent person like Elton John. I mean, you preach understanding, tolerance and then you attack others? Only because someone has a different opinion? Is this a democratic or enlightened way of thinking? This is ignorance, because he ignores the fact that others might have a different opinion and that theirs is as worthy of respect as his.”

In response to Elton’s petition for his followers to #BoycottDoceGabbana, Gabbana retorted by posting the word #Fascist! on Elton’s wall before calling on their followers to #BoycottEltonJohn.

Come on, I was annoyed for a moment. It would be ridiculous. Either you like somebody’s songs or you don’t. When you go to the greengrocer’s, you don’t make sure that he agrees with your views on IVF. You just want to know if he has fresh products…

We are not boycotting and we will not boycott anyone. We are about freedom. Anyone can make the choices they want. Domenico has his ideas, he made some choices. Elton John made different choices. Different choices, different lives. Equal respect.”

While the two D&G designers have been collectively criticised for the comments, Gabbana told Panorama he was open to becoming a father and has since said the suggestion he is against gay adoption is wrong. “A question is followed by an answer. Respect comes from accepting different views!” Gabbana wrote on Instagram.

Mexico Could Have Nationwide Marriage Equality Soon

In the United Kingdom, it would seem unusual if parliament voted to provide human rights to people in one county but not another. But in countries like Mexico, each of these country’s states have their laws and rulings each determined by local politics and only the Supreme Court is able to make blanket laws that affect the entire country. It’s this hierarchy that is making Mexico’s fight for marriage equality that much more difficult.

It’s also made more difficult by the way the nullification of state law works. For example, in order to nullify a state law about marriage equality, several separate lawsuits have to be filed by several couples against the state. On top of this, unlike in the United States where a successful lawsuit in one state allowed everybody in that area to marry, lawsuit rulings in Mexico only apply to the individuals that filed them meaning that those who also want to marry have to file their own lawsuit and wait for that to successful.

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But despite these hurdles, those fighting for marriage equality in Mexico are pushing on. As of 2015, courts in more than two thirds of Mexico’s 31 states have ruled in favour of the same-sex couples, thus granting them the right to marry. In fact, in the states of Coahulla and Quintana Roo and Mexico City (which isn’t a state but it is a district, like Washington D.C) marriage is available for everybody.

What’s also good news is that lawyers like Alex Alí Méndez Díaz (who took up the legal fight when other LGBT protesters didn’t feel as though lawsuits would be successful) have been filing ‘amparos’ and ‘amparo colectivos’.

An amparo is a lawsuit that pertains to human rights, while an amparo colectivos is a human rights lawsuit that involves large groups of people. Méndez has been filing these lawsuits so that couples will win the right to marry and individuals will win that right for the future too, even if they do not currently have a partner. In April, 2014 the Supreme Court ruled in favour of his 39-person strong amparo colectivo while other lawsuits (some involving hundreds of people) have also been successful in other parts of the country.

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The change is massively positive and speaking to Buzzfeed, Méndez says that he is astonished at the pace of it. And, their push for marriage equality has seen little to no resistance from LGBT rights opponents and religious leaders (Mexico is mostly Catholic) in the country as unlike the United States, where marriage equality is hugely publicised, that isn’t the case in Mexico and the people aren’t used to using the courts to bring about change like this.

However, this stability may not be forever as Méndez says that “The moment that there is an order from the Supreme Court forcing reform we’ll begin to see all kinds of resistance. We’re going to have serious problems with protests in opposition.”

In January, there was opposition from local officials in the state of Baja California who refused to let same-sex couple marry. One volunteer from the city hall even said that the two men were mad, which caused LGBT activists to organise a protest using the hashtag #MisDerechosNoSonLocura (#MyRightsAreNotMadness). In the end, the couple was allowed to marry.

Despite this opposition, which is sure to grow in the coming weeks and months, Méndez tells Buzzfeed that he still thinks the nationwide marriage equality will become a reality soon regardless.

We’ll keep you posted once we know more.

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Lesbian Couple in Taiwan Fight Court Over Adoption Rights 

A lesbian in Taiwan has been told she can not adopt the children she parents with her partner, because it would have a “negative impact” on them will appeal the landmark case.

Neal Wang, 36, wanted to formally adopt the children that she and her partner of 15 years planned together and now co-parent. Wang’s partner, Ashley Chou, gave birth to their twins – one boy, one girl – who are now three.

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Under Taiwanese law, the unmarried partner of a birth mother is not allowed to adopt their child – but the couple had applied as a “de facto” married couple, saying that they want to wed, but are barred as same-sex marriages are illegal.

More: Lesbian Couple in Taiwan Battle for Recognition of Their Two Children

The court ruled against the adoption, citing potential “negative impact” on the children, despite an evaluation from a child welfare group finding Wang fit as an adoptive parent.

Wang spoke to reporters outside the Shihlin district court, as the couple announced their appeal bid.

“I have a healthy family and the children are happy. I don’t understand what the ‘negative impact’ would be. I was there from the beginning when the kids were still eggs and I’ve taken care of them like any other parent.”

The court ruling on Wang’s application also cited a lack of “consensus” on legalizing same-sex marriages.

The ruling said

“There are many objections against homosexual couples adopting children. If the adoption is recognized, the young children will be placed on the front line of the issue and face pressure from the outside, which could have a negative impact on their physical and psychological developments.”

Taiwan holds one of Asia’s biggest annual gay pride parades and its Cabinet drafted a bill in 2003 to legalize same-sex marriages and recognise the rights of homosexual couples to adopt children – the first in Asia to do so.

But the bill was never put to a vote due to lack of consensus among lawmakers.

Another bill to recognize same-sex marriage was sent to parliament in 2013, but advocacy groups say there has been no progress.