Posting late today. “Nap” has become a four-letter word around our house, and it’s hard to blog with a three-year-old running around wanting to play forest ranger.
- Karl Rove’s stepdad, with whom he had a “close relationship” is gay, a new book claims. Yes, that Karl Rove, who used same-sex marriage to mobilize the conservative base for George Bush.
- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation to bar sexual-orientation-based discrimination in public schools. The law “would have prohibited the instruction, use of textbooks or school-sponsored activities that adversely reflect on people based on their sexual orientation.” Schwarzenegger said current laws provide adequate protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
- Two lesbian couples in Colorado dropped their lawsuit against the city of Colorado Springs over its revocation of benefits for same-sex couples. The case was on appeal after having been thrown out by a previous judge. One of the plaintiffs said she did not have the energy to continue the case after the death of her partner, and that she was disappointed with the support from state LGBT organizations.
- Lambda Legal is weighing whether to appeal the voter-approved reinstatement of Nebraska’s same-sex marriage ban.
- A group of Virginia lawyers, including a former Republican nominee for governor, has signed a petition against a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, saying it could be detrimental to all unmarried couples in the state. The amendment will be on the November ballot.
And around the world:
- The pope, at a meeting with Canadian bishops, spoke against both same-sex marriage and abortion, saying Canada was “suffering from the pervasive effects of secularism.” Although same-sex marriage has been legal throughout Canada since last year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said the House of Commons will vote this fall on whether to revisit the issue.
- On a related note, the Roman Catholic Church in Canada has teamed with conservative groups to demand the British Columbia government abandon plans to introduce an optional course for 12th-grade students that would include LGBT civics and material on gay marriage.
- The State Law Adviser (SLA), a legal advisory board to the South African government, is refusing to approve legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry or register their relationships, saying it may not meet all of the requirements of last year’s Constitutional Court ruling to permit same-sex marriage. Among other things, they are concerned that the bill allows civil marriage officials to refuse to conduct same-sex unions on the grounds of conscience. Furthermore, as reported by 365gay.com, some LGBT groups are concerned about the bill, saying the separate legislation is “apartheid.” Regardless, the Constitutional Court ruling will automatically change the law to permit same-sex marriage by the end of the year, even if the government legislation is still in limbo.
