The Connecticut Supreme Court today ruled that “same sex couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry.” GLAD has links to some of the news coverage of this historic event. Also check out this video of the lead plaintiffs, Beth Kerrigan and Jody Mock, reacting to the news. Have tissues handy.
- The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly condemned recent attacks on the organizers and participants of the Sarajevo Queer Festival. They also drew attention to the discrimination and violence against LGBT people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of two couples from Lexington, Massachusetts who said their school district had no right to include LGBT-related books like King & King in its elementary school curriculum.
- SCOTUS also refused to hear the case of a sperm donor claiming full parental rights against the birth mother’s wishes. The man wanted the Court to rule as unconstitutional a Kansas statute denying donors parenthood without written agreement.
- The conservative American Family Association called off a five-month boycott of McDonald’s Corp. after a company executive left the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). The company says the executive, formerly McDonald’s vice president of U.S. communications, took a position in the firm’s Canadian operation, requiring his resignation from the U.S.-based NGLCC. Could be an innocent move; but one always has to wonder what kind of pressure there might have been behind the job change. McDonald’s says the executive made a personal decision to be on the board, and they don’t intend to replace him. McDonald’s also gave $20,000 to sponsor NGLCC’s annual fundraising gala this past year, but says they have no plans to do so next year.
- In “we could have predicted this” news, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s office refused to sign a proclamation designating October 11 as National Coming Out Day (which it is, of course, with or without her signature).
- The Arkansas state Department of Human Services will drop its rule that prohibits placement of foster children in homes with unmarried couples (and by definition, same-sex couples).
- New polls in Florida and California show support growing for constitutional amendments bannging marriage of same-sex couples.
- The Orlando, Florida city council agreed to extend health benefits to city workers with a same-sex partner. The couple must sign an affidavit swearing they are committed and provide other paperwork like evidence of a joint bank account.
- The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling that said transgender Riverdale City Council candidate Michelle Bruce did not defraud voters by representing her gender as female.
- The School for Social Justice Pride Campus, a proposed Chicago high school that would cater to but not focus exclusively on LGBT youth, was among 20 new schools recommended to the school board by Chicago Public Schools’ Chief Arne Duncan. Emma Ruby-Sachs has more at 365gay.com on the pros and cons of an LGBT-focused school.
- Two openly gay school board candidates won election in Louisiana, making them the state’s first openly gay elected officials.
- The Montana woman who lost her battle to keep her former partner from having custody rights over their child (see last week’s Roundup) has appealed to the state Supreme Court.
- A lawmaker in the U.S. Virgin Islands says he will keep pushing for a ban on marriage of same-sex couples that was excluded from a draft of the territory’s constitution.
Around the world:
- Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Petras Vaitiekunas admitted his country’s reputation as the EU’s most homophobic country, is justified. He told Parliament that it would likely take a “change of generations” to change attitudes.
- Norway will begin allowing marriage of same-sex couples in January, but the Church of Norway has voted not to allow its pastors to perform church weddings. It will, however, allow a prayer for same-sex couples who have civil marriages, “as long as the prayer is not in the form of a blessing service.”
- The Portuguese Parliament “overwhelmingly defeated” a proposal to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.
- The Ugandan government said it will strengthen anti-gay laws and step up police operations against gay people.