It’s a big day for marriage equality cases as the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments in five cases covering the constitutionality of bans on marriage for same-sex couples in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. Approximately 18,300 children of same-sex couples and nearly 52,400 same-sex couples could be impacted by the outcome, according to UCLA’s Williams Institute.
Republican lawmakers, with the urging of anti-LGBT groups the Family Research Council and the Heritage Foundation, have introduced a bill last week that would allow adoption providers and other child welfare service agencies to refuse to provide services that conflict with their “sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.” Think it’s a thinly veiled attempt to stop LGBT people from adopting or fostering? You’re right. But an opposing bill that would withhold federal funds from adoption providers that discriminate against LGBT people now has record support — although it is far from passage.
Reading the international headlines recently, I was reminded how LGBT rights around the world are at vastly different points of development.
Yesterday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Virginia’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples violates the 14th Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. That paves the way for Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The First Church Congregational in Rochester, New Hampshire, part of the United Church of Christ (UCC), has had two rainbow Pride flags stolen in the past week. In response, Pastor Eliza Buchakjian-Tweedy, who is raising two children with her spouse Marcey, is asking for people to send them rainbow flags so they can cover the church building and lawn with them.
Australian Senator for South Australia and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Penny Wong, last week gave a pointed Senate speech against homophobia in sports, schools, and elsewhere.
I didn’t want to let the day pass without an acknowledgment of the historic signing by President Obama of an executive order to ban federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The order also added “gender identity” to an executive order of President Clinton that banned discrimination against federal employees on the basis of sexual orientation. Today’s order will directly benefit many LGBTQ people and their families — but it isn’t enough.
Last month, I wrote, “It used to be that ‘Think of the children!’ was an argument against marriage equality. Now that’s an argument for it,” as ruling after ruling after ruling for marriage equality has heavily weighed the interests of children. A Reuters article yesterday covered the same theme.
Think you’re a soccer mom? Casey Stoney, who captained England’s football (soccer) team in the last Olympics, is expecting twins with her partner Megan Harris, who was also a professional player. Now THEY are going to be soccer moms.
Here’s a bit of good news to start your week. Colorado lesbian moms Fran and Anna Simon, whom NPR called “the de facto face of the civil unions debate” back when the state was trying to pass civil unions, have now gotten married.
