QUEER QUOTE: Evan Wolfson Declares Victory For Marriage Equality

About a week after the announcement of the United States Supreme Court's decision in Obergefelll v. Hodges which ended all state-based bans on same-sex marriage nationwide, Evan Wolfson, the architect of this sea change in civil rights for LGBT people and founder of Freedom to Marry, has communicated his victory message to that organization's supporters:

I always believed we would win, but what a joy and relief it was when our victory came. As I read the Supreme Court opinion, as I followed the stories across the country of couples getting married, and as so many people wrote me with wonder, attaching pictures of their families, their kids, their weddings ... well, I cried and cried again. 

We won. We did it. The freedom to marry is now the law of the land throughout our whole country. At long last, loving and committed same-sex couples are able to share in the joy, the protections, the vocabulary, and the institution of marriage. 

We've been fighting this campaign for decades, and not a single step has come easily. To overcome the obstacles and to seize the opportunities, with stumbles and then successes, we built a machine that could guide and leverage a movement, driving a strategy — and machines take fuel. Without your support, this transformation and triumph would not have happened. 

And our win is America's win. Love won. We all did. 

Now — as Freedom to Marry prepares to wind down — we must remember that there's still much work to do in our own LGBT movement and in the broader movements we are part of. 

I am grateful to my incomparable Freedom to Marry team, our close movement colleagues, the entire family of supporters and partners in the work, our allies, and our country. How lucky we are to see our work rewarded with the change and victory we sought and deserved. 

All that's left is to say, with all my heart, is congratulations — mazel tov! — and thank you. 

Evan WolfsonFounder, Freedom to Marry

Congrats!

NAACP Legal Defense Fund Files Brief In Favor Of Marriage Equality In Virginia Case

The briefs are starting to come in support of the plaintiffs in the Virginia marriage equality case Bostic v. Schaefer (previously Bostic v. Rainey) which will be heard before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals next month. In a rare example of the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fun (LDF) working together, the two have filed a joint brief in favor of marriage equality.

The groups call for marriage equality for lesbians and gay men by invoking the principles set forth in the Supreme Court's iconic 1967 decision in Loving v. Virginia,which struck down laws that prohibited marriage for interracial couples.

"More than fifty years ago, the Supreme Court unequivocally established the right of every individual to marry the person she or he chooses," said Ria Tabacco Mar, Assistant Counsel in the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's Economic Justice Group. "It's long past time to strike down laws that deprive lesbians and gay men of their constitutional rights," Ms. Tabacco Mar added. 

In the brief, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the NAACP make clear that Lovingwas not restricted to race: the freedom to marry has long been recognized as a fundamental right "essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness."

"Marriage is a civil right under state law," stated Kim M. Keenan, NAACP General Counsel. “In furtherance of our legacy of advocacy in Loving v. Virginia, we are proud to stand with the NAACP LDF to ensure that every person is treated the same and benefits the same under law."  The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the NAACP argue that marriage discrimination violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Furthermore, the same baseless and offensive accusations proffered by the proponents of Virginia’s marriage ban -- that prohibitions on marriage equality are necessary to protect children -- were also invoked by Virginia in 1967 in defense of its anti-miscegenation law.

The Virginia case is the one that has the involvement of Ted Olson and David Boies, who filed the federal suit that led to the demise of Proposition 8.

In other Virginia news, the senior U.S. Senator from Virginia has today published a joint editorial with his Harvard Law School classmate Evan Wolfson arguing why Virginia's ban on marriage equality needs to go.

When Thomas Jefferson wrote the words "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, he put in place a moral standard that will always challenge us to be better people. 

Our founders passionately believed in equality, but most saw no contradiction between that belief and slavery. It took 90 years and a civil war to correct that injustice.
The post-Civil War Congress that changed the Constitution to abolish slavery passionately believed in equality, but most saw no contradiction in women's inability to vote. It took nearly 70 years to remedy that injustice. 

Today, Virginians and Americans are advancing Jefferson's equality principle by re-thinking laws that limit the freedom to marry. 

The two of us first became friends in law school more than 30 years ago. Our career and personal paths have taken different directions. But we share a commitment to making people's lives better, their dreams more attainable and their families stronger. 

And we share a commitment to Jefferson's farsighted ideal. That's why we look forward to the day when all loving couples, regardless of sexual orientation, can marry. 

In recent months, 11 out of 11 federal judges have ruled against marriage discrimination. 

In February, a federal judge in Norfolk was one of them.

I think lots of people think the Virginia case is the one that the Supreme Court is going to use to decide the question of whether state bans on same-sex marriage violate the U.S. constitution.

QUEER QUOTE: Charles Cooper, Leading Anti-Gay Lawyer Has A Lesbian Daughter

Charles Cooper is one of the most famous and longest-serving opponents to same-sex marriage in the country. He is something like the "anti-Evan Wolfson." He represented Hawaii in the first major case where a state supreme court ruled that traditional marriage laws were discriminatory way back in 1993 and has been active in very many of the legal skirmishes around marriage equality ever since.

He is infamous for responding to U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker's question of how exactly marriage is only for procreative purposes in the Proposition 8 trial in 2010 Cooper responded: "Your Honor, my answer is I don't know. I don't know." Cooper defended California's ban on same-sex marriage all the way to the United States Supreme Court, eventually losing in Hollingsworth v. Perry.

This week came word that even this venerable opponent of marriage equality is coming around to the side of equality and justice, atleast for members of his family. Apparently his daughter is a lesbian and she is going to be marrying her female partner soon and Cooper is delighted.

This rapprochement is today's Queer Quote:

“My daughter Ashley’s path in life has led her to happiness with a lovely young woman named Casey, and our family and Casey’s family are looking forward to celebrating their marriage in just a few weeks."

And so it goes, my gentle readers, and so it goes.

Scotland Passes Marriage Equality Bill, Country #18!

As I blogged about 18 months ago, the Scottish Parliament has given final approval (by a lopsided vote of 105 to 18) to a bill that will legalize marriage for same-sex couples in the country later this year, becoming the 18th nation in the world to do so.

The BBC reports:

MSPs voted by 105 to 18 in favour of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.
The Scottish government said the move was the right thing to do but Scotland's two main churches were opposed to it. 

[...] 

The first same-sex weddings in England and Wales will take place from 29 March, in the wake of legislation already passed by the Westminster parliament. 

In Scotland, same-sex couples currently have the option to enter into civil partnerships, but SNP ministers brought forward their Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill, saying the move was an important step for equality. 

[...] 

Mr Neil said passing the bill meant "a historic day in the history of the Scottish Parliament", which received the front-bench backing of Labour's Jackie Baillie and Conservative Jackson Carlaw. 

Gay rights organisations, including the Equality Network and Stonewall Scotland, and a range of other groups, have supported the legislation.

Congratulations to Scotland! Freedom to Marry's Evan Wolfson responded:

With the freedom to marry bill clearing its final hurdle in Scotland today, same-sex couples can finally share in the freedom to marry alongside their neighbors in England and Wales. Today’s win comes after a rich and extensive debate, and after an overwhelming victory in its previous parliamentary vote. Freedom to Marry looks forward from afar to seeing the first Scottish marriages performed in autumn; and will continue working along the Roadmap to Victory needed to ensure that the United States joins them on the right side of history.

18 and counting...

Freedom To Marry Summarizes Marriage Equality Victories In 2013

Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage equality nationwide, has summarized the amazing progress in marriage equality that happened in the last year into one animated gif (shown above) and a blog post written by Evan Wolfson: "Top 10 Freedom to Marry Moments in 2013."

10. Anniversaries and Milestones in Massachusetts, Hawaii, and More9. More Republicans Join the Cause8. Majority of U.S. Senate Supports the Freedom to Marry7. Ascendance of Pope Francis and a New Tone on Gay People and Marriage6. President Obama Extols the Freedom to Marry in Inaugural Address5. Freedom to Marry Makes International Gains Around the World4. Record Majorities for Marriage3. Obama Administration Moves Swiftly and Strongly to Implement Federal Respect for Married Couples – Even in Discriminating States2. We Win the Freedom to Marry in a Record 9 More States1. Supreme Court Strikes Down Core of DOMA

Go to the post and read the details behind these headlines.

Hawaii Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill 20-4!

The race to become the 15th state with marriage equality between Hawaii, Illinois and New Mexico seems to have the Aloha State in the lead right now.  Thanks to a special legislative session which started on Monday, the Hawaii state Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill to enact marriage equality by a vote of 20 to 4. The bill now goes to the state House, where passage is expected, according to The Advocate.

The House, where the vote is likely to be closer, may try to put more religious exemptions into the measure. It currently exempts clergy members who oppose same-sex marriage from having to perform such unions, but it does not allow for-profit businesses to refuse, on religious grounds, to provide wedding-related services to gay couples. An amended bill would have to go back to the Senate for another vote.

An interesting historical footnote here is that Hawaii was the site of the beginning of the modern movement to legalize marriage equality when the state Supreme Court issued a ruling in 1993 that it believed denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples was sex discrimination requiring the government to provide a compelling state interest to justify it. Within 3 years the Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act in a hysterical response to the possibility that Hawaii would legalize same-sex marriage and the rest of the country would be "forced" to recognize these marriages. In 1998, Hawaii voters enacted a constitutional amendment giving power to the legislature to ban same-sex marriage. Because that measure did not explicitly define marriage as between a man and a woman, the Legislature also has the power now to enact marriage equality.

It's amazing to think that 20 years later Hawaii could (finally) end marriage discrimination, just as the Hawaii Supreme Court predicted.

Hat/tip to LGBT Think Progress

Marriage Equality Starts In New Jersey; Christie Drops Appeal

As expected, marriage equality reached New Jersey at 12:01am this morning and soon afterwards U.S. Senator-elect Cory Booker officiated his first marriage as Mayor of Newark, the state's largest city.

Interestingly, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced a few hours later that he had decided to drop his administration's appeal of the September 26 ruling that is being implemented today to the New Jersey Supreme Court, thus removing any ambiguity about the future status of marriage equality in the Garden State.

Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry released a statement making it clear that his organization is not willing to stop at the 14 states (and Washington, DC) that now have marriage equality:

"At long last, the freedom to marry is now permanently law of the land in New Jersey. The marriages of loving, committed couples throughout the Garden State, combined with Governor Christie's withdrawal of his appeal, is joyous news to New Jerseyans, both gay and non-gay. The momentum continues to build nationwide and we are working hard to deliver victories in Hawaii, Illinois and New Mexico yet in 2013."

And Chad Griffin of Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT rights group in the country, emailed supporters reminding them of their goal to reach 50 marriage equality states within 5 years of this year's Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Windsor and listed the states that they are focused on in the foreseeable future:

• In Hawaii, we've sent three senior field organizers to work with the Hawaii United for Marriage campaign, and we're expecting a vote in the legislature any day now.
• In Illinois, we have invested more than $255,000 in the legislative marriage campaign. Nine HRC organizers are on the ground working to generate constituent contacts and secure a favorable House vote for the marriage equality bill, which has already passed in the Senate.
• In New Mexico, we have hired two field organizers to mobilize support as a marriage equality lawsuit is pending before the State Supreme Court.
• In New Jersey, we have deployed four field organizers and a senior field organizer to partner with the New Jersey United for Marriage campaign following Governor Christie's appeal of a pro-marriage trial court decision and his veto of the marriage equality bill.
• In Oregon, HRC is part of the governing board of the Oregon United for Marriage campaign that seeks to replace the state's existing marriage amendment with full marriage equality. HRC is also funding the campaign's faith director and has deployed a senior field organizer to be part of the campaign.
• In Indiana, HRC is fighting alongside the bipartisan coalition Freedom Indiana to defeat an anti-marriage constitutional amendment.
• In Arizona and Ohio, we helped launch educational campaigns with the aim of repealing and replacing the states' "Defense of Marriage" Amendments at the ballot in 2016.

Only time will tell what will happen next. What do YOU think? Will there be 50 states with marriage equality within 5 years?

I think it is possible, but I would probably give it until 2020. In order to do so one would need a ruling from the United States Supreme Court recognizing that the freedom to marry explicitly includes the right to marry someone of the same-sex. In order for that to happen within the next five years it is likely one needs to reach a majority of states (twenty-six) that have marriage equality as well as a majority of Supreme Court justices (five) that would endorse the concept. That would almost certainly require at least one (if not more) Republican-appointed justices to retire.

What do you think?

Boy Scouts Reaffirm Anti-Gay Position

Zach Wahls, famous straight ally from Iowa with two lesbian moms,
 is an Eagle Scout trying to change the homophobic Boy Scout policy

The Boy Scouts of America, one of the most capriciously anti-gay private organizations in the United States, announced on Tuesday that they were going to retain their notorious policy of excluding openly gay boys who want to belong to the organization, after a an alleged review that took two years. (This policy also excludes boys who are openly atheist or agnostic.)

According to the AP:

The Scouts' national spokesman, Deron Smith, told The Associated Press that an 11-member special committee, formed discreetly by top Scout leaders in 2010, came to the conclusion that the exclusion policy "is absolutely the best policy" for the 102-year-old organization. 

[...]

As a result of the committee's decision, the Scouts' national executive board will take no further action on a resolution submitted at its recent national conference asking for reconsideration of the membership policy.

The Scouts' chief executive, Bob Mazzuca, contended that most Scout families support the policy, which applies to both adult leaders and Scouts.

"The vast majority of the parents of youth we serve value their right to address issues of same-sex orientation within their family, with spiritual advisers and at the appropriate time and in the right setting," Mazzuca said. "We fully understand that no single policy will accommodate the many diverse views among our membership or society."

Gee, I wonder how they know that the vast majority of current Scout parents believe  the current policy is correct? Could it be because the vast majority of current Scout parents are Mormon?

It is somewhat curious that the policy was announced now, because when the review was announced way back in 2010, it was said that the decision would happen in 2013. But, it is believed that the outgoing president of the organization supports the policy while the incoming president of the organization does not.

The Boy Scouts of America have the right to discriminate in their membership on the basis of sexual orientation due to a famous Supreme Court case from 2000 called Dale v. United States which was argued by Freedom to Marry founder and executive director Evan Wolfson when he worked for Lambda  Legal. Despite winning the case, the Boy Scouts have become increasingly controversial for their bizarre policy, which is clearly out of step with the rest of society becoming more tolerant towards homosexuality. The Girl Scouts of America have long allowed (and affirmed) the participation of LGBT parents and kids and Boy Scouts organizations in other countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom all allow openly gay people to belong to the organization, thus demonstrating exactly how capricious the Boy Scouts of America policy is.

Hat/tip to TowleRoad.

Celebrity Friday: Evan Wolfson Recognized

Evan Wolfson is widely regarded as the primary strategist behind the movement to legalize marriage equality in the United States. He is currently the founder and executive director of Freedom to Marry, the national organization devoted to the project of ending discrimination against same-sex couples at all levels of recognition by the State.

This week he was awarded the Barnard College Medal of Distinction along with President Barack Obama, just a few days after the President announced that he supported marriage equality.

In an even bigger twist, former Chief Judge of New York's highest court, Judith Kaye, presented Evan with his award.

Congratulations, Evan!

WATCH: Evan Wolfson Destroys NOM Tool In Debate

As you now, New Jersey's legislature is currently debating (again!) whether to pass a marriage equality bill despite a veto threat from the Republican governor of the state, Chris Christie, who said that he wants a public referendum of the people to vote on the measure. There has been a heated debate on both sides about the principle of voting on the fundamental civil rights of a minority group, with the marriage equality supporters opposed and the heterosexual supremacists in favor.
This weekend Freedom to Marry Executive Director Evan Wolfson and National Organization for Marriage spokesperson Brian Broen appeared on a local television station and Mr. Wolfson proceeded to demolish Mr. Brown in one-on-one verbal combat on live television, ruthlessly. It is truly a delight to watch. Evan is astonishingly good at this, and I think he's even getting better at it!

Wolfson Testimony At DOMA Repeal Hearing

U.S. Senate DOMA Repeal Hearing Tomorrow!

Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is conducting a hearing on July 20th on the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the Respect for Marriage Act (S. 598/H.R. 1116), which would repeal the 1996 federal law which bans the recognition of legally same-sex married couples by the federal government, among other things.

The hearing will be split into two panels. TowleRoad has the details

Panel 1

* Susan Murray, who lives in Ferrisburgh, Vt., with her spouse, Karen Murray. An attorney with the Burlington office of Langrock, Sperry & Wool, Murray was the co-counsel in the lawsuit Baker v. Vermont, which established civil unions in Vermont in 2000.

* Andrew Sorbo, a Cheshire, Conn., resident who was married to Colin Atterbury. Before dying of pancreatic cancer in 2009, Atterbury was a retired Veterans Affairs hospital administrator and professor of medicine at Yale University. Sorbo, now retired, worked for 35 years as a history teacher and principal. 

* Ron Wallen, an Indio, Calif. resident, who married Tom Carrollo in 2008 after being together for 55 years. In March, Carrollo lost his battle to cancer. After Carrollo's death, Wallen's income was compromised because DOMA prohibits him from receiving his spouse's Social Security payment. Wallen would have been able to receive these payments had he been in an opposite-sex marriage. According to the hearing notice, Wallen is unable to make payments on his family home and is faced with selling the residence, after just losing his spouse.

Thomas Minnery, Senior Vice President for Public Policy, Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO.

Panel 2

Joe Solmonese, President, The Human Rights Campaign, Washington, DC.

David Austin R. Nimocks, Senior Legal Counsel, Alliance Defense Fund, Washington, DC.

Edward Whelan, President, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, DC 

Evan Wolfson, Founder and Executive Director, Freedom to Marry, New York, NY

Although I don't usually agree with Dan Choi on many things, I do agree that the lack of diversity at this hearing is shameful. 7 White guys and 1 white woman? Come on, now!

UPDATE 07/19/2011 04:57PM PST:


According to Karen Ocamb the updated witness list now includes some color (Congressman John Lewis of Georgia):

UPDATED Witness List

Hearing before the
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
On

“S.598, The Respect for Marriage Act: Assessing the Impact of DOMA on American Families”
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216
9:45 a.m.

Panel I

The Honorable John Lewis
United States Congressman
State of Georgia

The Honorable Jerrold Nadler
United States Congressman
State of New York

Panel II

Ron Wallen
Indio, CA

Thomas Minnery
Senior Vice President for Public Policy
Focus on the Family
Colorado Springs, CO

Andrew Sorbo
Cheshire, CT

Susan M. Murray
Ferrisburgh, VT

Panel III

Joe Solmonese
President
The Human Rights Campaign
Washington, DC

David Austin R. Nimocks
Senior Legal Counsel
Alliance Defense Fund
Washington, DC

Edward Whelan
President
Ethics and Public Policy Center
Washington, DC

Evan Wolfson
Founder and Executive Director
Freedom to Marry
New York, NY

Marc Solomon Joins Freedom To Marry As National Campaign Director

Marc Solomon

NEW YORK, NY, March 1, 2011) – Marc Solomon, who led the historic campaign to defend the freedom to marry in Massachusetts and has worked with Freedom to Marry as senior consultant since November, is joining Freedom to Marry’s staff as National Campaign Director, effective immediately.

 

"This is a moment of great opportunity for the movement to win the freedom to marry.  The Obama Administration has said it will no longer defend marriage discrimination in court, we have a nationwide majority for marriage that we will continue to grow, the freedom to marry is within reach in several states in 2011, and crucial lawsuits add urgency to our work.  Now is the time to expand our central campaign strength, with Freedom to Marry’s Roadmap to Victory as the pathway forward and personal stories making the case for why marriage matters as our fuel,” said Freedom to Marry founder and President Evan Wolfson.  “With his deep campaign experience and unparalleled track record in marriage battles around the country, Marc Solomon is the best person bar none to manage the all-hands-on-deck Freedom to Marry national campaign to get the job done.”

 

As Executive Director of MassEquality, Solomon led the campaign to defeat two constitutional amendments in the first freedom to marry state in the nation, beating back attacks by the Catholic Church, President George W. Bush, Gov. Mitt Romney, and the right-wing anti-gay industry.   Following the victory in Massachusetts, Solomon consulted with state-wide equality organizations in Connecticut and Vermont, as well as Freedom to Marry, as part of the nationwide effort to end marriage discrimination.  During his tenure as Marriage Director of Equality California following Proposition 8 , Solomon led the largest state effort in movement history to make the case for marriage through face-to-face conversations, with a special focus on building support in communities of color, helping grow public support for the freedom to marry in California from 44 percent to 50 percent.

 

"I am thrilled to join Freedom to Marry and help grow the urgently needed campaign to win marriage nationwide,” said Solomon.  “Freedom to Marry’s vision has always been to move forward on personal, state, and federal fronts, with focus and collaboration, with multiple methodologies and partners in the work, with a relentless focus on  victory.  Freedom to Marry has a tremendous team and visionary plan, and I am excited to bring what I’ve learned over the past decade to Freedom to Marry and enlist more people am across the country in this cause and campaign.”

 

As National Campaign Director, Solomon will take on responsibility for integrating all parts of the organization’s work in addition to continuing his role overseeing the campaign on several signature projects, ranging from enlisting new and compelling public figures as Voices for Equality to supporting key states in the final push to win marriage.  He will also help guide the organization’s new federal push and support Freedom to Marry’s groundbreaking new Why Marriage Matters campaign, , which aims at  persuading the next slice of reachable Americans.   

 

“In Massachusetts, we believe that every person ought to be able to marry whomever they love, and thanks to the efforts of people like Marc that is now a reality,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.  “I congratulate Marc on his new role, and know that he will continue to be an effective advocate for advancing marriage equality efforts across the nation.”

 

Solomon has extensive background in advocacy, public policy, and media, having served as a Senate policy adviser in Washington, D.C. and researcher for Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward.  In May 2009, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick presented Marc with the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s prestigious Franklin Delano Roosevelt Award, given each year to someone who espouses FDR’s ideals “with respect to democracy, justice, individual freedoms, and citizenship.”

 

Solomon graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Political Science and Economics from Yale University and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  In 1999, the Rockefeller Foundation named Solomon as one of 24 of America’s next generation leaders and invited him to participate in its prestigious two-year Next Generation Leadership fellowship program.  

 

***

 

Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

Hawaii Legislature Passes Civil Unions Bill!

Just a few weeks after Illinois' civil union bill was signed into law, Hawaii is rushing to join in the action. Today, the Hawaii State House passed SB 232 by a vote of 31-19, following up on an earlier 19-6 vote by the State Senate on similar legislation. The bill needs to go back to the Senate for a quick concurrence on amendments and then on to Democratic Governor Neil Abercrombie's desk, who has promised to sign it into law, unlike Republican Governor Linda Lingle who vetoed an almost identical measure named HB 444 last year.

Interestingly, Hawaii's civil unions bill, unlike California's comprehensive domestic partnership law, is open to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples of any age:

Senate Bill 232 would grant same-sex and heterosexual couples the ability to enter into a civil union with all of the rights, protections, benefits and responsibilities of traditional marriage.
 
The House changes — recommended by the state Attorney General's Office — clarify that because civil unions will not be recognized under federal law, certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that apply to husbands and wives in Hawaii would apply with the same force and effect to partners in civil unions. Family Court will also have jurisdiction in matters of annulment, divorce and separation in civil unions, as the court does over marriages.

Reactions to the news of Hawaii's historic step came swiftly from the usual suspects:

Evan Wolfson, Freedom to Marry:  

“By again resoundingly passing a civil union bill that Governor Neil Abercrombie has promised to sign, Hawaii’s legislature acted to acknowledge the state’s loving and committed gay and lesbian couples and their families and to provide them a measure of protections under the law – protections of particular importance during these tough economic times.   This is a victory for all families, because it strengthens the lives of many couples and their loved ones while taking nothing away from anyone else, thereby strengthening the entire ohana, the entire community.  Freedom to Marry applauds Equality Hawaii for its leadership in securing needed protections for Hawaii’s families. 

“While a welcome step, civil union is no substitute for the full measure of respect, clarity, security, responsibilities, and protection of marriage itself.  States that have created civil union as a means of both giving and withholding – providing legal protections while withholding the freedom to marry and all its meaning – have found that civil union falls far short of marriage with all its tangible and intangible significance in our lives.  Many of those states – Connecticut, New Hampshire, and even Vermont, which first created civil union – have since pushed past civil union to marriage, recognizing the inadequacy and unfairness of a separate and unequal status. 

“Loving and committed same-sex couples have the freedom to marry in 12 countries on four continents – as well as in 5 states and the District of Columbia here at home – and the sky has not fallen and the sun continues to rise every morning.  As soon as the governor signs the final bill, Hawaii should move swiftly to finish the job by ending exclusion from marriage itself, allowing all committed couples to share in the same responsibilities, same respect, and same rules.”

Equality Hawaii and Human Rights Campaign 

“Today is a great day for the people of Hawaii,” said Alan Spector, co-chair for Equality Hawaii.  “The action taken by the House today sends a strong message that our state recognizes the importance of moving towards equality.  Providing equal rights to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is long overdue and we thank all those who have stood with us to make this day a reality.” 

After minor changes were made in the House, the bill now heads to back to the Senate for agreement on the amendments before heading to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature.  SB 232 SD1 passed the Hawaii Senate on January 28, by a 19-6 vote.  Except for some technical corrections and implementation amendments, the bill is identical to HB 444, the civil unions bill passed in 2010.  That bill passed the House and Senate with near supermajorities before Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed it.  No override vote was held. 

“The Human Rights Campaign congratulates the Hawaii House of Representatives for overwhelmingly supporting the equal dignity and respect of Hawaii’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign.  “No child of a same-sex family should have to grow up with less protections or thinking their family is less legitimate or loving than others.” 

The Human Rights Campaign and Equality Hawaii have worked closely together since 2008 to build both public and legislative support for civil unions.  Through this joint effort, tens of thousands of phone calls, emails, postcards and handwritten letters have been sent to legislators urging them to approve this legislation. 

Mahalo, Hawaii!

POLL: Most New Yorkers Support Marriage Equality

A new Quinnipiac poll has confirmed that marriage equality has majority support among almost all segments of the New York population.

Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married?

Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    HsHolds
Support   56%    41%    69%    55%    54%    58%    59%
Oppose    37     52     25     39     40     34     36
DK/NA     7      7      6      7      6      8      5

Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, supports a bill to extend civil marriage rights to all same-sex couples, but Republicans now control the State Senate and even when it was under narrow Democratic control a marriage equality bill failed 38-24 in December 2009.

Freedom To Marry's Evan Wolfson issued a statement on the new poll results:

"Today’s poll is yet another confirmation that a strong majority of New Yorkers believe that loving and committed same-sex couples should share in the freedom to marry.  New Yorkers, like all Americans, are looking at their gay neighbors, co-workers, and family members and realizing that they deserve the same fairness, the same treatment, and the same respect under the law as everyone else.  The Assembly has passed a freedom to marry bill three times. Governor Cuomo has urged and promised action to end this exclusion.  It is indeed time to act.  Both chambers should swiftly sent a marriage bill to the governor’s desk so that New York can move forward, as New Yorkers want and deserve.”

In 2011, the states most likely to enact marriage equality are Rhode Island, Maryland and New York.

Evan Wolfson Easily Wins Marriage Debate at Economist.com

Evan Wolfson has easily won his online debate over marriage equality with the odious Maggie Gallagher over at Economist.com. MadProfessah mentioned the interesting event a few weeks ago. Over 1,000 thoughtful comments were posted from people all over the world, and the results are 63% voted in favor of the motion "This house believes gay marriage should be legal."

The Economist Hosts Online Debate On Marriage

The Economist magazine endorsed marriage equality in 1996, well before any country in the world allowed same-sex couples to possess an identical marital status to heterosexual couples. This week they are hosting an online debate on the proposition "This house believes that gay marriage should be legal" with my friend Evan Wolfson, founder and executive director of Freedom To Marry arguing in favor of the motion and Maggie Gallagher, founder of the National Organization for Marriage, opposed.

The comments are very interesting and there is an online poll (currently vastly in favor of marriage equality).

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God

ABA Endorses Marriage Equality

The American Bar Association endorsed marriage equality at its national conference today. The ABA passed the following resolution:

"RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges state, territorial, and tribal governments to eliminate all of their legal barriers to civil marriage between two persons of the same sex who are otherwise eligible to marry."

Evan Wolfson of Freedom To Marry noted:

"The American Bar Association, the largest voluntary professional organization in the world, has strongly declared that there is no good reason to continue excluding same sex couples from marriage. With today's resolution, the ABA embraces our nation's promise of liberty and equal protection under the law and signals a growing consensus in America's legal profession that marriage is a fundamental right that belongs to every citizen."

Another big win for marriage equality!

WATCH: Wolfson v. Gallagher on AC360

HI Gov Lingle (R) Vetoes Civil Unions Bill

I just got back in the country and one of the first news stories I hear is that Republican Governor of Linda Lingle of Hawaii, who has been divorced twice, has vetoed her state's civil union bill.

Joe.My.God has posted the video of Lingle's statement and also has great coverage of reactions from LGBT organizations.

Here is the full text of her statement:

After months of listening to Hawaii’s citizens express to me in writing and in person their deeply held beliefs and heartfelt reasons for supporting or opposing the Civil Unions Bill, I have made the decision to veto HB 444.

I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same gender marriage and find that HB 444 is essentially marriage by another name. However, I want to be clear that my personal opinion is not the basis for my decision against allowing this legislation to become law. Neither is my veto based on my religious beliefs or on the political impact it might have on me or anyone else of either political party in some future election.

I am vetoing this bill because I have become convinced that this issue is of such significant societal importance that it deserves to be decided directly by all the people of Hawaii.

The subject of this legislation has touched the hearts and minds of our citizens as no other social issue of our day. It would be a mistake to allow a decision of this magnitude to be made by one individual or a small group of elected officials. And while ours is a system of representative government it also is one that recognizes that, from time to time, there are issues that require the reflection, collective wisdom and consent of the people and reserves to them the right to directly decide those matters. This is one such issue.

The legislative maneuvering that brought HB 444 to an 11th hour vote, on the final day of the session, via a suspension of the rules, after legislators lead the public to believe that the bill was dead, was wrong and unfair to the public they represent. After eight years of observing members of the Majority Party manipulate the legislative process when it suits them, I initially accepted their actions as business as usual. That was wrong too.

There has not been a bill I have contemplated more or an issue I have thought more deeply about during my nearly eight years as governor than HB 444 and the institution of marriage. After listening to those both for and against HB 444 I have gained a new appreciation for just how deeply people of all ages and backgrounds feel on this matter, and how significantly they believe the issue will affect their lives.

Few could be unmoved by the poignant story told to me in my office by a young, Big Island man who recounted the journey he had taken to bring himself to tell his very traditional parents that he was gay. I was similarly touched by the mother who in the same office expressed anguish at the prospect of the public schools teaching her children that a same gender marriage was equivalent to their mother and father’s marriage.

In addition to meeting in person with citizens of differing opinions, I have read legal memos on both sides of the issue, some urging me to veto the bill because of unintended consequences and guaranteed years of court battles while others urged support for what they consider a legally sound bill that grants long overdue civil rights. But in the end, it wasn’t the persuasiveness of public debates, the soundness of legal arguments, or the volume of letters and emails that convinced me to reach this decision. It was the depth of emotion felt by those on both sides of the issue that revealed to me how fundamental the institution of marriage is to our community. It is as fundamental to those who support marriage between two people of the same gender as it is to those who support marriage only between one man and one woman.

This is a decision that should not be made by one person sitting in her office or by members of the Majority Party behind closed doors in a legislative caucus, but by all the people of Hawaii behind the curtain of the voting booth.

As difficult as the past few weeks have been, I am comfortable with my decision while knowing full well that many will be disappointed by it. And while some will disagree with my decision to veto this bill, I hope most will agree that the flawed process legislators used does not reflect the dignity this issue deserves, and that a vote by all the people of Hawaii is the best and fairest way to address an issue that elicits such deeply felt emotion by those both for and against.

I have done my very best to reach a reasoned decision in a manner that brings honor to the political process and that I hope a majority of people believe reflects the values of Hawaii.

Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom To Marry and previoulsyco-counsel in the landmark 1993 Hawaii marriage case Baehr v. Lewin called Lingle's statement "profoundly disingenuous" and called for the state legislature to over-ride the veto of HB444. Other groups announced plans to sue Hawaii (again).