NOM Will Raise $30 Million to Fight Marriage Equality, Brian Brown Says
Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), is calling on supporters to raise $30 million in the coming year to defeat gay marriage initiates.
In remarks to Reuters, Brown said his group would use four so-called traditional marriage loses at the ballot box as a rallying cry to outraise supporters of marriage equality.
“Frankly, Americans never really thought that they would have to defend something so obvious as the reality that it takes a man and a woman to make a marriage, and only recently has the threat become clear,” Brown said. “We’re committed to not letting that happen again, to being outspent in that way. And I think a lot of our donors will step up to the plate, in a way that you haven’t seen before, in any future state fights.”
Add a commentEquality California Gets New Director
Equality California and its Board of Directors announced that John O’Connor, a seasoned nonprofit executive with deep ties in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, will serve as the new executive director of Equality California and Equality California Institute. O’Connor will begin his tenure on December 3.
“I am honored to lead Equality California forward as the statewide voice on LGBT equality. The message will be that we are for full equality and nothing less,” said O’Connor, who previously served as the executive director of the LGBT Community Center of the Desert.
“That means enacting, implementing and enforcing legislation that expands the protections and freedoms afforded to LGBT Californians, supporting and electing pro-LGBT legislators, and winning the hearts and minds of Californians through effective education.”
Add a commentFrom Privilege to PRIDE: Love is the Road
After almost two decades of marriage to men, three children each, and years of friendship between them, two best friends living in the most conservative region of California realized they were lesbians and in love with each other. Having been raised Mormon, Candi married early and began having children right away. She was deeply entrenched in her religion when she met Kristin who was raised in Ventura, California, by permissive parents in a drug-infested environment where she spent more time at the beach surfing than she did attending school. As they jumped head first into a romantic relationship, Kristin and Candi had to navigate their way through a myriad of unfamiliar emotions that came with this intense and passionate love affair. They had everything to lose as they risked not only their own relationship but that of their children and husbands as well. This humorous and heart-wrenching story illustrates the difficulties of blending two families with six children along with the added complication of facing the homophobia and discrimination that comes from living openly as same-sex partners and parents. Having lived in both worlds, they clearly saw the distinct contrast between conforming to society’s expectations and going against the norm. In the midst of the Proposition 8 battle for marriage equality and after living nearly forty years with heterosexual privilege, Kristin and Candi sacrificed their basic civil rights in exchange for true love, but in their struggle to rebuild their lives, they created a new normal where they lived life on their own terms.
Available for purchase at Amazon: Paperback & eBook
About the Authors
Analysis - Prop 8, DOMA and the Supreme Court
Contrary to many people’s expectations, the U.S. Supreme Court did not issue any orders last Friday or today in any of the four challenges to a provision of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), in the Hollingsworth v. Perry case challenging California’s Proposition 8, or in Brewer v. Diaz (Lambda Legal’s case that has preserved domestic partner health insurance coverage for families of lesbian and gay Arizona state employees). The next time we may hear from the Court about what it plans to do regarding these cases is this coming Friday, December 7.
The Court generally doesn’t explain the reason for delays in issuing orders. While some people are understandably feeling frustrated with the delays given all that is riding on these lawsuits, it should be recognized that the Court’s decisions about which case or cases to hear right now involve a good deal of complexity.
The main issue in the DOMA challenges is the same: whether DOMA violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equality for the federal government to discriminate against same-sex couples by treating them as single, while recognizing all other validly entered marriages. However, the particular federal programs involved in each case are somewhat different, and there are numerous
Add a commentJust IN - the US Supreme Court WILL hear the Prop 8
Just IN - the US Supreme Court WILL hear the Prop 8 and DOMA cases. Oral arguments in April - decisions likely in June of 2013.
So no local events going on today. We were only going to rally if marriages were to begin in California immediately.
The Supreme Court announced this afternoon that it will hear the federal challenge to Proposition 8 and the Edie Windsor DOMA case, marking the first time the high court has heard a marriage equality case.
Here is the SCOTUS order (PDF).
SCOTUSblog writes:
Prop. 8 is granted on the petition question -- whether 14th Am. bars Calif. from defining marriage in traditional way. Plus an added question: Whether the backers of Prop.. 8 have standing in the case under Art. III.
In Windsor, the government petition (12-307) is the one granted. In addition to the petition question -- whether Sec. 3 of DOMA violates equal protection under 5th Amendment, there are two other questions: does the fact that government agreed with the 2d CA decision deprive the Court of jurisdiction to hear and decide the case, and whether BLAG (House GOP leaders) has Art. III standing in this case.
As far as timing goes, arguments in the cases should happen around March 25-27, with a decision coming in late June.
Adds SCOTUSblog:
The Court's two orders on the marriage cases do not include a word about two other issues that lurk in the cases: is Baker v. Nelson still controlling and thus requires dismissal of marriage pleas by gays and lesbians, and what is the constitutional standard of review on gay rights issues. But both almost certainly will be argued in the briefing and at oral argument....It is obvious now why the Court took as much time as it did: the selection process must have been rather challenging, and the compositon of the final orders equally so. The Court, one might say in summary, has agreed to take up virtually all of the key issues about same-sex marriage, but has given itself a way to avoid final decisions on the merits issues.
Lambda Legal Director Jon Davidson's take:
"Perry granted on merits and standing of Prop 8 proponents. So no answers (or CA marriages) likely until June, and Court may ultimately duck merits of Prop 8 and allow order striking it down to stand by finding that Prop 8 proponents had no right to seek Supreme Court (and maybe not 9th Circuit) review."
NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. writes:
“Both the federal DOMA and California’s Proposition 8 serve only one purpose: to harm and stigmatize same-sex couples and their children. Without a doubt, Ted Olson, David Boies, and our colleagues at the ACLU will make the strongest possible case for equality before the Court. We are confident the Supreme Court will strike down DOMA once and for all next year, and, after four long years, will finally erase the stain of Proposition 8 and restore marriage equality to California couples.The day is now clearly in sight when the federal government, the State of California, and every state will recognize that same-sex couples and their children are entitled to the same respect and recognition as every other family.” Add a comment
Read more: Just IN - the US Supreme Court WILL hear the Prop 8
Federal Court Gives Green Light to California Law Protecting Youth from Dangerous Practices by Therapists
Military Still Views Married Gay, Lesbians as Single
With repeal last year of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law, many military people, including senior leaders, assumed that married gay and lesbian couples had gained not only job security but also equality in allowances, benefits and access to family support programs. That assumption is wrong.
Since the law took effect 14 months ago, the Department of Defense has kept in place policies that bar spouses of same-gender couples from having military identification cards, shopping on base, living in base housing or participating in certain family support programs.
Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, says Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack, 39, “simply just prevented me from losing my job. It didn’t do anything else.”
Full Story at the Sierra Vista Herald
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Is Hillary Clinton Ready to Endorse Marriage Equality?
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will endorse gay marriage, sources close to the former first lady have said.
According to POLITICO.com, Clinton will join her husband, President Bill Clinton, and daughter, Chelsea Clinton, in endorsing marriage equality after she leaves the Obama administration.
Her circle has “indicated privately that she feels like … because of her role as the country’s chief diplomat that it was appropriate for her to stay out of this,” one source said, adding that “she will end up with the rest of the clan.”
See the Full Story at On Top Magazine
Add a commentGay Fresno Holiday Party
You won't want to miss our fourth annual holiday party! Everyone 21+ is invited. This year we are in a new venue, with even more to see and do!
Drag Performances by the ladies of Xotica, Free snacks, photos throughout the night, raffle prizes & more!
The night is hosted by The Diva X
Doors open at 9pm, Party begins at 10pm
Friday, December 14th
Your $5 door donation includes mystery gifts throughout the night and free raffle tickets.
Uganda's National Motto: We Still Hate Gay People
HRC Releases New Index of LGBT Friendly Cities
The Human Rights Campaign has released The Municipal Equality Index (MEI), the first ever rating system of LGBT inclusion in municipal law:
he MEI rates cities based on 47 criteria falling under six broad categories: non-discrimination laws; relationship recognition; the municipality’s employment practices; inclusiveness of city services; law enforcement; and municipal leadership.
Key findings from the MEI create a snapshot of LGBT equality in 137 municipalities of varying sizes drawn from every state in the nation.
Authored By Andy Towle – See the Full Story at Towleroad.com
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X-Men Comic Covers Defense of Marriage Act
Immigration enforcement doesn’t care if X-Man Northstar save American lives for a living; he’s a Canadian citizen and his recent marriage to American Kyle Jinadu does nothing to change that fact. That’s thanks to DOMA, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
And as you see in the screenshot above (click to expand), those immigration officials come knocking in the latest issue of Marvel’s Astonishing X-Men.
See the Full Story at Towleroad
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The State of Marriage Equality
Same-sex marriage initiatives scored big wins this month. In a historic turnaround that underscores America’s shifting attitudes about same-sex marriage, voters crossed party lines, age, race and faith. Marriage equality was the winner in four U.S. states — Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington — ending a 31-state losing streak in the election that returned Barack Obama to the U.S. presidency.
Pundits will continue to wax poetic about what is being called the “the single biggest night for gay rights in electoral history.” Having states approve marriage by a popular vote changes the narrative and underscores evidence of a remarkable shift in public opinion around same-sex marriage.
The number of states with legalized gay marriage increased by 50 percent overnight. Suffice it to say that the freshman class of 2037 will hear their political science professors refer to Nov. 6, 2012, as a red-letter day in the history of the gay rights movement.
Authored By Dr. William R. Kapfer – See the Full Story at The Huffington Post
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Parenting with PRIDE
Welcome to the second question and answer of our Parenting with PRIDE column. This will be a monthly feature here and we encourage YOU to
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your questions about parenting. We'd love to hear from you!
I went to high school with a girl who had two dads. Years have passed and I recently reconnected with her on facebook. She is now an out lesbian. I feel as though her being raised with gay parents made her that way, am I wrong?
Well yes, you are wrong about this one. If that were true, how would you explain all the LGBTQ+ kids raised by heterosexual couples? Sexual orientation and gender identity are not about parenting. No one makes anyone straight or gay. Research over several decades has demonstrated that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum from sole attraction to the opposite sex on one end to sole attraction to a person of the same sex on the other end, with various degrees of attraction in between.
There is an embedded concern with your question because it implies that there is something wrong with being a lesbian (because it was “caused” by being raised by gay men). Many people have trouble seeing their own bias when it comes to sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, and ability/disability. This implicit (unconscious) bias causes people to view their own experience as “normal” or “right.”
In reality, I think the most important message here is that this young woman is an “out” lesbian, which means she is comfortable with her identity and has the self-esteem and support from her two Dads to be her authentic self. We should be congratulating her dads on their parenting instead of questioning their right to raise a child together.
It is important to remember that sexual orientation is just part of our lives. If you want to embrace this past friendship and truly reconnect with this person then educate yourself about the LGBTQ+ community and become a straight ally and advocate. I am sure this woman would love to share her story with you and could teach you a lot about her experience of being raised by two dads and being a lesbian. My suggestion is that if you want to grow this friendship then continue to ask questions, be genuine, and be open to learning more about diversity by stepping out of your comfort zone occasionally.
Continuum of Human Sexuality—The Kinsey Scale (2009)
Email questions to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post on our Facebook page.
Add a commentAnti-Gay Mastermind Makes $3 Million in 2012 Opposing Marriage Equality
The Human Rights Campaign on NOM’s bigotry mastermind:
Public filings show that he has netted nearly $3 million this year for his work in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington State. The profits go to Schubert’s company, Mission Public Affairs. Schubert collected $958,594 for his anti-equality work in North Carolina earlier this year. In the four marriage ballot states, Schubert has collected $967,567.88 in Washington; $492,680 in Maryland; $303,307.69 in Minnesota; and $200,043.46 in Maine. While these funds are likely used to pay for advertising, it’s unclear what percentage is lining Schubert’s pockets.
“Frank Schubert is making a lucrative living off of promoting discrimination against LGBT Americans,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “Let me be clear: the National Organization for Marriage is advancing an extremist agenda against LGBT people. Frank Schubert is making millions of dollars by intentionally misleading voters about NOM’s true mission. As he gets richer, hundreds of thousands of LGBT Americans face economic hardship, enormous obstacles in starting families, and an inability to marry the person they love – all because of Schubert’s lies.”
Add a commentHRC Wants Obama to Sign an Executive Order on ENDA, Appoint Gay Cabinet Member
An executive order on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act “as soon as possible” is at the top of list of requests Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin has for President Obama now that the election is over, he indicated in phone calls with reporters, Buzzfeed’s Chris Geidner reports:
The White House said in April said Obama was declining to sign the order “at this time, but, following the election, Griffin argues that Obama needs to sign it “as soon as possible.”
Griffin said he doesn’t know if it will happen before the end of the year, but added that he is pushing for that, saying, “Since my first conversations there, it’s something I’ve pushed for, I’ve urged, privately and publicly. We will continue to do that.”
Add a commentSupreme Court decides this week whether to rule on gay marriage
After two decades in which gay rights moved from the margin to capture the support of most Americans, the Supreme Court justices will go behind closed doors this week to decide whether now is the time to rule on whether gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry.
For justices, the issue is not just what to decide, but when to decide it. In times past, the court has been faulted for waiting too long or moving too quickly to recognize constitutional rights.
The justices did not strike down state bans on interracial marriage until 1967, 13 years after they had declared racial segregation unconstitutional. Yet in response to the growing women's rights movement, the court in 1973 struck down all the state laws restricting abortion, triggering a national "right to life" movement and drawing criticism even from some supporters that the Roe vs. Wade ruling had gone too far too fast.
Now, the justices must decide whether to hear an appeal from the defenders of California's Proposition 8, the 2008 voter initiative that limited marriage to a man and a woman.
TIMELINE: Gay marriage through the years
At the same session Friday, the court will sift through several appeals to decide whether legally married gay couples have a right to equal benefits under federal law.
Continue reading... Add a commentPremiere of How to Survive a Plague
So as many of you know I have taken on allot of personal projects in our community over the years. My latest project is to bring the film “How to Survive a Plague” to the Central Valley in observance of World AIDS Day on Nov 30, 2012 at 7:00pm. Read below and follow my blog for more information on this great community event!
For the past month I have been working to get the film “How to Survive a Plage” to the Central Valley and today I just finalized the paperwork for the screening rights to the film. I’m currently working on a venue hopefully down in the Tower District. (I’m shooting for the Tower Theatre) I’ve choosing the Tower District because it’s close to food and personally I think it’s a great centralized location for everyone to meet up at.
Many people have asked Why did you choose to put on this event? Simple answer is that over the past few years I have raised funds for many causes. I’m always asked how the money makes it back to the community. Usually the answer is I DON’T KNOW or It goes to the SF AIDS Foundation and they disperse the funds. Well truth of the matter is we never really know if it makes it down to our community. So my plan for this year was to bring a film to Fresno in observance of World AIDS Day and have all the proceeds from the film go back directly to the community, hence the this Community Event. To engage the community I setup a voting system at http://myrebootedlife.com/vote where you the community can vote for the organization you feel should receive the proceeds from the film. Then on Dec 19th I will personally hand deliver a check to the organization that everyone voted for.
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE is the story of two coalitions—ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group)—whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition. Despite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time. With unfettered access to a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage from the 1980s and ’90s, filmmaker David France puts the viewer smack in the middle of the controversial actions, the heated meetings, the heartbreaking failures, and the exultant breakthroughs of heroes in the making.
All proceeds generated from this event will be given BACK to the community. Personally I think the funds should goto an organizations that has an HIV/AIDS emphasis and/or continue to show their support ACTIVELY in our community. I will let YOU the community decide who deserves the proceeds and we (The Community) will deliver the checks to the selected organizations on Dec 19th.
Purchase a ticket for yourself or make a donation to this community project!
Ticket Sales Page - Donate today to help cover the cost of the film & venue!
Contact Info: Ted G. Freitas / 559.892.1705 / ted.freitas (at) me.com
Vote for the organization you think would best benefit from proceeds from this project.
HiRes Flyer (PDF) -·http://myrebootedlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/HTSAP-PDF.pdf
Web Flyer (JPG) -·http://myrebootedlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/HTSAP-JPG.jpg
Video: Fresno Transgender Day of Remembrance
Speakers, March & Reception
November 20th, 2012
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Will Marriage Equality Victories Influence Supreme Court on DOMA?
The victories for same-sex marriage on Tuesday, the first ones achieved at the ballot box rather than through courts or legislatures, are evidence of a remarkable shift in public opinion.
They are also exceptionally timely data points for the Supreme Court.
At their private conference scheduled for Nov. 20, the justices plan to consider some 10 requests that they address various aspects of what the Constitution has to say about same-sex marriage. It is close to certain that the court will agree to hear at least one case on the subject, with a decision expected by June.
Add a commentNew Democratic Supermajority Could Put Prop 8 Repeal on Ballot
California Senate President Darrell Steinberg is open to putting an initiative on the ballot asking voters to repeal Proposition 8, the state’s gay marriage ban.
“Depending upon what the Supreme Court might or might not do with Proposition 8,” Steinberg told The Sacramento Bee, “in coalition with stakeholders and the gay and lesbian leadership, if it were appropriate and necessary to put repeal of Prop. 8 on the ballot with our two-thirds supermajority, I would be open to that.”
A federal court’s ruling declaring the 2008 voter-approved measure unconstitutional has been appealed to the Supreme Court. The high court is expected to decide later this month whether it will hear the case. If the court refuses the case, then the weddings of gay and lesbian couples could resume in California.
Add a commentGay Friendly TV Shows Helping to Drive Marriage Equality Poll Surge
Shows with gay characters, like Glee, Modern Family, and The New Normal, are helping drive voters to historically unprecedented support of gay marriage, an Oct. 29 THR poll conducted in conjunction with partner Penn Schoen Berland has found. Though gay TV also makes some voters more intensely opposed to gay marriage, they are outnumbered by voters who become more supportive of gay marriage, influenced by what they see on TV.
“This data would suggest that seeing this stuff makes it more socially acceptable,” says THR pollster Jon Penn. “Views on gay marriage have exponentially gone in its favor since 2002.” Social conservatives who fear the influence of gay-friendly TV are evidently right to fear it.
In the past 10 years, the THR poll of likely voters across the nation found, about three times as many voters have become more pro-gay marriage as have become more anti-gay marriage — 31 percent pro, 10 percent anti.
Add a commentCNN's Jeff Toobin Predicts Supreme Court Won't Take Prop 8 Case, Will Hear DOMA Suits
CNN commentator on Supreme Court news Jeff Toobin said Sunday he believes the high court will take the Massachusetts case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act but that it will decline to consider Proposition 8.
Speaking at a forum at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston November 18, Toobin said, “I don’t believe they are ready to take the backlash” of striking down laws banning same-sex marriage.
“They can see the writing on the wall,” said Toobin. “They see that same-sex marriage is happening.” But if the high court refuses to hear the appeal from Yes on 8 supporters of Proposition 8, he said, then same-sex marriage will become legal in California only.
See the Full Story at Keen News Service
Add a commentThe Ruth Institute: Label Being Gay Just Like Cigarettes
The National Organization for Marriage’s Ruth Institute is promoting the idea that being gay is as “harmful” as smoking. In a crosspost on its blog, the Ruth Institute asks, “How much worse do the risks of gay sex have to be before it rates the same public health warnings as smoking?” Here’s an excerpt from the full article:
Instead of discouraging homosexual behavior as smoking is discouraged, key elements of American society have been promoting homosexuality as a viable and safe option compared with heterosexuality. Gay organizations and gay influence in the government, the media, the mental health associations, academia, and the teachers’ union have all played significant roles in America’s normalization of homosexuality.
All too often, gay political ideals have been given priority over the physical and mental health of sexually confused youth. In addition, family therapy advances in the prevention of homosexuality have been marginalized to the extent that the general public is not even aware that they exist.
See the Full Story at Think Progress
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