Front
Page Headlines:
The
Battle for Marriage Equality Gains Speed in Maine: After months of mostly one-on-one
campaigning, gay marriage supporters are rolling out television advertising,
bumper stickers, and yard signs as they seek to make Maine the first state to
legalize same-sex marriage through a statewide vote. Opponents also are
stepping up their efforts. Hundreds of gay marriage advocates gathered Monday
at Portland City Hall to launch a “Yes on One” referendum push over the next
eight weeks leading to the Nov. 6 election. Mainers United for Marriage will
follow up with a $100,000, weeklong television campaign beginning Tuesday [Boston
Globe].
“You Can
Play” Movement for Equality and Respect in Sports Takes Off: Following the lead of several other
major sports franchises, the Washington, D.C. Capitals announced that they are
supporting a project called “You Can Play,” which endeavors to foster equality,
respect and safety for all athletes, regardless of sexual orientation. The move
by the Capitals follows local support for the movement by D.C. United, the
George Washington University atheletic department, sport franchises across the
nation. It comes not only during an election season when gay rights issues are
on the ballot in four states, but also in a month when a pair of NFL (National
Football League) players have come out vociferously in support of gay marriage
rights [The
Washington Post].
Recent
Study Shows that the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Has Had No Negative
Effects on the Military: The Palm Center, a UCLA School of Law-affiliated research center,
released a study showing that ‘the repeal of DADT has had no overall negative
impact on military readiness or its component dimensions, including cohesion,
recruitment, retention, assaults, harassment or morale.’ Researchers released
12 total findings, including that ‘in no case did negative consequences
outwieght benefits. In balance DADT repeal has enhanced the military’s ability
to pursue its mission.’ Also, retention and recruitment were ‘unaffected’ by
repeal, and the policy change did not lead to ‘any new wave of violence or
physical abuse.’ [The
Virginia Pilot]
Women
Challenge Michigan’s Marriage Amendment: A lesbian couple already battling the state’s ban on
adoptions by unmarried couples has expanded their legal fight to tackle
Michigan’s marriage amendment. April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, who have three
special-needs children, made the announcement Friday, September 7th,
during a news conference with their legal team at the Penobscot Building. The
couple is the first to challenge the state’s marriage amendment since it was
passed in 2004. In the amended lawsuit filed Friday in federal court, the Hazel
Park women are seeking to change the state’s laws that prevent same-sex couples
from marrying and adopting children. [The
Detroit News]
Policy
Watch:
Non-discrimination
Ordinance Will Be Put to a Vote in Salina, Kansas: Salina voters will decide in
November whether to repeal the city’s new ordianance barring discrimination
based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The City Commission rejected a
motion Monday to roll back the protections that took effect in June. The panel
then voted unanimously to put the proposal to repeal the ordinance on the Nov.
6 ballot. The commission approved the ordinance in May on a vote of 3-2. The
local law bars discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
people in housing, employment and public accommodations [Kansas
City Star].
The Fight for LGBT Equality in Australia Faces Huge Obstacles: Senior Labor Party
figures are pushing for a vote on gay marriage, possibly as early as next week,
to oppose increased LGBT rights and clear the issue off the agenda. But as many
as five government ministers argued in favor of legalizing gay unions in the
parliamentary debate, and have hope that such an early vote would look like a
‘cynical move on Labor’s part.’ While campaigners say they are hopeful a
majority of senators could be gathered, they admitted change was unlikely
because the opposing coalition was bound to vote against it. [Sydney
Morning Herald].
Vermont Joins New
York and Connecticut in Opposition to DOMA: Vermont’s Attorney General says the
state is the latest to ask an Appeals Court to rule that the federal law
defining marriage as between a man and a woman is unconstitutional. Attorney
General William Sorrell said Friday that the Defense of Marriage Act deprives
same-sex couples of federal benefits and unfairly discriminates against them.
He says Vermont, New York and Connecticut, all states where gay marriage is
legal, filed a brief in a case brought by a New York woman who had to pay
$350,000 in estate taxes when her partner died [Huffington
Post].
Question
From the Field:
Dear
Policy Matters,
I’ve
been paying attention to the state campaigns for marriage equality around the
nation, and can see that they’re really starting to take off as we get closer
to the election. It looks like its going to be a pretty tough fight, and I’m
not sure what the best way is for me to help. Even though I don’t know any one
in a marriage amendment state, ensuring equality for those folks who will be affected
is still incredibly important to me. I want to help in whatever way I can, but
am not sure how since I’m not connected to any of the marriage equality
campaigns.
Any
ideas for the best way to get involved?
Thanks,
Meredith
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear
Meredith,
Thanks so
much for writing to Policy Matters! We’re thrilled that you’re so eager to get
involved in the fight for equality, and there are many different roads you can
take to helping ensure success for PFLAG families at the polls this November.
You’ve
already taken the first step by paying attention to what’s going on around the
nation. As you may know, there are four different states (Maine, Maryland,
Washington and Minnesota) that will have a marriage equality amendment on the
ballot on November 6th. Each of these states have their own specific
campaigns that are solely dedicated to making sure that November 6th
is a successful day for equality. However, as you also pointed out, the road
ahead is anything but free and clear. There are going to be a lot of obstacles,
especially in states like Minnesota that are attempting ban marriage equality instead of affirm it, and we need all the help we can get to make sure every
member of the PFLAG family gets the protection they deserve. That’s where you
come in.
If
you live in or near one of these four states, you can get directly involved
with their state marriage equality campaigns and offer them your time and
energy. If you’re not sure how to get involved in these campaigns, simply
contact your local PFLAG chapter, and they will have all the information you
need. They’ll be able to tell you about all of the events going on to protect
PFLAGers at the polls and the many different ways you can help out and get
involved.
If
you don’t live near one of these states, you can still get directly involved in
their campaigns through our Adopt-a-State Initiative. This includes calling any
friends or family you may have in a ballot initiative state and encouraging
them to vote or even get involved. If you don’t have any contacts, you can help
out by staging letter-writing campaigns, completing phone banking for voters of
that state, and many other activities. We promise you’ll find one that fits
your skills and abilities, there are so many ways that you can help push
equality forward through November. To get in touch with these campaigns, contact your local PFLAG chapter, and they'll be able to set you up.
Additionally,
apart from your focus on marriage equality, one of the most important things
you can do to help members of the PFLAG family is to be sure that you, your
family and friends all get out and vote on November 6th. It’s one of
the easiest and most powerful ways to raise our voices, and it’s important that
every individual takes advantage of it.
Thanks for
your enthusiasm in helping us move equality forward,
Policy
Matters
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