2/18/11

This week, there were many of the typical stories of celebrities endorsing gay marriage, but there was also a unique happening that you don't hear of very often when it comes to gay rights: on Valentine's Day on Monday of this week, there was a flash mob in support of gay marriage at the Iowa Statehouse.  Out of nowhere, people started dancing to "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles in order to "deliver a message of love."  This comes just two weeks after the Republican-controlled Iowa House approved a bill that seeks to add an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that bans any legal recognition of same-sex couples, including marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships.  I wanted to include this here because it's a change and something new.  I love flash mobs, and I think it's cool to see that people are willing to just come out in a peaceful way in support of love and gay rights.  It's nowhere near an image event, but the flash mob will probably get coverage in the local area where it took place and make people think about something new on Valentine's Day (http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=7571&MediaType=1&Category=26).

Also on Valentine's Day across the nation, people from Marriage Equality USA, GetEQUAL, and Equality Action Now banded together to request marriage licenses from courthouses and county clerks' offices.  Everyone knew they were going to get turned away, but it was the spirit of all these people gathering together on a day of love that was so inspiring.  One person said, "marriage is a civil right, not a heterosexual privilege" (http://www.sacbee.com/2011/02/14/3400903/gay-marriage-advocates-make-push.html) and (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gay-rights-advocates-renew-push-sex-marriage-valentines/story?id=12911051)

Lawmakers in Hawaii passed a bill giving same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual married partners.  It was an 18-5 vote from the Senate in favor!  The bill must now be signed into law by governor Neil Abercrombie.  The bill "extends the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union."  It's not exactly gay marriage, but it's definitely a step, and this story especially means a lot to me because I grew up in Hawaii.
(http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gk0eQ8pzINpsUFY919Ms9C1RjHng?docId=CNG.68e525354daffd868eac000986513f10.221).

In Maryland, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted 7-4 in support of recognizing same-sex marriage.  The legislation now goes to the full Senate for debate next week, and it is expected to be a heated and long debate. (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/2011/02/senate_committee_backs_gay_mar.html).