NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Christian Examiner) -- The head of the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy arm says Alabama judges who in good conscience cannot issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, should resign instead of fighting the law while in office.
Russell D. Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and no relation to Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, was quoted in the Baptist Press, the SBC's official news service, as being in conflict with approximately 44 of 67 Alabama probate judges who have refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. These jurists are acting in defiance of an order by U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade who invalidated an Alabama constitutional amendment, passed by 81 percent of voters, defining marriage in the state as only between one man and one woman.
A Texas probate judge ruled Tuesday that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
The ruling, by Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman, was part of an estate battle, according to the Austin-American Statesman. An Austin woman sought to have her eight-year relationship with a woman who died of cancer in June recognized as a common-law marriage.
“Oh, we had a marriage. It was definitely a marriage,” Sonemaly Phrasavath, the woman challenging the state's ban, told KXAN late last year. “We carried ourselves as such. She was in every sense my wife and vice versa.”
The Texas attorney general cannot appeal the ruling because he is not a party in the case, and the siblings of the deceased woman, who are challenging Phrasavath, have not decided whether they will appeal, the Statesman reported.
Last February, a federal judge ruled that the Texas ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, but imposed a stay on the ruling, predicting that it would be appealed. That appeal was heard by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last month.
Lawyers asked the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last week to lift the stay and allow same-sex marriages in Texas to proceed. The request came after the Supreme Court allowed gay marriages to proceed in Alabama following a federal judge's ruling that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
There is no stopping it now!The President of Finland has signed a law legalising gender-neutral marriage – but couples will face a long wait before they are allowed to marry.
In November, the Finnish Parliament passed a citizens’ initiative on gender-neutral marriage by a tight vote of 105-92, after a number of previous defeats.
The country’s President Sauli Niinistö has today signed into law the initiative – which came about as a result of a public petition signed by over 167,000 voters. It is the first time that an initiative has actually become law in the country.
However, due to the legal changes required, the new law will not come into force until March 1, 2017 – leaving same-sex couples who wish to marry unable to do so for two years.
The waiting period is necessary for the country’s Justice Ministry to make revisions to a raft of other legislation, to bring it into line with gender neutral marriage. Legislation on a number of issues, from health to welfare and social care will require revision. revision
One year ago, I wrote about the Chilean Senate approval of a measure that supported the "Idea of a Life Partnership Agreement." That vote marked a major advance in a legislative process that I am now elated to say was approved on Wednesday by the Chilean Congress. The bill would allow same sex couples to enter into civil unions, fully recognized by the state.
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission applauded the Chilean legislature's vote to allow civil unions for all people, including same-sex couples with good reason. The historic decision grants legal status to stable and permanent cohabitation by two people, without regard to either person's sex or gender. While the bill does not legalize same-sex marriage, it is a major step forward for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Chileans and families. It ensures many benefits and rights under law for civil union partners under law.
Most importantly, the law expands the concept of family, assuring that the legal family status of individuals who enter into civil unions is modified in the Civil Registry, and requiring Family Courts to implement the new processes. Civil society groups worked long and hard to achieve this expansion of the concept of family. Under this law, children living with co-habitating couples will be considered relatives by affinity and, and, should the parents of a child become disabled, a family judge has the discretion to grant a civil partner custody of the children, without giving priority to biological family bonds. This law also guarantees benefits to the partners, social security, and life-insurance benefits. This is a tremendous advance for all Chilean families.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - It takes a lot to amend the U.S. Constitution.
But groups that oppose gay marriage say that's their next step if the U.S. Supreme Court decides states throughout the nation must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after hearing cases this spring from states including Ohio.
On Feb. 12, Tea Party Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas and several dozen Republicans including Ohio's Jim Jordan, Bob Gibbs, and Bob Latta introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that says:
"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any other than the union of a man and a woman."
In a floor speech that day to mark "National Marriage Week," Huelskamp said he introduced the measure because "judicial activism has thrown the social and legal status of marriage into chaos."
"The overwhelming majority of states that allow same-sex marriage do so because judges have overturned state laws and the will of the people," Champaign County's Jordan agreed in a statement issued to Northeast Ohio Media Group. "This amendment would restore what marriage is and always has been in the U.S."
Same sex couples are currently allowed to marry in 37 states and the District of Columbia.
Married same-sex couples will soon be eligible for benefits under the Family & Medical Leave Act even if they live in a state that doesn’t recognize their union, the Labor Department announced Monday. In a statement, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said a new rule is set to be final that will ensure individuals in same-sex marriages have access to federally protected leave from work to care for spouses with serious medical conditions.
“The basic promise of the FMLA is that no one should have to choose between the job and income they need, and caring for a loved one,” Perez said. “With our action today, we extend that promise so that no matter who you love, you will receive the same rights and protections as everyone else.
All eligible employees in legal same-sex marriages, regardless of where they live, can now deal with a serious medical and family situation like all families – without the threat of job loss.” According to a Q&A accompanying the announcement, the final rule changing existing policy under the Family & Medical Leave Act is set for publication on Wednesday and will take effect on March 27. The rule change is consistent with the Obama administration’s stated goal of extending the federal benefits of marriage to the greatest extent possible to same-sex couples, regardless of their state of residence, in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 decision against the Defense of Marriage Act.
The Obama administration has granted certain benefits to married same-sex couples — such as immigration, tax, federal employee and employer-provided pension benefits — regardless of whether or not these couples live in a state with marriage equality. But benefits under the Family & Medical Leave Act were previously unavailable to married same-sex couples living in one of the remaining 13 states that prohibits recognition of their unions. Regulations looked to the state of residence, not the state of celebration, to determine whether a couple is married. Emily Hecht-McGowan, director of public policy for Family Equality Council, said the rule change is essential for same-sex couples who need access to benefits under the Family & Medical Leave Act.
A senior diplomat has been appointed as the United States’ first envoy for LGBT rights.
Randy W Berry, who is gay, has been appointed to the senior role within the US State Department by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.
He has previously served as Consul General in Amsterdam, and has also had postings for the State Department in Bangladesh, Egypt, Uganda, South Africa, and Washington DC.
John Kerry said: “Randy’s a leader, he’s a motivator. But most importantly for this effort, he’s got vision.
“Wherever he’s served — from Nepal to New Zealand, from Uganda to Bangladesh, from Egypt to South Africa, and most recently as consul general in Amsterdam — Randy has excelled.
“He’s a voice of clarity and conviction on human rights. And I’m confident that Randy’s leadership as our new special envoy will significantly advance efforts underway to move towards a world free from violence and discrimination against LGBT persons.”
Chad Griffin of Human Rights Campaign said: “At a moment when many LGBT people around the world are facing persecution and daily violence, this unprecedented appointment shows a historic commitment to the principle that LGBT rights are human rights.
“President Obama and Secretary Kerry have shown tremendous leadership in championing the rights of LGBT people abroad.
“Now, working closely with this new envoy, we’ve got to work harder than ever to create new allies, push back on human rights violators, and support the brave leaders and organizations that fight for LGBT rights around the world.”
Jessica Stern of the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission: “The U.S. envoy can contribute to a new era in which the conscience of governments everywhere can be focused on the destabilizing impact of prejudice and abuse that inflicts suffering on millions worldwide.
“Human rights should be a priority for every government in both domestic and foreign policy.”
Conservative faith leaders have made religious liberty a rallying cry as gay marriage has spread throughout the states. And though stunned by Indiana’s retreat from a religious freedom law after an uproar over same-sex marriage, they vow not to give up.
Evangelical and Roman Catholic leaders say they will continue their push for conscience protections from laws they consider immoral — a drive that gained momentum several years ago when they saw their beliefs on marriage, abortion and other issues increasingly in the minority.
Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who leads the religious liberty committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the bishops’ goals have not changed following the uproar this week in Indiana and to a lesser degree Arkansas.
