Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the Proposition 8 case did not have standing, California Gov. Jerry Brown has told county officials the ruling applies statewide, reports the Sacramento Bee. In a prepared statement Brown said, “After years of struggle, the U.S. Supreme Court today has made same-sex marriage a reality in California. In…
“DOMA writes inequality into the entire United States Code.” “DOMA’s principal effect is to identify a subset of state sanctioned marriages and make them unequal. The principal purpose is to impose inequality, not for other reasons like governmental efficiency. Responsibilities, as well as rights, enhance the dignity and integrity of the person. “And DOMA contrives…
The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in a 5 to 4 decision. Justice Kennedy sided with the more liberal members of the court which will force the federal government to recognize same sex marriages in the twelve states that offer them. In another ruling, the court has…
Heart2Soul.com, the independent website for perspectives on death and grieving, addresses end-of-life challenges facing same-sex couples in “LGBT Issues in the Death of a Partner or Spouse” for National LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Pride Month. As the debate over marriage equality continues, an emotional and legally intricate facet of same-sex relationships is often…
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released the nation’s first-ever national study examining housing discrimination against same-sex couples in the private rental market. The study, An Estimate of Housing Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples, measures the treatment same-sex couples receive from rental agents when inquiring about apartments advertised online, as compared…
(CNN) — Here’s a look at what you need to know about same-sex marriage in the U.S. and worldwide. Facts: Same-sex marriage is legal in 12 U.S states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. (The law goes into effect on…
WASHINGTON, D.C., – Peace Corps Deputy Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet today announced that the agency will begin accepting applications from same-sex domestic partners who want to serve together as volunteers overseas. Same-sex couples may begin the application process starting Monday, June 3. “Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining leadership experience for Americans who want to…
(CNN) — France’s top court ruled Friday that a bill permitting same-sex marriage and allowing gay couples to adopt children adheres to the constitution. President Francois Hollande is expected to sign the bill into law on Saturday. After the lower house of Parliament, dominated by Hollande’s governing Socialist Party, passed the bill last month, conservative…
(CNN) — The Brazilian National Council of Justice, which oversees the nation’s judiciary, passed a resolution Tuesday that denies notaries the right to refuse to perform same-sex marriages. In Brazil, notaries officiate marriages and civil unions. Recently, 12 Brazilian states began allowing same-sex couples to marry or convert their civil unions into marriages. However, since…
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A prominent gay rights advocacy group says a key congressional Democrat will push for new rights for same-sex couples in the Senate’s immigration reform bill — a move which could undermine the legislation’s bipartisan support. According to a spokesman for Immigration Equality, Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy intends to offer an amendment…
