Our Families Count - Fill Out the Census!

HRC has launched Our Families Count and is urging LGBT people to fill out the census so that the government can distribute funds and social services that are are needed for our community. Sexual orientation and gender identity will not be questions on the 2010 census, and will likely be included in future censuses. However, this is the first time the census will recognize and analyze the number of married same-sex couples.

• Same-sex couples are encouraged to check off the "husband/wife" or "unmarried partner" box.

• The census only provides two options with regards to gender, male or female. Transgender people are encouraged to check the box that most closely matches their gender identity.

Take action to contact the 2010 census and urge them to provide an accurate assessment of LGBT families, and to push to include questions based on sexual orientation and gender identity in upcoming versions.

Equal Love - Nov 28th Australian Marriage Rallies

The Australian Senate is due to release a landmark report on same-sex marriage and activists across the nation will be demonstrating on November 28th for marriage rights through the Equal Love campaign two days after the expected report comes out. The rallies will either express enthusiasm and call for government adoption of the report or will express outrage at the reports findings.

Rallies will be taking place in the following five cities:

Melbourne

November 28, 1pm
State Library

Sydney

November 28, 1pm
Sydney Town Hall
www.caah.org.au

Adelaide

November 28, 11am
Parliament House

Canberra

November 28, 1pm
Garema Place, Civic

Brisbane

November 28, 1pm
Queens Park, City
(Opp. Treasury Casino)

In the mean time sign the petition to the Prime Minister demanding marriage equality.

The Flag of Equal Marriage

Carl Tashian has emailed me to alert you all to a marriage equality flag they created.

This is a protest flag for equal marriage rights in the United States. The flag only has two stars, for Connecticut and Massachusetts (the 5th and 6th states in the union), the only states with legalized gay marriage.

The idea is based on the suffragists who created their own US flag with only four stars, representing the four states that allowed women to vote, they added stars as states started to grant voting rights.

The designer will add stars as more states enact equal marriage rights. All proceeds from products sold off the website will benefit Marriage Equality USA. There are also more graphics and icons that can be used for free.