Open Forum: Is It Wrong to Say 'Gay Marriage'?

Are marriage equality advocates unintentionally using self defeating terminology in the fight for broader civil rights for the LGBT community? The vast majority of the community consistently argues that civil unions are a separate and unequal institution from that of civil marriage. The argument is that queer people should have all of the same rights and responsibilities that come with government sanctioned recognition of our relationships and that includes the vocabulary used to describe that union.

The idea that heterosexuals should have sole access to marriage while LGBT people can have civil unions or some other form of contractual agreement feeds into the notion that somehow our relationships and bonds are not equal to that of a male/female couple. This serves to reinforce the idea that being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is somehow inferior to being a cisgender heterosexual.

Queer activists certainly do not subscribe to the heteronormative thinking that being LGBT is inferior or less than in any way. Is it possible that by virtue of our arguments in favor of equal protections that we are diminishing our chance and giving credence to the anti-gay oppositions notion that we are indeed so different that we cannot be treated the same?

When discussing the issue of marriage and how the institution should evolve moving forward we often speak of the term 'gay marriage.' If we are arguing that our love is the same and we are entitled to equal protection should we by default of our terminology be segregating ourselves by using 'gay marriage' as opposed to just saying marriage or marriage equality? 'Gay marriage' would just be regular marriage and perhaps the idea behind it scares people that somehow this institution is changing and expanding when it only would remain the same yet more inclusive.

What are your thoughts?

Word of the Gay: "The Pink Mountain"

"The pink mountain" is a new term to refer to the tallest mountain on Earth Mount Everest. The mountain which stretches to several border countries lies partly in Nepal which recently legalized same-sex marriage and is now building a gay tourist industry around offering same-sex marriages on the mount.

Word of the Gay: "Gaymarry"

"Gaymarry" has been a buzzword of 2009 meaning to marry someone of the same sex.

Missouri Senator Uses Gay Marriage as a Scare Tactic

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said in a statement defending her position against a senate bill to allow gun-owners to carry their weapons to states with similar laws on firearms:

"This is a foot in the door that would require, for example, the laws in Vermont on gay marriage to be enforced in Missouri."

This is an unacceptable comparison designed to be used as a scare tactic with her largely conservative constituents.

Offices of Senator Claire McCaskill:

E-contact form

Washington, D.C.
202.224.6154
202.228.6326 (fax)

Hungary Legalizes Gay Marriage

The nation of Hungary has taken a step forward granting marriage rights to same-sex couples. While this is historic there still is a gap of inequality that must be changed.

"These life partnerships will be guaranteed the same tax, employment, social and immigration benefits as heterosexual marriages. Gay couples will be barred from adopting children and taking their spouse's name"" (Caboodle).

Hungarian LGBT organizations Hatter and Labrisz will continue to strive for full equality under the law.

Regina Spektor Calls Prop 8 "Disgusting," We Call Her Correct!

Regina Spektor, famous singer, song-writer and pianist has come out with more statements about proposition 8. First, she allowed use of her song in anti-prop 8 videos and now she is calling the court decision not to allow marriage equality "disgusting" but she maintains that she feels optimistic about the future.

"I'm just waiting for this whole 'not allowing gay people to marry' thing goes into the dark, yucky part of our history -- like white-only drinking fountains," she says. "It's just disgusting that it's not just a given already."

Despite the court's decision, Spektor is not only optimistic about marriage equality, she believes it's inevitable. "I know for sure this isn't going to be an issue in 20 years," she says. "It's just unfortunate that people fall victim to their time. Freedom always wins out -- it's just a matter of time, and people should learn by now to give freedom sooner rather than later, because it becomes a really crude, embarrassing part of national history" (Spinner).

Let Regina Spektor's publicity agent know you approve of this message and thank her for being proactive on the issue.

Steven Trachtenbroit
212-619-1360
steven@bighassle.com

Marie Osmond Comes Out to Support Gay Marriage!

Actress and singer Marie Osmond was on a radio station KOST 103.5 Los Angeles yesterday, discussing her lesbian daughter Jessica and Marie's beliefs.

Contrary to rumors, Marie spoke of how much she loves and supports her daughter, despite her own Mormon religious convictions.

Naturally, the gay marriage question came up, and, we're proud to say, Marie spoke in support of civil rights for everyone, regardless of orientation.

Contact Marie Osmond at Kesti@marieosmond.com to thank her for speaking out about her daughter, and for supporting marriage equality.

H/T to Wicked Gay Blog

Britney Spears Adds Support for Gay Marriage

The latest pop music star to add their support for marriage equality is none other than the eight best selling female recording artist Britney Spears.

In a twitter comment to gossip columnist and Miss USA judge Perez Hilton over the Miss California comment against same-sex marriage she said:

"Love is love! People should be able to do whatever makes them happy! -Britney"

Whatever your thoughts on Britneys music and/or personal life, she is another person with national traction and who speaks to a younger audience.

Send her a tweet @britneyspears thanking her for supporting gay marriage!

Gay Marriage: Just The Facts!

Support Religious Freedom, Support Gay Marriage!

H/T to AKA William

Word of the Gay: "Queeriage"

"Queeriage" is a term used by some who want to distinguish between marriages performed for same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. People who use the term may be opposed to same-sex marriage, or support the extension of rights and benefits of civil marriage but want a linguistic means of differentiating the ceremony from heterosexual marriages.

IOWA LEGALIZES GAY MARRIAGE!

The Iowa Supreme Court has unanimously voted to support gay marriage, making Iowa the third state in the country and first state in the midwest to have legal gay marriage. Information is hard to access as the site is down because of the number of hits, if it loads the opinion is available at the Iowa Supreme Court Website.



Iowa state law does not require couples who marry within the state to be Iowa residents, so out of state couples will be allowed to receive a marriage license.

Opponents of gay marriage would have to amend the state constitution in order to eliminate this newly given right. If the 2010 legislature endorses the idea, November 2012 would be the earliest that Iowans could vote on any possible constitutional amendment.

Blog Spotlight: The New Civil Right Movement

The New Civil Rights Movement is a blog dedicated to keeping you informed of all the issues in the gay rights arena, especially gay marriage. "Because weddings are bliss, ignorance is not".

Word of the Gay: "Pairage"

"Pairage" is a combination of the words pair and marriage. It has been used by some who feel that the word marriage makes it harder to achieve gay rights.

"Love and Marriage" - Frank Sinatra Had It Right!

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage
This I tell you brother
You cant have one without the other

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Its an institute you cant disparage
Ask the local gentry
And they will say its elementary

Try, try, try to separate them
Its an illusion
Try, try, try, and you will only come
To this conclusion

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage
Dad was told by mother
You cant have one without the other

Today as we protest the hate-filled legislation, "The Defense of Marriage Act", I couldn't help but think about this song.

Our opponents tell us that we want to destroy the institution of marriage, but our love is strong, our lives are real, and it really is "elementary" when you think about it. Two people who love one another should be able to start a family and have all the same protections under the law as anyone else. Our fight seeks to strengthen the bonds between "love and marriage", and after all "it's an institute you cant disparage" no matter how much our opponents "try to separate them, it is an illusion" based on lies and bigotry.

END DOMA 2009!

Don't Let The Religious Right Drown Out The Voices For Equality!

HRC is urging us to write a letter to Newsweek thanking them for their extensive article by Lisa Miller on marriage equality and the "Religious Case for Gay Marriage." The article discusses why the Bible should not be used as a weapon against marriage equality and instead discusses points in favor of it.

Opponents of same-sex marriage have been flooding Newsweek with thousands of emails criticizing them for their article.

Send a thank you letter to Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham and express your wish to see more LGBT positive articles.

Hold Fox News Accountable for Gay-Baiting

On the front page of the Fox News website there is an article titled "Sex Rights Brawl Slams Vatican." This is in reference to the recent protesting over the Vatican's decision to oppose a U.N. global decriminalization legislation which opposes imprisonment and the death penalty for gays.

This is not a "sex rights" issue, this has nothing to do with sex, people are being imprisoned and killed due to homosexuality regardless of whether they were discovered engaging in sexual relations or not. This has to do with human rights and human dignity. This has to do with right not to be imprisoned and executed based on ones identity.

Under that article is another titled:
"Vatican Sucked Into Sex-Rights Culture War" it seems Fox News has sex on their mind, even though the issue here has nothing to do with sex.

The two articles below that have zero to do with the U.N. legislation and are just further used as a fear tactic to make gays seem radical, outlandish and potentially morally reprehensible. The articles are titled "Same-Sex Marriage Backers Urge Workers to 'Call in Gay'", "Group Plans 'Pink' Christmas: Two Josephs, Two Marys."

It is wrong and unfair of Fox News to misrepresent the truth and to gay-bait.

Tell them to be "Fair & Balanced" on issues pertaining to gay rights.

Click here to contact Fox News.

Open Forum: Does Gay Marriage Threaten Straight Identity?

In most progressive nations people support some form of legal recognition of same-sex relationships whether it be civil unions or domestic partnerships, but they outright reject the notion of providing marriage to gay and lesbian couples. Obviously something about granting marriage rights to same-sex couples threatens their world view.

Do self sufficient lesbians threaten the roles of the stereotypical "housewife" and the "man of the house" status. Does this whole notion of women's liberation in the sense that a woman need not be dependent on a man, not only threaten the mans macho self image, but also challenge the traditional "housewife" to reconsider her subservient role?

Do effeminate gay men represent a loss among straight men for their image of male supremacy and masculinity? Perhaps, marriage for these men would be an indicator of acceptance of them, and in order to preserve the "male image" femme men cannot be accepted or even tolerated under any circumstance.

Is there an irrational fear that children being raised by same-sex parents may grow up open-minded or even explorative of their own sexualities. The more homosexual people there are, the fear of a destruction of the human animal becomes a reality in the mind of our critics.

If gay marriage is legal, it will be on par with straight marriage and will be considered just another variation of a legal contract one can enter. Does the fact that one group can put down another help to empower this sort of straight pride and privilege that exists in our culture. Although never discussed and maybe entirely sub-conscious perhaps there is this feeling of being above gay people.

So what do you think, does queer sexuality/identity threaten heteronormative thinking and identity? Could this be one of the reasons for fierce opposition to granting marriage rights to same-sex couples?

Prop 8 The Musical

Contact Your Representatives to Support Invalidating Prop 8!

The proponents of Prop 8 usurped the role of the Legislature by putting the right for same-sex couples to marry directly on the ballot. Two Equality California-sponsored resolutions will make it official state policy, when they are approved by the Legislature, that Prop 8 should be overturned. Write your legislators now to urge them to support the invalidation of Prop 8 and vote for SR 7 (Leno) and AR 5 (Ammiano). Prop 8 eliminates the fundamental right to marry and allows a slim majority to take away the equal protections of a minority, which violates one of the founding principles of our Constitution. The resolutions state the measure should have been approved by a two-thirds vote in the Legislature before going to voters. Urge your representative to support these resolutions.

Please fill out the form to contact your representatives.