Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-02-22
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Gay nominee advances, DOMA repeal vote delayed
News update posted Nov. 3, 2011
by Lisa Keen, Keen News Service
2011-11-02

This article shared 4048 times since Wed Nov 2, 2011
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


On a voice vote, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday recommended the confirmation of openly gay attorney Michael Fitzgerald to serve on the federal bench in Los Angeles. But, at the request of Republicans, the Committee postponed its vote on a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy announced during the November 3 business meeting that Senator Charles Grassely, the ranking Republican on the committee, had asked that the vote on the Respect for Marriage Act ( S. 598 ) be held over until next week.

Leahy granted the bill's chief sponsor, Senator Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) , an opportunity to speak for the bill. Feinstein noted that the Defense of Marriage Act ( DOMA ) had been passed "five years ago," in 1996, when no state had yet made it possible for same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses. ( She later corrected her remarks to note that it had been passed 15 years ago. ) Today, said Feinstein, six states and the District of Columbia issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

"Now," she said, "there are 131,000 same-sex couples in the United States. They are real people." And DOMA, she said, "is the pernicious denial" of equal rights to that class of legally married couples.

Leahy himself compared DOMA to laws that once prohibited interracial marriages.

Senator Charles Schumer ( D-NY ) quoted the 19th Century French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville as having marveled at the United States' "march to equality." The repeal of DOMA, said Schumer, "will be a large step in that direction."

"It will happen," said Schumer. "It will happen. Let's just hope it happens sooner rather than later."

The Respect for Marriage vote is now scheduled for Thursday, November 10.

President Obama's nomination of Fitzgerald advanced with minimal opposition expressed by Republican's. Fitzgerald, 52, has been fairly heavily involved in both gay and non-gay legal and political issues. He noted himself that he spent "hundreds of hours" doing pro bono work that led to the elimination of a ban on gay people from service as FBI agents. That history prompted the only Republican in attendance at his confirmation hearing last month to label him an "activist."

© 2011 by Keen News Service. All rights reserved.


This article shared 4048 times since Wed Nov 2, 2011
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

WORLD German bishops, trans woman's death, Hungary, human-rights event
2023-03-18
Germany's Catholic bishops voted (38 to nine, with 11 abstentions) to adopt formal ceremonies for the blessing of same-sex relationships, defying the Vatican and testing church unity on what has become one of the most contentious ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Ritchie Torres, N.J. towns, Karine Jean-Pierre, Tennessee items
2023-03-18
New York Congressman Ritchie Torres has talked about his own struggle with depression and the importance of mental health in the wake of U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.)'s recent hospitalization for clinical depression, The Washington Blade ...


Gay News

Johnson and Vallas to take part in LGBTQ+-focused candidate forum March 22
2023-03-17
Affinity Community Services (Affinity), Association of Latinos/as/xs Motivating Action (ALMA) Chicago, Brave Space Alliance, Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus, Life is Work and Task Force Chicago are co-hosting a virtual ...


Gay News

Major national LGBTQ+ groups condemn Oklahoma House censure motion against Rep. Mauree Turner
2023-03-16
--From a press release - Last week, Oklahoma Representative Mauree Turner was the target of a censure motion by Republican leaders — a blatant attempt to silence the first openly non-binary U.S. state legislator. The motion passed on a party line ...


Gay News

ELECTIONS 2023: 48th Ward candidate Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth speaks about her run-off race
2023-03-15
Note: The following interview is part of Windy City Times' ongoing coverage of LGBTQ+ candidates in the 2023 Chicago municipal elections. The run-off election takes place Tuesday, April 4. Following the Feb. 28 primary election—where 10 ...


Gay News

Arkansas governor signs anti-trans medical malpractice bill
2023-03-15
Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law a measure that makes it easier to sue providers of gender-affirming care for children, ABC News reported. This move, involving a law that will take effect this ...


Gay News

Mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson endorses 48th Ward alderperson candidate Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
2023-03-14
--From a press release - CHICAGO, IL — Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, community organizer and progressive advocate, earned the endorsement of Chicago Mayoral Candidate Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson. Since the February 28th runoff election, Manaa-Hoppenworth has ...


Gay News

Personal PAC to endorse Brandon Johnson for mayor
2023-03-14
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Personal PAC, one of Illinois' leading organizations dedicated to protecting reproductive rights, announces today an endorsement for Brandon Johnson for mayor: From the organization: "Personal PAC is proud to stand with Brandon Johnson ...


Gay News

Mayoral candidate Johnson appears at monthly LGBTQ+ event
2023-03-13
On the evening of March 11, mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson made a surprise appearance in front of a packed room at the monthly LGBTQ+ event Slo Mo Jam, which was held at Sleeping Village, 3734 W. ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Folx Health, gay mayor arrested, powerlifter's suit, Versace visit
2023-03-10
Boston-based Folx Health—which provides primary healthcare services and gender-affirming healthcare to LGBTQIA people—made Fast Company's list of the world's 50 most innovative businesses. A few of the other healthcare companies ...


Gay News

Black & Brown LGBTQ+ Mayoral Forum Wednesday, March 22 [UPDATED]
2023-03-14
--From a press release - The Chicago Mayoral Forum, hosted by leading Black and Brown LGBTQ+ organizations, will provide candidates with an opportunity to discuss with LGBTQ+ communities how they will ensure equity and improve the lives of Black and Brown LGBTQ+ Chicagoans. ...


Gay News

LPAC expands board of directors, building on successful 2023 midterms
2023-03-08
--From a press release - Washington, DC — LPAC, the national political organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ women and nonbinary people to public office, announced today that Liz Culley and Janelle Perez have joined its Board of Directors. LPAC is the ...


Gay News

Non-binary Okla. state rep censured after incident; LGBTQ+ groups respond
2023-03-08
On March 7, the Oklahoma House voted to censure (or publicly express strong disapproval of) Democratic non-binary state Rep. Mauree Turner for allegedly harboring a fugitive following a recent confrontation ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT The scrutiny of Kamala Harris
2023-03-07
President Biden had a cancerous lesion successfully removed from his chest last month, which was just now reported. At 80, questions continue about Biden's fitness to serve a second term. But questions also abound concerning Vice ...


Gay News

World's first transgender MP passes away at 65
2023-03-07
On March 6, Georgina Beyer—a pioneering New Zealand politician who, in 1999, became the world's first openly transgender member of Parliament—passed away at the age of 65. Beyer's friends said she died peacefully in hospice care, ...


 




Copyright © 2023 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives. Single copies of back issues in print form are
available for $4 per issue, older than one month for $6 if available,
by check to the mailing address listed below.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.
All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transegender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS






Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.