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 2023-09-06
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Dozens of mayors, Freedom to Marry unite for marriage equality
News posted Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
by Michael K. Lavers
2012-01-18

This article shared 4532 times since Wed Jan 18, 2012
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Freedom to Marry formally launched a campaign Jan. 20 that includes 80 mayors from across the country who have pledged to advance the cause of marriage for same-sex couples.

Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, unveiled "Mayors for the Freedom to Marry" at a press conference at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined the campaign alongside Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; New York City Michael Bloomberg; Houston Mayor Annise Parker; San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders; Boston Mayor Thomas Menino; Santa Barbara, Calif., Mayor Helene Schneider and Gainesville, Fla., Mayor Craig Lowe, among others.

"Each of these mayors has committed himself or herself to the cause and to working with Freedom to Marry to ensure that loving and committed same-sex couples throughout America can marry the person they love and avail themselves of the crucial protections that their families need that only come along with marriage," said Solomon.

Villaraigosa, who chairs the campaign as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, spoke about growing up without a father as he highlighted the importance of family. He said the lack of marriage equality for same-sex couples has directly impacted members of his own family.

"I've seen the many faces of those hurt by DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) and Proposition 8 in California," said Villaraigosa. "They are members of my own family. They're our nation's own children who face daily bullying and violence because of who they are or who people think they are. They're the couples the joyous marriages I've had the honor of presiding over, whose special day was shared by friends and families before their rights were stripped away."

Parker spoke about the difficulties that she and her partner of nearly 21 years faced when they adopted their three children. A series of insurance, custodial and educational challenges followed suit.

"One simple thing would have made a tremendous difference in the lives of my family and truly the lives of millions of Americans, and that is access to the rights and privileges of marriage," said Parker.

A Gallup poll in May found that 53 percent of U.S. residents now support marriage for gays and lesbians, but marriage-equality proponents stress that nuptials for same-sex couples also benefits the economy.

In a study released before New York's marriage-equality law took effect in July, the Williams Institute estimated that nuptials for gays and lesbians could pump up to $102 million into the state's languishing economy. Bloomberg noted this economic windfall as he pointed out that 700 same-sex couples get married each month at New York City Clerk's offices across the five boroughs.

"Every wedding is a celebration that generates money for our restaurants, banquet halls, caterers and other small businesses," he said. "With many couples and guests traveling to New York City from other states and countries, our hotels and tourist attractions benefit as well."

Marriage-equality measures that has been recently introduced in New Jersey and Washington state underscore the sense of urgency behind the campaign.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire announced her support of the measure at an Olympia press conference earlier this month, while several Republican lawmakers have also backed the bill. Reports indicate that it only needs one more vote to pass.

"To all my senators who are watching; please stand up, please do the right thing and please pass marriage equality in Washington State," said Tacoma, Wash., Mayor Marilyn Strickland.

Maryland legislators are expected to debate a marriage equality bill in the coming months, while Maine voters in November will decide whether to overturn a ban on nuptials for same-sex couples that they approved in 2009. And even though these efforts continue to build momentum, several states are considering measures that would prohibit gays and lesbians from tying the knot.

North Carolina voters in May will consider a constitutional amendment that would prohibit marriage for gays and lesbians. Minnesotans face a similar ballot initiative in November. New Hampshire lawmakers had been scheduled to vote on a measure this month that would overturn their state's marriage equality law that took effect in Jan. 2010, but leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature have postponed it until at least February.

Will this campaign make a difference?

Chapel Hill, N.C., Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt is among the four mayors from the Tarheel State who have joined the campaign. A Public Policy Polling survey in December found that 58 percent of North Carolina voters support the proposed amendment. The same PPP poll found that 56 percent of voters back either marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples.

"We have extraordinary momentum in North Carolina to be the first state in the country to actually turn back one of these hateful and discriminatory amendments," Kleinschmidt told Windy City Times after the press conference. "It's events like this that demonstrate this broad level of support across the country for marriage equality will actually enhance that momentum."


This article shared 4532 times since Wed Jan 18, 2012
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

In D.C., Black LGBTQ+ lawmakers protest Nigerian wedding arrests 2023-09-14
- On Sept. 12, Black LGBTQ+ lawmakers—led by Maryland state Del. Gabriel Acevero and D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker, and alongside the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) and other advocacy groups—protested outside ...


Gay News

WORLD Couple's win, attack in Beirut, German military, gay ski week 2023-09-08
- In Strasbourg, France, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Bulgaria violated the rights of a same-sex couple (Darina Koilova and Lili Babulkova) by not recognizing their marriage abroad, RFE/RL reported. Rights groups lauded the ...


Gay News

Hong Kong court grants rights of same-sex couples, stops short of marriage 2023-09-06
- On Sept. 5, Hong Kong's top court ordered the city's government to legally recognize the rights of same-sex couples in a partial victory for LGBTQ+-rights activists, CNN reported. Five judges from Hong Kong's Court of Final ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Tyler Perry, marriages and splits, Beyonce, strikes, Sinead tribute 2023-08-04
Videos below - Tyler Perry has offered $100,000 to anyone with information that leads to a conviction in the murder of 24-year-old Black queer musician Josiah "Jonty" Robinson, according to Out. An autopsy concluded that the cause of Robinson's ...


Gay News

'We've had a ball': Prominent activists Jim Darby and Patrick Bova celebrate 60th anniversary 2023-09-07
- One of the first couples to be legally married in Illinois is celebrating their 60th anniversary this year. Jim Darby and Patrick Bova fell in love decades before they became the lead plaintiffs in Lambda Legal's ...


Gay News

WORLD Greece and marriage, Latvia, Japan ruling, Tanzania, soccer news 2023-07-14
- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in a Bloomberg interview that the legalization of same-sex marriage is part of his government's strategy, per The Pappas Post. "Same-sex marriage will happen at some point and it's part ...


Gay News

Calif. Senate passes constitutional amendment protecting marriage equality 2023-07-13
- On July 13, the California Senate unanimously passed a proposed state constitutional amendment to secure marriage equality, per an Equality California press release. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 (ACA 5), authored ...


Gay News

Huge schism in United Methodist churches emerges over LGBTQ+ issues 2023-07-07
- Approximately one-fifth of United Methodist congregations in the country have received permission to leave the denomination over disagreements regarding same-sex marriage as well as gay and lesbian preachers, USA Today ...


Gay News

Nepal's Supreme Court orders marriage registration for same-sex couples 2023-06-29
- The Supreme Court of Nepal recently issued an interim order directing the office of the prime minister and council of ministers as well as other relevant ministries to establish a "transitional mechanism" to ensure the registration ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Rufus Wainwright, Taylor Swift, Diana Ross, lesbian film, marriage items 2023-06-09
- Queer Grammy-nominated singer Rufus Wainwright has released the new album Folkocracy, a press item announced. The star-studded collection of folk-music reinventions ...


Gay News

Second Japanese court finds marriage equality ban unconstitutional 2023-05-31
- On May 30 in Japan, the Nagoya District Court ruled that prohibiting same-sex marriage was unconstitutional—a decision activists welcomed as a step toward marriage equality, Reuters reported. Japan is the only Group of Seven (G-7) nation ...


Gay News

WORLD Spain, South Korea festival, Eurovision, marriage items, Sri Lanka 2023-05-19
- Spain became the latest country to join a U.S. initiative that seeks to promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world, The Washington Blade reported. "Promoting and protecting the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ...


Gay News

Billy Masters: Carrie Fisher's family declare Walk of Fame star wars 2023-05-08
- "Days after Billy Masters revealed he spent time with Darren Hayes on the final stop of his tour (and talked about his butt), Darren announces his marriage is over: Coincidence?" —A fan wrote this to "Ask ...


Gay News

WORLD Hungarian bill, Biden's visit, HIV study, trans athlete ousted, Prince Harry 2023-04-21
Video below - Hungarian legislators passed a bill that enables citizens to report anonymously on same-sex couples who raise children to authorities, Bloomberg reported. Hungary's constitution protects the institution of marriage as a formation "between one man and ...


Gay News

WORLD Queer soldier, anti-trans interview, Eurovision, couple arrested, soccer match 2023-04-08
- A queer Ukrainian solider has called for same-sex marriage to be legalized in the country, according to PinkNews. Anna "Kajhan" Zyablikova, who is serving in the 47th Brigade of Ukraine's armed forces, told the i paper ...


 


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.