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February 28th, 2018
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South Bend, Ind., mayor marries
- After their wedding Saturday, June 16, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg ( left ) and Chasten Glezman took a detour from St. James Episcopal cathedral on the way to their reception. They stopped by the city's Pride block party to thank the people who came out to support the gay-rights movement. The Mayor explained, "this marriage that's the most important ...
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Bermuda court rejects gay-marriage ban
- The Bermuda Supreme Court, on June 6, ruled that a statute rescinding marriage rights to same-sex couples was unconstitutional, according to a Daily Beast item. Chief Justice Ian Kawaley said that the Domestic Partnership Act was "inconsistent with provisions in the Constitution which give the right to freedom of conscience and creed." Last December, Parliament passed the Act—becoming the first ...
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Oklahoma First State in 2018 to Deny Children Loving Families
- From a Lambda Legal news release - ( New York, May 11, 2018 ) — Today, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed SB 1140, a license-to-discriminate bill that would allow taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies to reject foster or adoptive parents based upon the agency's religious beliefs. A similar bill, SB 284, sits on the desk of Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer awaiting signature. Currey Cook, Counsel and Director, Youth ...
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Trinidad and Tobago: Court Overturns Same-Sex Intimacy Ban
- From a press release - ( Washington, DC, April 13, 2018 ) — The High Court of Justice in Trinidad and Tobago ruled on April 12, 2018, that the country's laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy between consenting adults are unconstitutional, Human Rights Watch said today. It is a resounding win for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) activists in the country and in particular ...
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LGBTQ couples shop around wedding expo
- RainbowWeddingNetwork hosted its 10th annual LGBTQ Wedding Expo at the Hotel Chicago on March 18. RainbowWeddingNetwork launched, in 2000, at the hands of partners Cindy Sproul and Marianne Puechl and, in 2003, expanded to begin producing LGBTQ wedding expos. The group's headquarters are located in Asheville, North Carolina, and is currently operated by a four-person team. RainbowWeddingNetwork does events all ...
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2018 LGBT Wedding Expo March 18
- The 2018 LGBT Wedding Expo will be held Sunday, March 18, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at Hotel Chicago, 333 N. Dearborn St. It will be the 10th year for the expo in Chicago. Patrons will be able to win a wedding worth $2,500 for the couple and up to 30 guests at Pine Manor in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Also, there will be ...
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Same-sex wedding expo March 18
- The 2018 LGBT Wedding Expo will be held Sunday, March 18, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at Hotel Chicago, 333 N. Dearborn St. It will be the 10th year for the expo in Chicago. Patrons will be able to win a wedding worth $2,500 for the couple and up to 30 guests at Pine Manor in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Also, there will be ...
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Same-sex wedding
expo March 18
- The 2018 LGBT Wedding Expo will be held Sunday, March 18, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at Hotel Chicago, 333 N. Dearborn St. It will be the 10th year for the expo in Chicago. Patrons will be able to win a wedding worth $2,500 for the couple and up to 30 guests at Pine Manor in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Also, there will be ...
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Bermuda revokes same-sex marriage
- Less than a year after Bermuda legally approved same-sex marriages, the governor of the British island territory signed a bill into law on Feb. 7 that replaced it with domestic partnerships. Gov. John Rankin said the new law gives gay and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexual couples. However, the Bermuda government will continue to recognize same-sex couples who ...
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Same-sex wedding expo March 18
- The 2018 LGBT Wedding Expo will be held Sunday, March 18, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at Hotel Chicago, 333 N. Dearborn St. It will be the 10th year for the expo in Chicago. Patrons will be able to win a wedding worth $2,500 for the couple and up to 30 guests at Pine Manor in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Also, there will be ...
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Roe v. Wade 45th anniversary observed during challenging times for reproductive rights
- From a press release - WASHINGTON-DC: For 45 years, Roe v. Wade has kept abortion legal in the U.S. — but it hasn't kept politicians from pushing abortion out of reach for poor women, young folks, transgender and gender non-binary people, and communities of color. The National LGBTQ Task Force rises up to realize the promise of Roe, end coverage bans, and resist Trump's extreme ...
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Landmark ruling OKs marriage, trans rights in Americas
- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, on Jan. 9, issued a landmark ruling that recognizes same-sex marriage and transgender rights in the Western Hemisphere. The seven judges who issued the ruling stated governments "must recognize and guarantee all the rights that are derived from a family bond between people of the same sex." Six of the seven judges also agreed ...
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Orr issues final 1st marriage license
- Cook County Clerk David Orr issued his final first marriage licenses of the year ( to opposite- and same-sex couples ) on Jan. 2. He was announced that he will not seek re-election. The clerk's office issued 1,689 marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2017, according to the office. ( In 2016, it was 2,004. ) The total number of ...
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World news: Bermuda guv, Olympics tryouts, 'The Future Is Female'
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - The Human Rights Campaign urged Bermuda Gov. John Rankin to veto legislation passed by the Bermuda Parliament repealing marriage equality, per a press release. If the measure becomes law, the British overseas territory will become the first territory in the world to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. The Bermuda Tourism Authority has warned of severe consequences ...
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Bermuda Senate Votes to Repeal Marriage Equality
- From a news release - WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Human Rights Campaign, urged the Governor of Bermuda — John Rankin — to veto legislation passed by the Bermuda Parliament repealing marriage equality. If the measure becomes law, the British overseas territory will become the first territory in the world to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. The Bermuda Tourism Authority has ...
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Australia legalizes same-sex marriage
- After years of debate, Australia's Parliament has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the 24th in the world to do so, CNN reported. Only four members opposed the measure. At one moment, the ministers on the House floor and guests in the gallery began singing "I am, you are, we are Australian." Recently, a national survey showed that 61 percent ...
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Families of Chicago banquet Dec. 10
- Families of Chicago ( FOC ) will host its second annual FOC Banquet Sunday, Dec. 10, an invitation-only affair at Ida Noyes Hall at the University of Chicago. FOC is an organization whose mission statement is "to provide support, guidance and development for members of FOC as they navigate and persevere through the obstacles of life that come along with ...
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Jamie's journey: Vallas family supports transgender daughter
- Jamie Vallas is nearly 21 and finally feels as if she's who she was supposed to be all along. She was a kid who wore her sister's old ballet clothes, who would find wigs and put bath towels over her short hair, who never wanted Halloween to end. She remembers being 14, presenting then as a boy, and taking a ...
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Vermont High Court Rules for Lesbian Mom
- From a press release - Vermont's Supreme Court today ruled in favor of Sarah Sinnott whose former partner sought to block her relationship with the daughter they jointly brought into their family through adoption. This decision is an important step forward for many families including those where parents are unmarried, where one does not have a genetic tie to a child, or, as in this ...
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Lambda urges reverse of decree giving anonymous sperm donor parental rights
- From a press release - ( Jackson, November 29, 2017 ) — Today, Lambda Legal, with the support of local counsel Dianne Ellis, argued before the Mississippi Supreme Court on behalf of Chris Strickland, a non-biological lesbian mother denied legal parentage of the children she and her former-wife planned for and raised together, including their 7 year-old who was born during their marriage. The case ...
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Family Acceptance Project, 15 years building family support for LGBTQ kids
- From a press release - ( San Francisco, CA ) — November 17, 2017 - Family Acceptance Project ( FAP ) - the world's first research, intervention, education and policy initiative that helps diverse families learn to support their LGBTQ children to prevent serious health risks and promote well-being is proud to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary. Founded by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and Dr. Rafael Diaz ...
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Oncofertility confab features gender-, sex-diversity workshop
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - The Oncofertility Consortium hosted its annual conference, "Research and Translational Medicine: Meeting the Needs of Cancer Patients and Survivors," Nov. 14-16 at Prentice Women's Hospital. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Dr. Teresa Woodruff coined the term "oncofertility" in 2006. In 2006, the Oncofertility Consortium was founded and is, according to its website, "a national, interdisciplinary initiative designed to explore ...
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WNBA player marries in 'Dream Wedding'
- The online wedding brand The Knot hosted a wedding for Olympic gold medalist and 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne and fiancee Amanda Clifton. The Knot Dream Wedding brought together wedding professionals to create a personalized, elegant affair at The Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve in Long Island, New York, with 200 guests. Delle Donne and Clifton were The ...
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Australians approve marriage equality
- Australia has voted to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples in results announced Nov. 15, with 61.6 percent of the vote. While the survey itself is not legally binding, Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed the vote's result would cause a bill to legalize marriage equality to "sail through" parliament by the holidays. However, conservative politicians ...
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Marriage Equality USA publishes The People's Victory
- From a press release - New York, NY - Marriage Equality USA ( MEUSA ) announces the release of an inspiring new book of essays showcasing the organization's unwavering efforts to help bring marriage protections to same-sex couples throughout the United States. Told through the eyes of dozens of ordinary LGBTQ Americans who joined an extraordinary movement, "The People's Victory: Stories From the Front Lines ...
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Supreme Court to look at Masterpiece Cake v. Colorado and, in a way, marriage
- In just a little over a month, the big bronze doors of the U. S. Supreme Court building will swing open as a gay plaintiff emerges from the ornate judicial sanctum with his attorneys, squinting from the sun off the white marble steps. They'll cluster in front of a mob of reporters and cameras on the plaza in front of ...
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WEDDINGS Yospin-Valentour
- Marcia Yospin and Erin Valentour were married July 15 in the Crystal ballroom in Evanston. Photo of Yospin ( left ) and Valentour by Rick Aguilar Studios ...
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Freelancers Anonymous, new LGBTQ comedy feature shooting in September
- Award-winning Spanish filmmaker Sonia Sebastian ( De Chica en Chica/Amazon ) teams up with Lisa Cordileone and playwright Amy Dellagiarino to bring you Freelancers Anonymous, a comedy feature highlighting the LGBTQ community and women in tech industries. Featuring a top notch cast including Alexandra Billings ( Transparent ), Natasha Negovanlis ( Carmilla ), Lisa Cordileone ( Easy Abby ), Jennifer ...
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Statement from President Obama on the Passing of Edith Windsor
- From a press release - America's long journey towards equality has been guided by countless small acts of persistence, and fueled by the stubborn willingness of quiet heroes to speak out for what's right. Few were as small in stature as Edie Windsor — and few made as big a difference to America. I had the privilege to speak with Edie a few days ago, ...
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Meet the Parkers: A story of love and family
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times By Molly Sprayeregen - Aubrey and Ellen Parker are proud of their family; it's the reason they tell their story. It's important to them that their two young children grow up knowing that having two moms is something they should feel nothing but happy about. "We're proud of what we have, we're proud of who we are, and we want our kids to grow ...
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German president OKs marriage law
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has signed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, allowing the bill to take effect this fall. Lawmakers approved the bill June 30. The move became possible after Chancellor Angela Merkel—whose conservative party had not budged on the issue for some time—said she would allow its legislators to vote according to their conscience. Germany has permitted same-sex couples to ...
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1970s Gay & Lesbian Parents Group to reunite July 30
- Chicago's Gay & Lesbian Parents Group—which was active from the mid-1970s through the 1990s—will hold a reunion on Sunday, July 30, at 4 p.m. at Sidetrack, 3449 N. Halsted St. The Gay Parents Group was founded in 1976, when a divorced lesbian mother placed an ad in GayLife newspaper announcing the formation of a support group for gay men and ...
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Singapore Voids Marriage of Trans Woman And Her Wife
- From an OutRight Action International press release - As The Straits Times has reported on July 18th, the Registry of Marriages ( "the Registry" ) has voided the marriage of a transgender woman and her partner in an unprecedented case in Singapore condemned by OutRight Action International. Known as FK and BS, the couple were married in October 2015 while FK was still designated as male under Singaporean ...
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WORLD NEWS Marriage in Australia, Amsterdam reception, HIV controversy
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Australian Senator Dean Smith confirmed that he is drafting a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia, Gay Times Magazine reported. Many parliament members want the bill debated when the Australian parliament returns in August. This comes after a new poll suggested Australian voters want to go to the polls for same-same marriage, rather than let politicians have a free ...
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World news: Marriage items, Chechnya question, Rudolf Nureyev
- Marriage certificates registering the union between two people of the same sex abroad are valid in Armenia, the justice ministry told PanARMENIAN.net. According to the Family Code, marriages between Armenian citizens, those between Armenian citizens and foreigners or stateless persons, which have been registered outside Armenia, are valid inside the country after consular legalization. Also, the Code stipulates that marriages ...
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1.1 M LGBTs married to someone of same sex at two-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges
- From a Williams Institute press release - LOS ANGELES — At the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision guaranteeing same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, the Williams Institute is publishing a research brief finding that 1.1 million LGBT adults are married to someone of the same sex. Other keys findings include: - An estimated 10.7 million adults in the U.S. identify as LGBT - ...
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Queen, Lambert in Chicago July 13
- Queen + Adam Lambert will tour North America this summer with a 25-city arena tour kicking off June 23 in Phoenix. This includes a July 13 stop in Chicago at the United Center. After sold-out tours throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin and North America, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert will debut a new show specially designed and created ...
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NEA honors Jim Obergefell for victorious fight in Supreme Court case
- From a press release - BOSTON—For his monumental fight in the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage across the nation, Obergefell v. Hodges, Jim Obergefell is being awarded the National Education Association's Virginia Uribe Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights. Since 1967, NEA has recognized and honored those who have fought — and continue to fight — for human and civil rights. This year, ...
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German legislators OK same-sex marriage
- On June 30, German lawmakers voted by a wide margin ( 393-226, with four abstentions ) to legalize same-sex marriage. The bill gives gay and lesbian couples in Germany the same rights as heterosexual couples, and will let same-sex couples to marry and jointly adopt children. Speaking after the vote, Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had voted no on the ...
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Texas Governor signs law allowing discrimination by child welfare agencies
- From an HRC press release - AUSTIN, TX — Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law a patently discriminatory bill, HB 3859, which allows child welfare organizations — including adoption and foster care agencies — to turn away qualified Texans seeking to care for a child in need, including LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, single parents, married couples in which one prospective parent has previously been ...
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Chicago gay couple fights for marriage rights in Panama
- While this month's United States pride festivities will take place for the second year in an era of marriage equality, for LGBTQ communities living in Panama it is still a dream. However, it is one that is not only seeing unprecedented support in the traditionally Catholic Central American country but has now advanced to Panama's Supreme Court. The case facing ...
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National: Edie Windsor, U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor, iconic gay bar destroyed
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Marriage-equality champion Edie Windsor will be honored with The Trevor Project's Icon Award at the 2017 TrevorLIVE New York fundraising gala on June 19, a press release noted. The event will also feature performances by Shoshana Bean, Dana Goldberg, Jeremy Jordan, and a special extended performance by Grammy-winning rock band Imagine Dragons. The Trevor Project is the nation's only nonprofit ...
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'Freedom to Marry' shows Evan Wolfson as marriage architect
- Widely considered the "architect of same-sex marriage," Evan Wolfson and his colleagues led a decades-long battle to win equal rights for LGBT people, culminating in a nationwide marriage equality victory at the U.S. Supreme Court. The National Law Journal, in 2000, named Wolfson one of "the 100 most influential lawyers in America," and Newsweek/The Daily Beast referred to him as ...
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Taiwan first Asian country to OK marriage
- On May 24, Taiwan's constitutional court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry—making it the first Asian country to approve same-sex marriage. The court, known as the Judicial Yuan, said current marriage laws were "in violation of both the people's freedom of marriage ... and the people's right to equality," and it provided two years for legal ...
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TN Governor Signs Bill Undermining Protections for LGBTQ People and Women
- From a press release - WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) released the following statement condemning Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's decision to sign into law HB 1111 — a measure that could undermine certain protections under state law for women and LGBTQ people in a shameful effort to challenge the Supreme Court of the United States' decision on marriage equality. ...
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Lambda Legal Files Brief Against Oregon Judge Who Refused to Marry Same-Sex Couples
- From a Lambda Legal press release - ( Salem, OR, May 2, 2017 ) — Today, Lambda Legal filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Oregon Supreme Court arguing that it was unlawful for Judge Vance D. Day to devise a scheme to avoid marrying same-sex couples. Judge Day directed court staff to use the court record system to investigate whether couples wishing to marry were of the ...
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Hotel to host diverse wedding event April 9
- In the largest wedding celebration in the history of the hotel and the building that houses it dating back to 1893, the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, 12 S. Michigan Ave., will hold "A Love Supreme—described as "an inclusive, joyous celebration of marriage and unity"—in Stagg Court on Sunday, April 9. A nuptial affair put on in collaboration with local Chicago ...
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CELEBRATIONS DeShawn-Powell, Pagels-Minor
- WEDDINGS DeShawn-Powell On March 25, Anna DeShawn, founder/CEO of E3 Radio, married Ka'Kawana Powell at Stan Mansion, surrounded by family and friends. Photo courtesy of DeShawn WEDDINGS Pagels- Minor Alissa Pagels and Bethany Minor are officially the Pagels-Minors now after getting married in Santorini, Greece on March 13. Planning and concept courtesy of Kesh Events; photo courtesy of Rebecca ...
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World news: Gay-panic defense, being 'Bi+,' Taiwan marriage case
- South Australia is now the only jurisdiction that allows the gay-panic defense to be used after Queensland amended its criminal law and abolished the concept, ABC.net.au reported. The defense means a murder charge can be downgraded to manslaughter if a killer successfully argues s/he committed the crime because s/he was provoked by a same-sex advance. It was recently used in ...
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Federal court: Florida death certificates must reflect same-sex relationships
- From a press release - ( Miami March 23, 2017 ) —Today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida ruled that the state must issue accurate death certificates to all surviving same-sex spouses. This is a victory for Lambda Legal clients Hal Birchfield and Paul Mocko, two gay widowers, and all other surviving same-sex spouses who were denied accurate death certificates for ...
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World news: OutGames, Cuban award, gay Brazilian mayor marries
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - World OutGames Miami 2017—a multi-sport, human rights and cultural event to be held May 26-June 4—has announced Amini Fonua, Surat-Shaan Knan and Debbie Wasserman Schultz as plenary speakers for its Global Conference on Human Rights, a press conference noted. The three-day conference ( May 26-29 ) will feature as many as 25 notable activists, thought leaders and community figures addressing ...
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Beverly Wedding Expo to take place March 19
- sing the BAC, which is a wedding venue, and tons of amazingly talented wedding businesses in our CHICAGO—On Sunday, March 19, South Side couples are invited to attend the first Beverly Wedding Expo at the Beverly Arts Center ( BAC ). The event will feature wedding vendors from Beverly and beyond, including caterers, bakers, florists, photographers, hair and make-up artists, ...
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Beverly Arts Center to host first Beverly Wedding Expo
- CHICAGO — On Sunday, March 19, 2017, South Side couples are invited to attend the first Beverly Wedding Expo at the Beverly Arts Center ( BAC ). The event will feature wedding vendors from Beverly and beyond, including caterers, bakers, florists, photographers, hair and make-up artists, musicians, invitation designers and more. Attendees can meet local vendors, sample food and sweets, ...
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World news: French elections, Church of England, Bollywood actor
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Far-right French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has quietly pledged to close off same-sex marriage, according to PinkNews. Front National leader Marine Le Pen is currently leading in first-round polls ahead of France's Presidential election. Despite any "reforms," Le Pen has now quietly confirmed plans to end same-sex marriage in the country, burying the policy announcement in a list of ...
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A Love Supreme, an inclusive celebration of marriage, April 9
- From a press release - ( CHICAGO, IL; February 7, 2017 ): In the largest wedding celebration in the history of the hotel and the building that houses it dating back to 1893, the Chicago Athletic Association hotel ( 12 S. Michigan Ave. ) is proud to announce A Love Supreme, an inclusive, joyous celebration of marriage and unity, taking place in Stagg Court on ...
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A Love Supreme wedding celebration April 9
- From a press release - ( CHICAGO, IL; January 19, 2016 ): In the largest wedding celebration in the history of the hotel and the building that houses it dating back to 1893, the Chicago Athletic Association hotel ( 12 S. Michigan Ave. ) is proud to announce A Love Supreme, an inclusive, joyous celebration of marriage and unity, taking place in Stagg Court on ...
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Judge: Secular celebrants can officiate marriages
- A federal judge, on Jan. 4, ruled that certified secular celebrants are authorized to perform marriages in Illinois. Secular celebrants are trained by the organization Center for Inquiry ( CFI )—which advocates for "reason, science and secularism"—to officiate at weddings wherein the couple might not want a religious or government official. "I am truly relieved by this ruling, and I ...
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CELEBRATIONS Hoagland-Leighton marriage
- After being together for 34 years, Sarah Hoagland ( second from left ) and Anne Leighton ( shown here with friends Jackie Anderson, left, and Kathy Munzer, right ) are surprised to find themselves married. Photo courtesy of Kathy Munzer ...
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District Judge Rules Secular Celebrants Can Solemnize Marriages in Illinois
- From a press release - Prohibition against Center for Inquiry's Celebrants Declared Unconstitutional In a milestone victory for nonreligious Americans, a U.S. District Court judge ruled today that certified Secular Celebrants are now authorized to solemnize marriages in the state of Illinois. In the suit brought by the Center for Inquiry, excluding Secular Celebrants from the list of those authorized to solemnize marriages was declared ...
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Gay marriage proposal at Chicago Bulls game, and he said, Yes!
- Jake Conrad scored an NBA Championship-worthy marriage proposal, thanks to a huge assist from the Chicago Bulls who, on Dec. 8, were playing host to Conrad's favorite team, the San Antonio Spurs, at the United Center. The Bulls defeated the Spurs 95-91 that Thursday night, and Conrad officially scored the love of his life, Michael Holtzman, who he has been ...
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National roundup: Cherokees OK marriage, Pittsburgh says no, HB2
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - The Cherokee Nation, one of the largest registered Native American tribes in the U.S., has officially decided to recognize same-sex marriage, Bloomberg.com reported. The tribe, as a separate sovereign, isn't bound by the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 2015 marriage-equality decision Obergefell v. Hodges. However, its judgment relies in part on evidence of historical recognition of same-sex relationships among Cherokees. Pittsburgh ...
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Study looks at marriage equality and the election
- A team of researchers from the West Coast, the Midwest, and the South are studying how stigma and discrimination negatively impact LBQ and transgender health. "There is an urgent need for research on the health of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, and transgender identified people," they stated. "Although there has been much research on HIV/AIDS, LBQ women and transgender people ...
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No bones about love: A surprise engagement
- On March 13, 2015, Bethany Minor proposed marriage to Alissa Pagels and she said "yes." On March 13, 2016, Pagels asked Minor the same question at the Chicago Field Museum. The twist in this re-proposal? The "yes" was shortly followed by an "I do" in a surprise wedding ceremony. Minor, originally from Mississippi, works in product development for a media ...
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Class settlement proposed on health benefits for Walmart same-sex spouses
- From a press release - BOSTON, Dec. 2, 2016 — Former Walmart associate Jacqueline Cote and her lawyers filed a motion today asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to grant preliminary approval of a class action settlement in Cote's action that challenged Walmart's lack of health insurance benefits for same-sex spouses of Walmart associates prior to 2014. The case is known ...
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Rev. Greg Dell remembered
- Hundreds of family and friends of the late Rev. Gregory Dell gathered at Alice Miller Chapel in Evanston Nov. 20 to pay tribute to the work of a lifelong activist, mentor, colleague, father and grandfather. Among the speakers were Rev. Vernice Thorn, Cathy Knight, Kathy Tholin, Ruth and Jim Satorius, Andy Gordon, Randy Albers, Carl Rinder, Charolette Lill, Rebecca Pries, ...
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Taiwan set to legalize same-sex marriage
- In a first for Asia, Taiwan appears set to legalize same-sex marriage. Taiwanese lawmakers are working on three bills in support of marriage equality, one of which is already listed for review and could be passed within months. Same-sex marriage also has the support of President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's first female head of state. A spokeswoman for the group Taiwan ...
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Community remembers LGBTQ ally Rev. Gregory Dell
- When people attended one of Rev. Gregory Dell's services at Lakeview's Broadway United Methodist Church ( BUMC ), no matter what their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic background or level in society, the first thing they heard was "we don't just tolerate you, we celebrate you." On Oct. 30, Dell passed away in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was 70 ...
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World news: Alan Turing, Indonesian president, Australia and marriage
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - The British government announced it will pardon gay and bisexual men who were convicted of gross indecency before the decriminalization of homosexuality in England and Wales in 1967, The Washington Blade reported. Using an amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill, thousands whose crime was simply being in a consensual same-sex relationship will be posthumously pardoned. This comes as a ...
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Obergefell recalls marriage-equality fight
- The Plaza Ballroom of downtown Chicago's Hyatt Regency Hotel was the setting for LGBTQ equality advocate Jim Obergefell to engage in an equally intimate Oct. 11 conversation with Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) Field Director Lynne Bowman, diversity consultant Eric Lueshen and a sold-out audience before signing copies of Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark ...
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Relationships & the Law Today
- A recurring column - The Illinois Supreme Court recently held in Blumenthal v. Brewer, 2016 IL 118781, that couples who are not married to each other have no right to maintenance after ending the relationship, even if the couple has been together for decades and rely on one another financially. Specifically, in 1981, Jane Blumenthal, then a medical student, and Eileen Brewer, then a ...
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WEDDINGS Rody-Sollors
- They made it official: Brian Rody and Karsten Sollors had an outdoor wedding Sept. 25 in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. Rody and Sollors met in August 2015, on Facebook, and continued talking on Facebook and Skype. Rody wrote to Windy City Times, "I responded to a friend request from him with a note back telling him it was ...
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Marriage plaintiff Windsor remarries
- Edie Windsor—the marriage-equality plaintiff who successfully challenged the federal Defense of Marriage Act in 2013—recently remarried City Hall in New York. On Sept. 26, Windsor, 87, wed Judith Kasen, 51, a vice president at Wells Fargo. Windsor initially arrived before the Supreme Court in her challenge to a federal estate tax bill of more than $360,000 after the 2009 death ...
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Obergefell, plaintiff in supreme court marriage equality case, here on Coming Out Day
- From a press release - In support of LGBTQ History Month and National Coming Out Day, Hyatt joins forces with Human Rights Campaign to celebrate LGBTQ equality advocate Jim Obergefell, co-author of Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on Oct. 11, 2016 from 5-7 p.m. Obergefell, with Human Rights Campaign Senior Regional ...
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World: Nuns' civil union, Israelis hosting soldiers, medical news
- Special to the online edition of Windy City Times - Two former nuns who met in a convent have been joined in a civil union in a ceremony in a small town in northern Italy, LGBTQ Nation noted. The Italian news agency ANSA said the women, who were identified in Italian media only by first names, were supposed to have the ceremony in Pinerolo City Hall. However, concern there would ...
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Illinois high court asked to rehear bar on claims by unmarried partners
- From a press release - ( San Francisco, CA, September 8, 2016 )—Today, Eileen Brewer, represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) and Chicago attorney Angelika Kuehn, asked the Illinois Supreme Court to rehear its August 18, 2016 Blumenthal v. Brewer decision, which barred former unmarried partners from enforcing property claims against one another when they break up. The case arose ...
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