The couples along with the surviving partner from a seventh couple filed a motion earlier today claiming that even though the state offers civil unions to same-sex couples, the law which states they are not allowed to marry is discrimination.

The 2002 law suit was lost by one vote by the state’s Supreme Court in 2006 and after efforts to get lawmakers to pass a bill earlier this year fail, the couples decided to take the issue up with the courts again.

Opponents of marriage equality in the garden state claim gay and lesbian couples do not have the constitutional right to marry and cite that civil unions are working.

Advocates for LGBT equality have set their sites on bringing the issue back to the Senate floor as early as next year, and will added support, it could pass. Three months ago, the state’s legislature reject a gay marriage bill by a vote of 38 to 24.

Alex Navarro-McKay, a spokesperson for the group stated:

“There is definitely a theme of punishment in our work.”

Fight Back NY will be targeting the eight Democrats who voted against the bill as well as all 30 Republicans who voted no.

Earlier this week Gill’s group claimed victory when a candidate who supports marriage equality won a special election to succeed Hiram Monserrate, one of the state’s Senators who voted against the marriage bill and was expelled from the state’s Senate after he was convicted of assault.

In a statement Fight Back said, “One down, seven to go.”

However, equality’s biggest foe, Maggie Gallagher, the president of NOM, countered by saying gay rights advocates are out numbered and out financed.

Gallagher retaliated:

“They (equality advocates) are no longer are persuading people that gay marriage is a good idea. I don’t think it’s very credible to claim that this victory is some sort of bellwether for the popularity of gay marriage in elections in New York.”

Hopefully the group will be able to prove Maggie wrong and her money will become the wasted funds!

According to Credo Action:

If you thought that decisions made by the Texas State Board of Education don’t affect you, think again.

Led by far-right ideologues, the Texas SBOE recently gave preliminary approval to a plan that would radically change what children across the country learn in history class.

The ultra-conservative majority on the board (none of whom are experts in any academic discipline and many of whom are explicitly anti-science) took the curricula proposed by teachers and made more than 100 changes to “correct” the perceived left-wing bias.

But it gets worse. Since Texas is one of the largest textbook markets in the country, material written to carter to the Texas curricula will find its way into textbooks across the country unless textbook publishers take a stand.

Find out what you can do and send an email to the publishers by clicking here!

Job discrimination DOES happen!  I speak from personal experience.  ENDA is long over due and you have the opportunity to help make it a reality!

According to the post:

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, first introduced in 1994, would prohibit job discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. But LGBT people have never been able to achieve the enactment of the bill, known by the acronym of “ENDA”

Want to find out what you can do to help?  CLICK HERE to find out!



In comes Andrew Marin, author of “Love is an Orientation” and founder of the Marin Foundation.  Also in comes the “C” adding Christian to the GLBT community.  I would also encourage you to visit www.loveisanorientation.com!

According to the website:

On an on Autumn day in October of 2003, Andrew Marin was walking to the famous Chicago El train when all at once his life and the lives of many others would change.

The Marin Foundation began that afternoon on Taylor Street ; however, the years of exploration throughout the realm of epistemological truth, religion, and the GLBT community was truly the core and the start of what has today become The Marin Foundation. Andrew’s plan was undirected at the time.

As he started back at UIC, he once again reconvened his Bible study, giving everyone involved a familiar and renewed sense of hope and direction. Through extensive social, theological and Biblical research, Andrew and a number of his highly regarded colleagues and friends, from PhD’s in theology, psychology and GLBT studies, became humbled and excited for what the future held : The Marin Foundation. Reflecting on all that has happened, Andrew relates, “As someone looks back on their life, it never ceases to amaze me how each step of the way, no matter how insignificant the event might be, or how confused we are at a certain point, faith and hope will never fail us, ever. Our job now is to provide an option to the GLBT community; an option that has the potential to effect all eternity. And only by God’s patience and grace will that happen one person at a time. Be blessed, and BE BOLD!”

Do you have issues with religion and how many churches have denounced the GLBT community? The Marin Foundation is building the bridges across that gap.

Make sure you listen to gayagenda.com’s Blog Talk Radio show every Wednesday night from 8-9 pm EST as yours truly, brings you an hour of gay talk with special guest.  This weeks guest was Andrew Marin of the Marin Foundation.

MISSED THE SHOW?  No worries, you can listen to it on the player below but make sure you tune in next week as we feature the talented OUT recording artist Nhojj!

ABOUT THE MARIN FOUNDATION:

The Marin Foundation is officially recognized as a Federal Nonprofit Foundation under the 501 (c) (3) Internal Revenue Service organizational code. We are the very first organization of its kind in the United States that brings together the religious and GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) communities in a non-threatening, research and biblically oriented fashion promoting the strength and growth of spirituality …

MISSION STATEMENT:

“The Marin Foundation seeks to build bridges between the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and religious communities through scientific research and biblical and social education. Their unique approach strategically partners with both religious and GLBT organizations striving to make a sustainable, structural difference for the Kingdom in today’s socially driven secular and religious cultures.”

According to PhillyBurbs.com:

The latest effort to amend Pennsylvania’s constitution to effectively ban gay marriage appeared dead today after three senators who supported an even broader measure two years ago changed their vote in committee.

Read more here!

So, since Tom Campbell, a Republican, has stood in support of LGBT equality, he’s managed to place his face on NOM’s target.  Below, the shots they take at Campbell.  Will it be a bulls-eye or a miss?

This year same-sex couples have an important opportunity to stand up and be counted.

The U.S. Census is conducting a survey to get a more accurate count of all Americans and households including same-sex couples and their families.

The information collected by the Census is confidential, but crucial because it will be used by federal and state governments to set congressional district boundaries and to distribute billions of dollars in social services. The Census is also used by researchers and commentators, and is a powerful way to make our families more visible and thus more respected.

The Census holds incredible power and it is essential we are a part of it – which begins with you filling out and returning the form.

This year’s Census form asks just 10 questions. There are two key sections for identifying as a same-sex couple:

• Step One: Identifying “Person 1″ and “Person 2″
  The Census form asks you to list the person who owns or rents the house as “Person 1″ and then indicate how everyone in the household is related to “Person 1.” In order to be counted as a same-sex couple, one of the partners must be listed as “Person 1.” The other partner should be designated as “Person 2.”
• Step Two: Husband or Wife vs. Unmarried Partner
  Same-sex couples who have been legally married or consider themselves to be spouses should identify the “Person 2″ as a “husband or wife.”

  Those terms fit some – but certainly not all – LGBT households or all same-sex couples. Other same-sex couples, for example, may be more comfortable using the term “unmarried partner.” In general, this term is designed to capture couples who are in a “close personal relationship” and are not legally married or do not think of themselves as spouses.

  Census forms do not provide an option to explicitly designate a couple as united by civil union or a public domestic partner registry – but “unmarried partner” would help such couples be counted.

For more information visit our blog where you can ask questions, or visit http://OurFamiliesCount.org/.

Thanks for all you do to help people know who we are and why marriage matters. Join me in standing up and being counted in the U.S. Census.

Evan Wolfson
Executive Director, Freedom to Marry

P.S. Forward this to anyone who will benefit from knowing the necessary steps to make sure our families count.