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.

Courtesy of Advocate.com:

In an act of civil disobedience, Lt. Dan Choi and Jim Pietrangelo have been arrested at the White House gates on Thursday while protesting the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Following a Human Rights Campaign rally for DADT repeal in Washington earlier today, Choi and Pietrangelo led about 100 protesters to the White House, where the two then proceeded to handcuff themselves to the gates.

Choi was speaking at the HRC rally at Freedom Plaza when he asked the group’s executive director, Joe Solmonese, if he would also march to the White House. Pietrangelo was discharged from the military under DADT, while Choi’s discharge is pending. Choi is the founder of Knights Out, a West Point alumni organization supporting LGBT soldiers.

“You’ve been told that the White House has a plan,” Choi told rally attendees. “But we learned this week that the president is still not fully committed. … Following this rally, I will be leading [the protest] to the White House to say ‘enough talk.’ … I am still standing, I am still fighting, I am still speaking out, and I am still gay.”

Read more at Advocate.com!

The above was reprinted with express permission from Advocate.com!

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!

I am looking for volunteers for a study of attitudes towards marriage and parenthood among engaged couples. The study consists of a 25-30 minute online survey. To qualify for the study, you must be 20-35 years old, live in the U.S., and plan to marry or have a commitment ceremony within the next 365 days. You and your romantic partner must not have children, and this must be the first marriage for both of you.

You can:

-Help a doctoral candidate.

-Increase the pool of scientific knowledge.

-Support research on marriage and families…and

-Spend some time thinking about your relationship!

I am working with Dr. Charlotte J. Patterson, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia Institutional Review Board #2009025800.

If you and/or your romantic partner are interested in participating or want further information, please email me at survey.couples@gmail.com. I will send you a link that you can use to access the study.

Thanks!

Cristina Reitz-Krueger

Doctoral Student

University of Virginia

survey.couples@gmail.com

(Please note in the email you send you found this request on gayagenda.com.  Thank you!)

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!



According to her site:

One eskimO is a new indie rock band that is ready to make their name known. They came all the way from the UK to perform their single ‘Kandi’ on the show.

Read more here!

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.”