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Starting on June 16,2008, following an order by the State Supreme Court, gay and lesbian couples were legally married in California . There are more than 102,000 same-sex couples in California. In addition, estimates are that more than 67,000 same-sex couples will eventually travel to California to marry. |
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MONTEVIDEO - Uruguay has legalized civil unions for homosexual couples, in the first nationwide law of its kind in Latin America. |
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Dear Abby has come out in favor of gay marriage: "I believe if two people want to commit to each other, God bless 'em, That is the highest form of commitment, for heaven's sake." |
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(Washington) The Senate overcame a Republican filibuster and passed The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime bill. Federal hate crime legislation already covers people on the basis of race and religion. Bush has threatened to veto the measure. |
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Iowa judge discards ban on gay marriage as unconstitutional. The marriage laws "must be read and applied in a gender neutral manner so as to permit same-sex couples to enter into a civil marriage ..." |
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The first presidential debate hosted by a gay organization. Republicans refused to reply to an invitation by the Human Rights Foundation, while only Dennis Kucinich was brave enough to say marriage is everyone's right. Bill Richardson claimed that being homosexual was a choice. |
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(Lawrence, Kansas) About a dozen same-sex couples lined up on August 1 in Lawrence, Kansas to register as domestic partners as the first such registry in Kansas officially opened |
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Poland Probes Tinky Winky Poland's government-appointed children's rights watchdog says she will ask psychologists if Tinky Winky is gay. Poland's right-wing government has banned 'homo-agitation.' Tinky was also attacked by the recently deceased Jerry Falwell. |
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Incontinence Causes Homophobia. Republican presidential contender Tommy Thompson explained that the reason he said employers should be able to fire people for being homosexual is because he needed to go to the bathroom. |
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On 5/3/07, the House of Representatives voted to extend hate-crime protection to people who are beaten-up or killed because of their sexuality. George Bush threatened to veto the legislation, saying "The administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on personal characteristics, such as race, color, religion or national origin." But not sexual orientation. So beating up James Dobson because of his religion is a hate crime, but if Dobson beats up a homosexual it's OK, and not a hate crime. |
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Traditional Values Coalition says of legislation that would make violent gay bashing a hate crime: “... this bill will make it illegal to publicly express the dictates of (our) religious beliefs.” |
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(Olympia, Washington) Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire signs into law legislation to give gay and lesbian couples some of the rights that come with marriage. |
