President Barack Obama endorsed the right of same-sex couples to marry on Wednesday, a landmark pronouncement made in light of mounting pressure from gay rights advocates.
Obama became the first U.S. president to back the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry, a reversal from views expressed during the 2008 campaign, when he said he opposed same-sex marriage but favored civil unions as an alternative.
Obama told ABC News that, after reflection, he had “concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”
chumble spuzz
Posts tagged law
May9
May8
This is an interesting state-by-state look at gay rights laws in the United States from the Guardian. The regional breakdown is nice, and I like the way you can read a state’s general stance on gay rights at a glance once you understand the legend.
I was surprised by two things:
1) At least in terms of the rights analyzed in this graphic, Iowa’s as gay-friendly as any state in the country. I would not have guessed that.
2) Michigan stands alongside Mississippi and Utah as the only states to a) not have laws on the books for any of the listed permissions or protections and to b) specifically prohibit both marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.
Gay rights in the US, state by state
Gay rights laws in America have evolved to allow — but in some cases ban — rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people on a range of issues, including marriage, hospital visitation, adoption, housing, employment and school bullying. The handling of gay rights issues vary by state and follow trends by region.
(via guardian.co.uk)
Feb13
Gay marriage legal with governor's signature→
Same-sex couples won the right to marry on Monday.
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a measure legalizing gay marriage in a ceremony in Olympia on Monday. It made Washington the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage.
A tearful Gregoire announced: “We’re here to make history here in the great state of Washington..This is a very proud day…A day that we did what was right, what was just, what was fair.”
(via seattlepi.com)
Jan23
Senate has votes needed to pass gay marriage legislation | Seattle Times Newspaper→
Like.
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, said she supports gay marriage legislation in the Senate — giving proponents the 25 votes needed for passage.
The state House already has enough lawmakers in support of the measure to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire backs the bill, as well.
Haugen issued announced her support immediately after a two-hour legislative hearing in Olympia about the bill.
(via Seattle Times)
