Marriage News Watch: December 16, 2013

Marriage News Watch: December 9, 2013

A Pastor Gets Lectured on Gay Marriage & Equality

Pay attention to the comments running at the bottom of the video, especially the one at the very end (which literally made me laugh at loud).

Australia's Sarah Palin

Children Raised By Same-Sex Couples Thrive

From The Age:

Children of same-sex parents are doing as well or better than the rest of the population on a number of key health indicators. 

That is the initial finding from the world's largest study on the children of same-sex parents, under way at Melbourne University. 

The Australian Study of Child Health in Same-Sex Families collected data on 500 children nationwide, up to the age of 17.

~

''Because of the situation that same-sex families find themselves in, they are generally more willing to communicate and approach the issues that any child may face at school, like teasing or bullying,'' lead researcher Dr Simon Crouch said. 

''This fosters openness and means children tend to be more resilient. That would be our hypothesis.''

So in an ironic twist, the very people who think same-sex couples should not be parents are the very reason same-sex couples have better family cohesion.

England Inspires Australia on Marriage Equality

From Gay Star News:

The Australian Greens say a successful vote on marriage equality in the British House of Commons has inspired them to move forward with another bill on marriage equality despite previous bills being defeated in the Parliament when the Australian Opposition refused its members a conscience vote.

~

‘The majority of Australians who support marriage equality will be pleased to see such resounding support from a country with which we share so much, but this will be tinged with embarrassment that Australia is falling further behind and may soon be the only developed, English-speaking country without marriage equality,’ AME national convener, Rodney Croome said.

‘The fact David Cameron has allowed a conscience vote increases pressure on Tony Abbott to do the same, especially given that a conscience vote is about personal freedom and marriage equality is about strengthening families - both principles which conservatives should support.

‘The UK vote also highlights how, by continuing to oppose marriage equality, our Labor Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, is not only out-of-step with her center-left colleagues overseas, but even her conservative counterparts.

Croome said that marrying in Britain would be popular for Australians given the number who were dual Australian/British citizens and residents or who were in dual nationality relationships.

Marriage News Watch: June 25, 2012

Marriage News Watch: June 4, 2012

Marriage News Watch: February 27, 2012

Marriage News Watch: February 20, 2012

Marriage News Watch: February 13, 2012

The Wrap-Up: December 27, 2011

Governor Rick Snyder (R-MI)

That endorsement that Rick Santorum got from an Iowa conservative leader may have been bought...because that is what God would do I suppose.

Governor Rick Snyder (R-MI) makes it clear that he does not care about the health of the LGBT community.

Across the border in Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton had something to say about the "sanctity of marriage" hypocrisy in that states' legislature (the state has a proposed constitutional marriage equality ban on the ballot next November).

If you're wondering what exactly they're talking about, this article gives you the low-down, as well as a reaction from Minnesota's LGBT community on the second page (which is pretty awesome).

Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA)

If marriage equality existed throughout this nation, heartless stories like this would not happen.

Though it may not pass (and even if it does, it's a half measure), a West Virginia delegate is taking a shot at passing a civil unions bill in the coming year.

There are some not-so-good polling numbers coming out of Virginia for Eric Cantor (a Virginia congressman and the House's #2 Republican).

The New York Republican Senators who voted in favor of marriage equality there have received mainly positive feedback.

John Lawrence, as in "Lawrence v. Texas" (which in 2003 ruled that anti-sodomy laws in the U.S are unconstitutional) passed away this past Friday.

Newt Gingrich

Mitt Romney falsely claims that the Obama administration has not created any jobs. Then again, he also falsely claimed that corporations are people, so his "facts" are less than stellar.

Australian psychologists, just like their American counterparts, agree that access to marriage equality leads to better mental health outcomes. 20,000 shrinks can't be wrong.

Newt Gingrich may have gotten caught in another lie. One would think he would get tired of this...

And lastly, here is a clip of Ron Paul discussing some of his fellow candidates on Jay Leno.

Marriage News Watch: December 26, 2011

Marriage News Watch: December 12, 2011

The Wrap-Up: December 6, 2011

Jamey Rodemeyer (1997-2011)

The Supreme Court may hear an appeal over Texas' redistricting map.

 The students who bullied Jamey Rodemeyer have been suspended by the school. Too bad they did this months too late to keep 14 year-old Jamey from committing suicide because of the abuse.

The racial improprieties that helped lead to the bursting of the housing bubble were apparently intentional.

The Kentucky church that barred interracial couples from church membership has been overruled.

While Mitt Romney keeps calling himself a "job creator," at least one (if not more) of his business partners is saying otherwise. His GOP rivals should send this guy a Christmas basket. This is seriously fodder that he can, and should, be clobbered over the head with.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R-VA)

Speaking of Mitt, former Vice President Dan Quayle is set to endorse him today. Surely Romney will have this race in the bag as a result...

Two years out and this Gubernatorial race in Virginia is already heating up, and the GOP may hand it to the Democrats...if they can field a viable candidate (my favorite part of the article is the second sentence).

Holy draconian punishment Batman! For the irredeemable crime of burping during class, a kid was sent to juvie and suspended from school for the rest of the year. There really aren't words for how absolutely stupid things like this are.

Add caption

A policy may be adopted in North Carolina where adopting certain "bully breeds" will be banned and said dogs would be killed. Anyone else get a whiff of genocide from this story?

It turns out that the owners of Zucotti Park (where Occupy wall Street has been centered) are some of the very same tax-dodgers that the protesters have been fighting against. Small wonder said owners tried to get the protesters evicted.

Over the weekend, Australia's ruling party voted to endorse marriage equality. The nation's only real hurdle: the Prime Minister.

And lastly, Michigan music teacher tried to make "Deck the Halls" less...gay. Some of the responses to this story are hilarious.

Marriage News Watch: December 5, 2011

The Wrap-Up: December 1, 2011

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard

I'm seriously getting tired of stories involving pepper-spray. Come on people, get your own ideas.

Dear Tea Party, no one likes you anymore (at least most don't). Regards, America. 

Australia's Prime Minister is getting pressure from both sides on marriage equality in the run-up to her party's conference this coming weekend.

Despite conservatives saying President Obama has waged a war on energy, the U.S. is set to do something it hasn't done in over 6 decades. Go figure that, Republicans are wrong on the facts...again.

Will he stay or will he go? We may see the end of Herman Cain's hilarious attempt at the presidency in the next few days.

FRC President Tony Perkins

A Kentucky church is not a big fan of interracial couples, and supposedly in the name of greater unity. Can we say "irony?"

There is a petition floating around that aims at stopping various media outlets from calling/using Tony Perkins (president of the so-called Family Research Council) as an "expert" and I highly suggest anyone reading this sign it. The man is the leader of a very homophobic hate group.

Speaking of Perkins, here is some sound to show who this man is and what he stands for (and against).

Exodus International, an "ex-gay" organization, seems to be swimming in a financial sea of red. I guess people are catching wise to Exodus (and all ex-gay organizations) being scams.

Showing how much of a news organization they really are, some Fox personalities made some predictions as to what Barney Frank will do after retiring from Congress. How professional of them...

Ron Paul

Where regulatory agencies (in this case the S.E.C) are failing, the judicial system must pick up the slack. Luckily, this judge put the smack-down on the S.E.C. and Citigroup.

And lastly, this ad by Ron Paul shows that Mitt Romney is not the only major flip-flopper in this campaign season.

The Wrap-Up: November 28, 2011

Marine Commandant James Amos

Contrary to what we are led to believe, America does not have the best health care system in the world.

In further evidence that the bullying epidemic must be quashed...

Even the most vocal military critic of repealing DADT has said that things have been going smoothly since the policy change.

It seems as though Tim Tebow is cheating on his wife...with Jesus.

Smartphones may not be so great soon for people who value their privacy.

A GOP attempt to block Texas' redistricting plan has been thwarted.

Rep. Barney Frank

This is an important (and totally true) quote from an Elizabeth Warren video that surfaced some weeks ago.

Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) announced today that he will not be running for reelection in 2012.

Even the most religious of people can have their minds and hearts changed.

Marriage equality will be a particularly hot topic in Australia this coming weekend.

Nick Novak (K - San Diego Chargers)

A Nebraska teen is attempting to put marriage equality on the state's ballot for 2012.

In neighboring Kansas, the teen who tweeted something not so nice (yet rightly deserved) about that state's governor is standing her ground...

Which seems to have worked as now, it is the Governor who has issued an apology.

And lastly, there was this unfortunate incident at yesterday's Chargers vs. Broncos game (besides the Broncos winning that is). Hilarious, but I feel really bad for the guy all the same.

Best. Commercial. EVER!!!

The Wrap-Up: November 25, 2011

Governor Sam Brownback (R-KS)

One would think that bad mouthing a politician (especially one that deserves it...which is most of them) would be protected by the 1st amendment. Maybe not.

Stupid things like THIS are why I boycott Black Friday: everyone just goes crazy/stupid.

When it comes to foreign policy, what the GOP candidates said in this week's debate should give us all pause.

Herman Cain thinks he can bring black people back to the GOP. Those with an actual grain of sense think otherwise.

Elizabeth Warren

Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren schools us all on the health care system. First, I love how she lays down the facts. Second, I'm really scared now.

There is some good redistricting news. The surprise: it's from Texas.

There is some not so good LGBT news. What's not a surprise: it's from Texas.

With Newt Gingrich reaching towards the top of national GOP polls, the attacks have begun in earnest.

Mitt Romney has a solid(ish) lead in New Hampshire (their primary, the first, is set for January 10th).

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal

With the New Hampshire primaries comes talk about candidates' positions on marriage equality, which will be up for a vote later in the month.

Who would have thought that a Senate seat in North Dakota would turn out to be competitive?

While Senate Republicans in Iowa are pushing hard to debate marriage equality in the chamber (despite being the minority party), the Senate majority leader (Michael Gronstal) makes a strong argument to counter them.

Released in Australia, this is probably the best pro-marriage equality ad that has been made to date.