Gay Marriage Update

Big Wins Re-Energize Gay Marriage Activists
by Liz Halloran


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David Paul Morris
Craig Winsor (left) and Victor Choban argue about Proposition 8 at a rally in front of the California Supreme Court building in San Francisco on March 5. Getty Images




Interactive Map: The Legal Battle Over Gay Marriage, State By State


NPR.org, April 16, 2009 · Same-sex marriage advocates have racked up big recent victories in Iowa and Vermont, where legislators on April 7 approved a same-sex marriage measure by overriding a gubernatorial veto. They joined Connecticut and Massachusetts as states where gay marriage is recognized.
Similar efforts are well under way in a handful of other states, including New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maine and New York, where Gov. David Paterson on Thursday introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
But though the national battle is still pitched — and even Paterson's bill faces an iffy future — there is a growing and powerful phenomenon that is expected to someday shape the debate over same-sex marriage: its wide acceptance among young Americans as a basic civil right.
Growing Acceptance Among Youth
Graham Gillette of Des Moines, Iowa, says he's always on the lookout for a teachable moment — a chance for his three children to learn from a real-life situation.
And the April 3 unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage provided just such an opportunity. Or so Gillette assumed.
"The day the ruling came down, I was taking my 13-year-old to baseball, and thought, 'Hey, big teaching moment,' " says Gillette. He imparted to his son the historic importance of the court's 7-0 decision to legalize what it referred to pointedly as "civil marriage."
"He looked at me and said, 'Duh. Why is this a big deal?' " said Gillette, a former Republican who supports same-sex marriage.
"To him, [the right to marriage] is a given, and it's stupid that we even talk about it," Gillette says.
Sixty percent of Iowans under age 30 support same-sex marriage, according to a recent University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll, numbers that are echoed nationally. Meghan McCain, the 24-year-old daughter of Republican Sen. John McCain, the party's most recent presidential nominee, weighed in this week as a "pro-gay-marriage Republican."
"The demographics are clear, the trends are strong and not reversible," says Charles C. Haynes, a senior scholar at the First Amendment Center. "It's all over but the shouting."
Though people feel "deeply and emotionally about the issue," Haynes said, "gay marriage is inevitable in the United States."
Nationally, Opinion Remains Divided
Opponents, while acknowledging the direction of youth sentiment, beg to disagree.
"Without some reversal of the trends, that could be the case, but I'm not resigned to that," says Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, noting that when put to a public vote in California, legalized gay marriage lost.
"I don't think anything is inevitable," Perkins says, adding that he considers the Vermont situation "an outlier" that has run ahead of public opinion.
Twenty-nine states have constitutional amendments restricting marriage to one man and one woman, and 13 states have laws that do the same.
A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that a majority of Americans oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage. Fifty-five percent of those polled said such marriages should not be legally recognized; 44 percent said they should.
A CBS News poll released early this month also showed Americans divided on the issue: Six in 10 supported some form of legal recognition, but only one-third said that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
"Evidence does not suggest that the public is turning that quickly on this," Perkins says. "This is not a natural evolution."
Framing The Issue As One Of Civil Rights
The same-sex marriage movement has been historically speedy, says Marty Rouse, the national field director for the Human Rights Campaign, an organization at the forefront of the gay rights movement. It was only nine years ago that Vermont, amid turmoil and tumult, became the first state in the nation to approve civil unions for same-sex couples.
"As far as civil rights movements go and in terms of a change in culture, this has been a very fast evolution for American society," says Rouse, who has been instrumental in organizing state-based legalization efforts.
"But it's actually progressing the way we expected it would," he said.
For years, gay rights organizers have been working in targeted states to get sympathetic legislators elected, to organize grass-roots supporters, and to advance legislation that would soften the ground for same-sex marriage.
Four states allow same-sex couples to marry (Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Iowa.) Three other states (New Hampshire, New Jersey and Oregon) extend to same-sex couples the same spousal rights guaranteed at the state level. The District of Columbia and California offer same-sex couples almost all state spousal rights. And three states (Hawaii, Maine and Washington) extend partial rights. Seventeen states now give their employees domestic partnership benefits.
There's been a concerted effort to stay away from religion, Rouse says, and to frame same-sex marriage as simply a civil right.
"We're not trying to deal with religion at all, and we're not asking for sanctification," Rouse says. "This is not new, but we do need to clarify it, because a lot of people picture marriage as walking down an aisle in church."
The 1964 Civil Rights Act exempts "religious corporations" from compliance with anti-discrimination rules in the conduct of their religious work or activities.
None of that placates opponents like Robert Vander Plaats of Sioux City, Iowa, a Republican who plans to make a third run for governor next year.
"I really believe that as soon as a same-sex couple goes to a church where they may have met and fallen in love and demand to be married, it will be a perfect case for a lawsuit against the church," says Vander Plaats.
"This is playing games with marriage, a judicial effort to redefine the institution of marriage," he says. "It is the union of one man and one woman."
Bigger Fights Ahead
During a rally Monday on the steps of the state Capitol in Des Moines, Vander Plaats pledged that, if elected, he would attempt to halt same-sex marriages until Iowans had an opportunity to vote on a state constitutional amendment that would bar such unions.
So, in Iowa as elsewhere, the issue is still far from settled. And both sides are girding for bigger fights ahead.
"This has awakened the sleeping giant," says Vander Plaats. "I see people who have been on the sidelines for a long time now saying they need to get back in the game."
A recent advertisement aired by the National Organization for Marriage, a group formed to fight same-sex marriage, is called "A Gathering Storm." It uses actors to portray everyday people who talk about how gay marriage would affect their lives.
"Advocates," says one, "want to change the way I live."
The Human Rights Campaign has responded with a Web site called "End the Lies" — an effort, the group says, to expose the "deception and fear" being used in the battle against gay rights.
And just down the road, gay rights activists say they plan to expand their marriage efforts to states including Hawaii, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Maryland. Activists are also still waiting for a court decision expected by June 4 on their constitutional challenge of Proposition 8, the successful anti-gay-marriage initiative in California.
"If we can't turn that around in 2010, we'll go to 2012," Rouse says. "It's been a state-by-state march. Change is coming."
But just how fast it will proceed appears to be in the hands of not only gay rights activists and their opponents, but also the parents — conservative, liberal or somewhere in between — of kids like Connor Gillette.

Related NPR Stories
April 16, 2009Paterson Revives New York Same-Sex Marriage Bill
April 10, 2009Is America Warming To Same-Sex Marriage?
April 7, 2009Vermont Legislature OKs Gay Marriage
April 6, 2009Gay Marriage Debate Riddled With Bad Assumptions
April 3, 2009Iowa Court: Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional


E

Gay men concern over HIV figures from BBC news

Gay men concern over HIV figures
Gay men are being warned about their HIV risk after latest figures show high rates of new diagnoses.
The Health Protection Agency estimates revealed nearly four in 10 of the 7,370 cases last year were in gay men - twice the number of a decade ago.
Recent studies have suggested high numbers of gay men are engaging in unsafe sex.
However, the number of new diagnoses overall and within the gay community has fallen slightly year-on-year.
Dr Barry Evans, an HIV expert at the HPA, said: "Gay men continue to be the group in the UK most at risk of acquiring HIV.
“ But most importantly, we must remember that gay and bisexual men are still the people most affected by HIV here in the UK ” Deborah Jack, of the National Aids Trust
"Safe sex is the best way to protect against HIV infection."
The figures, which are estimated because the agency has not got all the data from clinics, showed overall new diagnoses had fallen from 7,660 in 2007.
Among gay men there was a slightly larger fall proportionally from 3,050 to 2,830, but it was still the second largest number since recording began in the 1990s.
The HPA also expressed concern about the high number of late diagnoses.
A fifth of cases among gay men were beyond the point at which treatment should have begun, raising the risk of death within the first year.
Proportion
Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National Aids Trust said: 'We welcome the fall in the number of new diagnoses of HIV - but we need to wait to see whether the trend is really downwards or still plateauing.
"But most importantly, we must remember that gay and bisexual men are still the people most affected by HIV here in the UK - with one 1 in 20 gay and bisexual men infected with HIV.
"If that proportion of the general UK population had HIV it would be headline news."
She also said it was worrying that the number of heterosexual cases from sex in the UK - most of the heterosexual diagnoses are from sex abroad, mostly within African communities - showed signs of rising.
In 2008 there were just over 1,000 new cases - up by 110 from 2007.
However, the charity said it was still a tiny proportion of the people engaging in heterosexual sex.
Lisa Power, of the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "Numbers of people diagnosed with HIV are rising for many reasons.
"More people are getting tested, which is good. But some people don't realise they could be at risk, and others take risks despite knowing them. HIV is not a risk worth taking."
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7967881.stmPublished: 2009/03/27 11:27:28 GMT© BBC MMIX
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2nd Sunday movie April 12 "Stonewall"

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The birth of the gay rights movement gets a fictionalized treatment in this drama based loosely on the acclaimed documentary of the same name by Martin Duberman. In 1969, Matty Dean (Fred Weller) arrives in New York City's Greenwich Village hoping that life there will provide the sexual liberation forbidden to him by his small town upbringing. Matty falls in love with LaMiranda (Guillermo Diaz), a cross-dresser who introduces him to the regulars at the infamous Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar. He is shocked, however, to learn that the NYPD regularly raids the Stonewall, harassing the clientele and closeted owner Vinnie (Bruce MacVitte). After one such incident, Matty ends up in jail, where he's attracted to Ethan (Brendan Corbalis), a gay activist preaching a moderate policy of conformity and peaceful protest. The latter is not possible, however, when police storm the Stonewall yet again and, led by Vinnie's lover Bustonia (Duane Boutte), enraged drag queens fight back in a riot of historical significance. ~ Karl Williams

2nd Sunday movie for Feb 8 is Shelter

Love brings together two men who aren't sure where to fit a relationship into their lives in this romantic drama. Living in the oceanfront working-class community of San Pedro, Zach (Trevor Wright) is a young man in his early twenties who has been forced into the role of emotional anchor for his dysfunctional family; his mother his dead, his father is too ill to work, his sister Jeannie (Tina Holmes) is too busy partying to look after her five-year-old son Cody (Jackson Wurth), and Zach is the only one with the wherewithal to hold down a job and keep the rent paid. He's sacrificed his dream of attending CalArts in order to help Jeannie raise Cody. Between cooking at a diner and looking after Cody, Zach has little in the way of spare time, but as often as he can he heads to the beach to indulge his passion for surfing. While hanging out with his surfing buddy Gabe (Ross Thomas), Zach meets Gabe's brother, the struggling homosexual writer Shaun (Brad Rowe), who has taken a break from Tinseltown while rebounding from a dysfunctional relationship. Shaun goes surfing with Zach one day, and the two discover they're powerfully attracted to one another, and a flirtation turns into a love affair. As Shaun has to explain to his girlfriend why he no longer wants to be with her, Zach tries to make Jeannie and his father understand why he's come out of the closet. Shelter was produced for the gay and lesbian-oriented cable television network Here, though it enjoyed a brief theatrical release before its broadcast premiere. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

2nd Sunday movie for Jan 11 is DELOVELY

De-Lovely (2004)

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Irwin Winkler
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The public and private lives of famed songwriter Cole Porter are both explored in this musical drama, in which the aging Porter (played by Kevin Kline) looks back on his life while watching a rehearsal of a stage musical based on his story. As Porter compares notes on the play with director Gabe (Jonathan Pryce), he shares thoughts on his rise to fame in the mid-'20s, writing witty and sophisticated tunes for a string of successful Broadway musicals. Porter seemed to be living a charmed life when he met Linda Thomas (Ashley Judd), a beautiful American woman who, like Porter, was enjoying a sojourn in Paris following the collapse of her first marriage. Thomas is immediately taken with Porter, whose intelligence and charm is a welcome change after her brutal first husband, and the two discover they share a remarkable understanding of one another. Porter and Thomas marry, even though she's aware that her new husband is gay; Thomas is willing to forgive Porter's indiscretions with other men in favor of the emotional support he brings her. However, as the years wear on and the couple takes up residence in Hollywood as Porter begins writing tunes for motion pictures, Thomas finds Porter drifting away from her as his liaisons become more frequent and more serious. Then tragedy enters their life when Porter loses the use of his legs in a riding accident and Thomas is diagnosed with cancer. De-Lovely features a number of noted pop singers interpreting classic songs from Porter's catalog, including Diana Krall, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Elvis Costello, Robbie Williams, Mick Hucknall, and others. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Complete Cast:
Kevin Kline - Cole Porter
Jonathan Pryce - Gabe
Alan Corduner - Monty Woolley
Keith Allen - Irving Berlin
Kevin McKidd - Bobby Reed
Edward Baker-Duly - Boris Kochno
Leopold Lemarchand - Musical Performer
Alanis Morissette - Musical Performer
Caroline O'Connor - Musical Performer
Mick Hucknall - Musical Performer
Vivian Green - Musical Performer
Mario Frangoulis - Musical Performer
Angie Hill - Ellin Berlin
Lemar Obika
Ashley Judd - Linda Lee Porter
Kevin McNally - Gerald Murphy
Sandra Nelson - Sara Murphy
James Wilby - Edward Thomas
Richard Dillane - Bill Wrather
Robbie Williams - Musical Performer
Elvis Costello - Musical Performer
John Barrowman - Musical Performer
Sheryl Crow - Musical Performer
Diana Krall - Musical Performer
Lara Fabian - Musical Performer
Natalie Cole - Musical Performer
Peter Polycarpou - Louis B. Mayer
Nicola Dawn
Director(s):
Irwin Winkler
Writer(s):
Jay Cocks
Producer(s):
Irwin Winkler, Charles Winkler, Rob Cowan
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
PG13(Sexual Situations, Adult Situations, Adult


DELOVELY

2nd Sunday movie for Sept 14 is "A Very Serious Person"

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A young boy with an obsessive enthusiasm for old-Hollywood forms a warm bond with his effeminate Danish mentor as Psycho Beach Party and Die, Mommie, Die! director Charles Busch turns in his camp card to craft an uncharacteristically low-key and highly-personal rama about self-acceptance and personal perseverance. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Theatrical Feature Running Time:
95 mins
Complete Cast:
Charles Busch - Jan
Polly Bergen - Mrs. A
Carl Andress
P.J. Verhoest - Gil
Dana Ivey - Betty
Julie Halston
Director(s):
Charles Busch
Writer(s):
Carl Andress, Charles Busch
Producer(s):
Daryl Roth, Richard Guay
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2nd Sunday movie for Aug 10 is Naked Boys Singing

As the title suggests, naked boys do sing (and dance) in this campy big-screen adaptation of one of the longest-running and most lascivious off-Broadway musical revues ever produced. Filmed in Los Angeles, this is essentially a basic recording of the live stage show, spotlighting songs such as "Fight the Urge," "The Bliss of a Bris," "Muscle Addiction," "Nothing But the Radio On," "Members Only" and "Window to Window."
Starring: Kevin Alexander Stea, Joe SouzaDirector: Robert SchrockGenre: Music & MusicalsFormat: Widescreen ...Language: English
Not rated. This movie has not been rated by the MPAA.