Breaking: Minnesota Passes Marriage Equality!

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Today the Minnesota State Senate passed marriage equality.  Once signed by Governor Mark Dayton, Minnesota will be the 12th state in the US to offer full civil marriage equality in the United States.  The house passed its version of the bill last week.

Passage comes just over six months after Minnesota voters rejected a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

Congratulations Minnesota!!!

Read the full article form HRC here.

Video: AFER – Marriage News Watch for 5-13-13

httpv ://youtu.be/lP9CYj4XEQY

Minnesota House Passes Marriage Equality 75-59

The bill now goes to the Senate – We could see marriages starting this summer!!!

Congratulations Minnesota!

Minnesota Debating Marriage Equality Today!

Here is a great video form Minnesota for All Families

httpv://youtu.be/d7pbQyaWAsU

From HuffPost Politics:

The Democratic-led state Legislature in Minnesota is expected to begin a final push on Thursday toward making it the 12th U.S. state to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and the third this month after Delaware and Rhode Island.

Leaders in Minnesota’s state House of Representatives have scheduled a vote for Thursday to advance a bill recognizing same-sex marriage, which would be followed by a vote in the state Senate on Monday, party spokesmen have said.

Democratic Governor Mark Dayton has indicated that he supports making same-sex marriage legal in the state and has been pressing lawmakers for their backing.

Same Sex Marriage Legalized in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island senate has voted and the result is a monumental movement for gay rights. Same sex marriage is now legal in Rhode Island.

David Klepper on Salon brings us the latest details on this breaking news.

Rhode Island senators put the state on the path Wednesday to becoming the 10th state to allow same-sex couples to marry.

The gay marriage legislation easily passed the Rhode Island House in January, and the Senate vote was seen as the true test. The bill passed 26-12, and now returns to the House for a largely procedural vote, likely next week, before going to Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who supports the legislation.

“This is a historic piece of legislation, one that literally has been in the works for more than 20 years,” said Sen. Donna Nesselbush, D-Pawtucket, the bill’s main sponsor in the Senate. “This is something that undoes centuries of discrimination against gay and lesbian couples.”

While the other five New England states already allow gay marriage, heavily Catholic Rhode Island has been a hold-out. Supporters this year mounted an aggressive and coordinated campaign that included organized labor, religious leaders, business owners and leaders including Chafee and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

Read the full article from Salon here.

France Legalizes Marriage Equality

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France has become the 14th country to legally recognize same sex marriages. After bitter debate, public protests and numerous violent acts against gays, the French Government finalized the law allowing gay marriage as well as gay adoption. The vote was 331-225 in favor.

Marriages will start in June. The the full AP article here

Watch: Marriage News Watch for April 22, 2013

httpv://youtu.be/NrD9F5mw7l8

Watch Matt Baum’s update of Marriage Equality in the US and around the world

Watch: New Zealand MP on Marriage Equality

httpv://youtu.be/pCDEiaoEP2U

Last week, New Zealand became the 13th country to recognize same sex marriage.  Maurice Williamson, Member of Parliament, gave this wonderfully funny and spot on  speech.  Demonstrating how silly the opposition is is much more effective than arguing with them.

The main point of his speech is summed up here:

“So don’t make this into a big deal.  This is fantastic for people this affects,  but for the rest of us, life will go on.”

He also quoted Deuteronomy 1:29.  “Be ye not afraid”

Marriage News Watch 4-15-16

Marriage News Watch from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER)

South Dakota Senator Johnson Now Supports Gay Marriage

South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson says he now supports gay marriage. “After lengthy consideration, my views have evolved sufficiently to support marriage equality legislation,” Johnson said in a written statement. “This position doesn’t require any religious denomination to alter any of its tenets; it simply forbids government from discrimination regarding who can marry whom.”

Read the full article here.