President George W. Bush is digging in his heels to fight for a Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage. He has asked for help from Congressmen, ordinary American citizens, and the Vatican. Vice President Richard Cheney supports the Amendment as well. But the women in these politicians' lives may not be so supportive, according to AP. Cheney's wife Lynne said this weekend that she believes states, not the federal government, should have the final say on defining marriage. The Cheneys have a lesbian daughter, Mary. First Lady Laura Bush hinted earlier in the year that she supported further debate.
Couples in New Jersey began registering their domestic partnerships last week, reports AP. The state passed legislation in January that gives limited benefits to same-sex couples and unmarried elderly couples who register. The new law gives benefits such as joint filing on state income tax returns and it forces insurance companies to offer the same options for gay couples as it does for married heterosexual couples. Employers, however, are still free to reject benefits for gay couples.
Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell's new gay family-themed cruise line set sail this weekend and is expected to dock in Key West today, according to NewsDay. R Family Vacations is backed by O'Donnell and founded by her partner Kelli. Key West officials will reportedly give Rosie a key to the city to honor her achievements. The reception in the Bahamas, another scheduled port of call, is not expected to be so rosey. Members of a local church who forced a gay cruise ship to leave in 1998 will reportedly picket this ship as well. www.rfamilyvacations.com .
The YMCA in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., says it will stand by its policy of refusing family memberships for gay couples even though the University of North Carolina (UNC) says they had a verbal agreement with the Y to make exceptions, reports the News and Observer. UNC and the YMCA mutually agreed to terminate a 2002 agreement that gave discounts to UNC employees in exchange for publicity. University officials say they cannot support an organization that discriminates. The city of Durham was made aware of the alleged discrimination while reviewing a $70,000 city contract with the Y.
More than 3,000 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in Oregon will be registered with the state, reports the Oregonian. The Court of Appeals removed a temporary ban on the registration of the licenses. The state justice department, however, says that while the state will record the licenses, that does not mean the marriages are valid. The justice department had hoped the Court of Appeals would simply push the case directly to the state supreme court. Voters may be able to determine the future of the conundrum through a referendum that will likely appear on the November ballot.
MoveOn.org launched a TV ad in D.C., NY and nationally, condemning George Bush for dividing, not uniting, the country by pushing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would deny marriage to same-sex couples. The ad, which runs from July 12-16 while the Senate is expected to debate and vote on the amendment, questions the President's handling of everything from the war in Iraq to the economy, and suggests that Bush is distracting voters from substantive issues by turning to the politics of division and hate.
A former Army Ranger who threatened to blow up gay bars and abortion clinics nationwide is not a terrorist, according to a federal judge, reports the Miami Herald. Stephen John Jordi, 36, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after admitting to one count of attempted firebombing. A federal informant recorded conversations with Jordi in which Jordi said he would bomb abortion clinics for 30 or 40 years or until he was caught. Jordi's psychiatric profile said the man thought he was an 'anti-abortion warrior.'
The New York state Appellate Court ruled that New York City Health Department officials were within their rights to close down a sauna frequented by gay clientele, reports the Post. Wall Street Sauna was closed after Health Department officials observed 33 acts of 'high risk' sexual activity. A lower court allowed part of the club to reopen when owners made assurances that new managers would stop unsafe sex. The Appellate Court ruled that the activities were so pervasive that owner assurances were not enough.
Miami Beach became the third jurisdiction in Florida to protect transgender individuals from discrimination, reports the Miami Herald. The Miami Beach City Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the city's human-rights ordinance to add the new protections.
With gay marriage on the forefront of American politics, it's also on the forefront of Queer as Folk, reports AP. In last week's episode, Michael (Hal Sparks) weds boyfriend Ben (Robert Gant) in a Canadian wedding.
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