Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

World: Canadian marriage
by REX WOCKNER
2005-05-18

This article shared 3299 times since Wed May 18, 2005
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


Graft scandal threatens Canadian marriage bill

Legislation legalizing same-sex marriage that has nearly completed its journey through the Canadian Parliament may be doomed.

But even if the bill dies, same-sex marriage likely will remain legal in the seven provinces and one territory that have legalized it. Five other provinces and territories have not done so.

The problem is not lack of support for the bill but rather that a corruption scandal may bring down the current government and lead to a new election. The scandal involves allegations of kickbacks, payoffs and judicial appointments to party hacks, said Toronto-based 365Gay.com .

If the Liberals win again, the bill likely would be quickly reintroduced. But, if a Conservative coalition seizes power, the Conservatives have promised to introduce a bill to define marriage as between a man and a woman while giving gays civil unions.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper has said he also wants to kill off legal same-sex marriage in British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec and the Yukon Territory, but it's not at all clear that would be legally possible.

The provinces and territories that have not legalized gay marriage are Alberta, New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Prince Edward Island. A court case on the matter is under way in New Brunswick. Courts forced legalization of same-sex marriage in all the locations where it is allowed.

Canada has no residency requirements for marriage, and only Quebec has a waiting period after purchase of a license.

Same-sex marriage also is legal in Belgium and the Netherlands, and will be allowed in Spain by autumn. Belgium and the Netherlands do have residency requirements. Same-sex couples also have access to regular marriage in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Spanish PM

blasts bishops

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero on May 11 defended the nation's recently passed law allowing full same-sex marriage, and took a swipe at the Spanish Bishops' Conference for opposing it.

The bishops have called on Spanish Catholics, including those who work in government, to commit civil disobedience by refusing to implement the law.

'I will never understand those who proclaim love as the foundation of life, while denying so radically protection, understanding and affection to our neighbors, our friends, our relatives, our colleagues,' Zapatero said in his State of the Nation address to Parliament. 'What kind of love is this that excludes those who experience their sexuality in a different way?'

The same-sex marriage law is expected to come into force by this autumn.

WorldPride isn't

postponed yet

Organizers say a recent report in the Jerusalem Post about the postponement of Jerusalem WorldPride 2005 was wrong.

The paper reported that the events, planned for Aug. 18-27, would be rescheduled due to concerns that police could not simultaneously protect the pride celebrations and the planned evacuation of Jews from Gaza.

It quoted organizer Hagai El-Ad of the Jerusalem Open House gay center as saying, 'The homo-lesbian community in Israel is not oblivious to what is going on in the country and to the major public event that the Gaza pullout will be.'

On May 11, however, El-Ad disputed the Post story, calling it 'outrageously premature.' He said the pride events will be reorganized only if they occur at the same time as the Gaza pullout, which, at present, lacks a precise date.

WorldPride has been aggressively denounced by local Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders.

The celebration—which was last held in Rome in 2000—is licensed by InterPride, the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Coordinators.


This article shared 3299 times since Wed May 18, 2005
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

WORLD Queer-friendly spots, religion items, Argentine protests, Iraqi bill
2024-04-26
Following a travel warning issued for LGBTQ+ tourists in Greece, euronews published a list of the European spots that are most welcoming to queer people. Even though same-sex marriage was recently legalized in Greece, the British ...


Gay News

WORLD Nigeria arrest, Chilean murderer, trans ban, Olivier Awards, marriage items
2024-04-19
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC's) decision to arrest well-known transgender woman Idris Okuneye (also known as Bobrisky) over the practice of flaunting money has sparked questions among several ...


Gay News

U.S. women's soccer team caught in anti-LGBTQ+ controversy
2024-04-10
On April 9, the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) narrowly defeated Canada to win the SheBelieves Cup trophy. However, there were boos on the field for the USWNT—due primarily to an LGBTQ+-related controversy involving one player: ...


Gay News

WORLD Lesbian sniper, HIV research, marriage items, Chinese singer, Korean festival
2024-04-05
A lesbian Ukrainian sniper and her machine-gun-toting girlfriend are taking the fight to Russia President Vladimir Putin, according to a Daily Beast article. Olga—a veterinarian-turned-soldier—said her comrades don't care about ...


Gay News

Thailand parliament passes landmark marriage bill
2024-03-27
On March 27, Thailand's parliament approved a marriage-equality bill by an overwhelmingly large margin—a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to legalizing same-sex unions, media ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist
2024-03-21
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

Greek legislature approves marriage equality
2024-02-15
Greece has become the 36th country, and the first Christian Orthodox-majority one, to legalize same-sex marriage. The BBC reported that same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after the 176-76 vote that ...


Gay News

Tenn. legislators back bill that lets officials refuse to perform same-sex weddings
2024-02-15
Defying a national ruling that authorized marriage equality, Tennessee lawmakers approved a measure that would allow public officials to refuse to perform weddings of same-sex couples, The Hill reported. Tennessee's House Bill 878/Senate Bill 596 says ...


Gay News

WORLD Marriage in Greece, UK politics, cruise death, HRC grants
2024-02-02
The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece unanimously agreed at a recent meeting that it is "strongly opposed" to the Greek government's promised bill on same-sex marriage and adoption, Balkan Insight reported. The conservative New ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Marriage news, fighting fentanyl, anti-LGBTQ+ crimes, Grindr
2024-02-02
The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would affirm marriage equality in the state, The Washington Blade noted. House Bill 174, introduced by state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County), passed in the Democratic-controlled ...


Gay News

WORLD Activist honored, marriages in Estonia, Madrid law, trans sports item
2024-01-05
Video below - The National AIDS Commission (NAC) recently honored Caleb Orozco—a leading figure in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Belize—for his instrumental contributions to the national HIV response, BNN reported. According ...


Gay News

Catholic Church allows priests to bless same-sex couples but reaffirms disapproval of gay marriage
2023-12-22
LGBTQ+ couples can now receive blessings from priests, but the Catholic Church maintained its strict ban on gay marriage, according to a Vatican document approved by Pope Francis Dec. 18. This historic change in doctrine marks ...


Gay News

Greek government vows to back marriage equality
2023-12-22
Despite opposition from the Church of Greece and within the ruling New Democracy, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government said it will eventually move to legalize same-sex marriage, The National Herald reported. However, no timetable was ...


Gay News

Dignity/Chicago welcomes new rule on church blessings for same-sex marriages
2023-12-18
--From a press release - Dignity/Chicago, the advocacy organization for LGBTQI Catholics and friends, welcomed the news that the Vatican's doctrinal office has officially declared it possible for Catholic priests to bless same-sex unions and ...


Gay News

New Ways Ministry: Pope's blessings approval is Christmas gift to LGBTQ+ Catholics
2023-12-18
--From a press release - MOUNT RAINIER, Maryland—Statement by Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New Ways Ministry: Pope Francis gave LGBTQ+ Catholics an early Christmas gift this year by approving blessings for same-gender couples. The Vatican ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor
Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.