D.C. Marriage Measure Set for Mayor’s Signature
Posted on May 05, 2009 at 12:30 pm
The Washington Post
May 5, 2009
An overwhelming majority on the D.C. Council voted today to recognize gay couples' marriages performed in other states. The measure, approved by a vote 12 to 1, now goes to Mayor Arian M. Fenty (D), a supporter of marriage equality. If Fenty signs it, the District will put marriage directly before the Congress. Under Home Rule, the District's laws are subject to a 30-day congressional review period. [Link]
May 5, 2009
An overwhelming majority on the D.C. Council voted today to recognize gay couples' marriages performed in other states. The measure, approved by a vote 12 to 1, now goes to Mayor Arian M. Fenty (D), a supporter of marriage equality. If Fenty signs it, the District will put marriage directly before the Congress. Under Home Rule, the District's laws are subject to a 30-day congressional review period. [Link]
How Gays Won a Marriage Victory
Posted on Apr 15, 2009 at 10:31 am
The Washington Post
April 15, 2009
The Washington Post interviews advocates from Lambda Legal and other national LGBT groups to discuss recent advances in marriage equality in Iowa, Vermont and D.C., and the future of marriage for gay couples as a national issue. [Link]
April 15, 2009
The Washington Post interviews advocates from Lambda Legal and other national LGBT groups to discuss recent advances in marriage equality in Iowa, Vermont and D.C., and the future of marriage for gay couples as a national issue. [Link]
DC, Congress, and the “M” Word
Posted on Apr 13, 2009 at 12:12 pm
The Huffington Post
April 9, 2009
Could Congress legislatively overturn the DC Council's decision to recognize these civil marriages from other jurisdictions? They certainly could, as already noted, by passing such a prohibition in both legislative bodies and gaining the approval of the President. None of us know for sure if this will happen or not. Or the Democratic Leadership could make it clear that any effort to distract from this agenda would not be entertained. Also, if Barack Obama would send a signal that such meddling by Congress in local affairs would meet with a Presidential veto, it should also provide ample reason for Congress to tend to its business. [Link]
April 9, 2009
Could Congress legislatively overturn the DC Council's decision to recognize these civil marriages from other jurisdictions? They certainly could, as already noted, by passing such a prohibition in both legislative bodies and gaining the approval of the President. None of us know for sure if this will happen or not. Or the Democratic Leadership could make it clear that any effort to distract from this agenda would not be entertained. Also, if Barack Obama would send a signal that such meddling by Congress in local affairs would meet with a Presidential veto, it should also provide ample reason for Congress to tend to its business. [Link]
DC Vote Puts Gay Marriage in Front of Congress
Posted on Apr 09, 2009 at 01:56 pm
The Associated Press
April 8, 2009
The Washington, D.C. Council's vote to recognize marriages of gay couples performed elsewhere puts the issue on the path to Congress, which has final say over D.C.'s laws. It could gauge the new Congress' "appetite for re-examining" the federal so-called DOMA, though many are optimistic that the law will clear Congress after a final council vote in May. [Link]
EDITORIAL: Triumph for Equality
Posted on Apr 08, 2009 at 11:19 am
The Washington Post
April 8, 2009
Through very different means and under very different circumstances, lawmakers in Vermont and the District yesterday came to the same conclusion: Common decency and the protections guaranteed to all citizens by the rule of law demand that the relationships of gay men and lesbians be respected and recognized. [Link]
OPINION: What’s next for marriage equality?
Posted on Apr 08, 2009 at 09:52 am
The Washington Post
April 7, 2009
The Post asked observers and activists for their take on Tuesday's legalization of gay couples' marriages in Vermont and last week's marriage ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court, as well as the D.C. Council's vote to recognize same-sex couples' marriages performed in other states. Joe Mathews, Gary Busek, Samuel Rodriguez, Lea Brilmayer, Scott Keeter and Bruce Fein weigh in. [Link]
D.C. Council Votes to Recognize Other States’ Gay Marriages
Posted on Apr 07, 2009 at 01:05 pm
The Washington Post
April 7, 2009
Domestic partnerships are already legal in the nation's capital, and gay couples married in other states are recognized as domestic partners when they move to the city. But today's legislation, billed as an important milestone in gay rights, explicitly recognizes them as married couples. [Link]
TALKING TO CO-WORKERS: Being Authentic Makes a Difference
Posted on Feb 11, 2009 at 03:00 pm
Guest Blogger: Scott DavenportI count myself a lucky guy – at least as gay men go professionally. I’ve never worked at any company that wasn’t officially and culturally comfortable with gay men and lesbians in the workplace. But it still took courage and effort to be out at work – and it always meant doing so even though I hadn’t put “come out today” in my outlook calendar!
When I was first coming out, I began singing with the Gay Men’s Chorus in Washington, DC. I worked at a high-powered corporate consulting firm, and was fresh off getting my MBA at Wharton. But I wasn’t yet out at work. This was the early 80’s, and I wasn’t that sure of myself – both as a gay man and as an out professional. So I kept things to myself at work and channeled my burgeoning pride into my singing.
But one day, a colleague asked me to lunch. It turns out she had been in the audience for one of the concerts and was a lesbian, so this was her way of coming out to me and of arranging for me to come out to her. We had a great lunch that day as we shared stories of our respective girl and boy friends. It started a wonderful friendship and a great business relationship. It was, in fact, the beginning of my GLBT work network.
The really nice thing, though, was that my act of “gay pride” – singing in the chorus – helped me create a foundation for the future. It was a baseline of safety and support that I was able to draw on through-out my career.
When 5 years had passed and I was finally out to all my consulting colleagues, it made things amazingly easy for me at work when my partner and I decided to have children. The people that had gotten to know me – the real me – were so supportive. My boss at the time, one of the senior partners of the firm, threw the baby shower, and my daughter’s birth was announced in the firm’s newsletter – just like those of all my colleagues.
That was great while I was with the consulting firm, but eventually it was time for me to make the move into the corporate world. Yet while the prospect of finding the right place to work -- a place that would be welcoming to who I was (a gay dad at that) – seemed daunting, I now knew it mattered.
And once again, that foundation of support came through for me. I got a call from an old consulting colleague who had gone off to found Capital One, and he wanted me to join them. What a great prospect -- an opening to be part of a vibrant, growing company that wanted to revolutionize its industry! And even better, they knew me, and I knew them.
So when I asked my old friend what it was like for gay people at Capital One, he told me about one of his SVP’s who was a lesbian. It turned out that when she had a commitment ceremony with her partner, the entire senior management team attended. It was a great endorsement, and I knew Capital One was the place for me.
But while I knew some of the folks there, I certainly didn’t know everyone. After all, this was a company that in the first 5 years I worked there grew from 2,500 staff to over 10,000. In my role, I worked cross-functionally with people from all over the company, in cities like Richmond, Tampa and Dallas. Singing in the local gay men’s chorus wasn’t going to help me this time.
Instead, as I grew within Capital One, it meant constantly and frequently coming out – over and over again. Because, every time I met with someone new, I had to establish a relationship – and ideally an open and authentic one at that. What better way than to share what we have in common, and more often than not that was having kids.
However, as soon as I talked to a new team-mate about my children’s latest escapade, he or she would ask about my wife. The first time this happened, I was flummoxed. Somehow it had slipped my mind that the other person didn’t know I was gay. What to do? Well, I think the first time I just hemmed and hawed and adroitly shifted the subject.
I knew, though, that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Instead I developed a patter if asked about my “wife”: “Oh no, I’m not married. I’m gay. My partner and I have been together 17 years and we have two kids – a daughter who’s now in 2nd grade and a son who’s in Kindergarten.”
The first time I tried this, it came out a little shaky. My colleague stopped for a second (while the mental wheels turned in her head!), and then gave me a big smile and said, “Oh that’s great. Wow 17 years – when did you meet?” And then we went on and got to know each other some more. Somehow, that flood of information – and the fact she could make sense of it all – defused what could be a difficult situation. More importantly, she felt pride in her reaction, and I felt good about being authentic.
After a while, it got easier and easier, which also mattered for me, as these situations always seemed to come up when you least expected them. The honesty also meant a new colleague could trust me, and maybe most importantly, by putting a human face on being gay and being a gay parent, I had chipped away at homophobia.
Ultimately that’s the lesson here. Being honest about who we are and telling our stories – even when we least expect to and even in the workplace – builds a connection in people. That connection tears down walls and builds support. It’s also how I know we will ultimately win the freedom to marry.
When I was first coming out, I began singing with the Gay Men’s Chorus in Washington, DC. I worked at a high-powered corporate consulting firm, and was fresh off getting my MBA at Wharton. But I wasn’t yet out at work. This was the early 80’s, and I wasn’t that sure of myself – both as a gay man and as an out professional. So I kept things to myself at work and channeled my burgeoning pride into my singing.
But one day, a colleague asked me to lunch. It turns out she had been in the audience for one of the concerts and was a lesbian, so this was her way of coming out to me and of arranging for me to come out to her. We had a great lunch that day as we shared stories of our respective girl and boy friends. It started a wonderful friendship and a great business relationship. It was, in fact, the beginning of my GLBT work network.
The really nice thing, though, was that my act of “gay pride” – singing in the chorus – helped me create a foundation for the future. It was a baseline of safety and support that I was able to draw on through-out my career.
When 5 years had passed and I was finally out to all my consulting colleagues, it made things amazingly easy for me at work when my partner and I decided to have children. The people that had gotten to know me – the real me – were so supportive. My boss at the time, one of the senior partners of the firm, threw the baby shower, and my daughter’s birth was announced in the firm’s newsletter – just like those of all my colleagues.
That was great while I was with the consulting firm, but eventually it was time for me to make the move into the corporate world. Yet while the prospect of finding the right place to work -- a place that would be welcoming to who I was (a gay dad at that) – seemed daunting, I now knew it mattered.
And once again, that foundation of support came through for me. I got a call from an old consulting colleague who had gone off to found Capital One, and he wanted me to join them. What a great prospect -- an opening to be part of a vibrant, growing company that wanted to revolutionize its industry! And even better, they knew me, and I knew them.
So when I asked my old friend what it was like for gay people at Capital One, he told me about one of his SVP’s who was a lesbian. It turned out that when she had a commitment ceremony with her partner, the entire senior management team attended. It was a great endorsement, and I knew Capital One was the place for me.
But while I knew some of the folks there, I certainly didn’t know everyone. After all, this was a company that in the first 5 years I worked there grew from 2,500 staff to over 10,000. In my role, I worked cross-functionally with people from all over the company, in cities like Richmond, Tampa and Dallas. Singing in the local gay men’s chorus wasn’t going to help me this time.
Instead, as I grew within Capital One, it meant constantly and frequently coming out – over and over again. Because, every time I met with someone new, I had to establish a relationship – and ideally an open and authentic one at that. What better way than to share what we have in common, and more often than not that was having kids.
However, as soon as I talked to a new team-mate about my children’s latest escapade, he or she would ask about my wife. The first time this happened, I was flummoxed. Somehow it had slipped my mind that the other person didn’t know I was gay. What to do? Well, I think the first time I just hemmed and hawed and adroitly shifted the subject.
I knew, though, that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Instead I developed a patter if asked about my “wife”: “Oh no, I’m not married. I’m gay. My partner and I have been together 17 years and we have two kids – a daughter who’s now in 2nd grade and a son who’s in Kindergarten.”
The first time I tried this, it came out a little shaky. My colleague stopped for a second (while the mental wheels turned in her head!), and then gave me a big smile and said, “Oh that’s great. Wow 17 years – when did you meet?” And then we went on and got to know each other some more. Somehow, that flood of information – and the fact she could make sense of it all – defused what could be a difficult situation. More importantly, she felt pride in her reaction, and I felt good about being authentic.
After a while, it got easier and easier, which also mattered for me, as these situations always seemed to come up when you least expected them. The honesty also meant a new colleague could trust me, and maybe most importantly, by putting a human face on being gay and being a gay parent, I had chipped away at homophobia.
Ultimately that’s the lesson here. Being honest about who we are and telling our stories – even when we least expect to and even in the workplace – builds a connection in people. That connection tears down walls and builds support. It’s also how I know we will ultimately win the freedom to marry.
***Scott Davenport is managing director for Freedom to Marry and previously served as managing vice president for enterprise risk management at Capital One Financial Services.
D.C. may take up marriage equality bill in ‘09
Posted on Sep 17, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Washington Blade
September 17, 2008
If Democrats expand their majority in Congress and California voters preserve the freedom to marry, a marriage equality bill is likely to be approved by the D.C. City Council as early as April 2009, according to activists and City Hall insiders. (Link)
September 17, 2008
If Democrats expand their majority in Congress and California voters preserve the freedom to marry, a marriage equality bill is likely to be approved by the D.C. City Council as early as April 2009, according to activists and City Hall insiders. (Link)
A new civil rights struggle
Posted on Aug 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
Washington Blade
August 21, 2008
A DC city council candidate writes, "The road to marriage equality in our city winds not just through the halls of Congress and the courts, but also through the homes and hearts of all our residents. I can, and will, do all in my power to pave the way." [Link]
August 21, 2008
A DC city council candidate writes, "The road to marriage equality in our city winds not just through the halls of Congress and the courts, but also through the homes and hearts of all our residents. I can, and will, do all in my power to pave the way." [Link]