California’s freedom to marry decision unlikely to shift campaign focus from economy
Posted on Aug 09, 2010 at 04:30 pm
At another time, the ruling overturning California's ban on marriage equality might have been the political equivalent of an earthquake.
Instead, the relatively restrained response underscores both the singular economic focus of this year's elections and the shifting politics of one of the country's major social issues.
Judge Joseph Tauro’s courageous ruling in favor of the freedom to marry
Posted on Jul 10, 2010 at 05:23 pm
On Thursday, in a sweeping opinion in the deliberately narrow Gill v. Office of Personnel Management case, Judge Joseph Tauro of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down a key part of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Two giant blows against DOMA
Posted on Jul 09, 2010 at 08:33 am
In an enormous victory for the freedom to marry, a federal judge in Boston Thursday, July 8, ruled—in two separate lawsuits—that a critical part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.
Google adds pay to cover tax on health benefits for same-sex couples
Posted on Jul 02, 2010 at 08:34 am
On Thursday, Google began covering a cost that gay and lesbian employees must pay when their partners receive domestic partner health benefits, largely to compensate them for an extra tax that heterosexual married couples do not pay. The increase is retroactive to the beginning of the year.
NY Lawmakers Back Bereavement Leave for Gays
Posted on Jul 01, 2010 at 11:00 am
The New York state Senate passed a bill on Monday that would extend funeral and bereavement protections to lesbian and gay couples in the state.
The bill, which passed the state Assembly earlier this month, goes to Gov. David Paterson for consideration.
Gay couples caught in financial limbo
Posted on Jun 28, 2010 at 05:11 pm
Nicole C. Brambila writes about lesbian and gay couples who face financial trouble in part because their relationships are not legally recognized.
Gays in China speak up
Posted on Jun 23, 2010 at 10:47 am
Four centuries after China pioneered female same sex unions (there were occasionally male ones also) and less than a decade after homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness by the ruling Communist Party, campaigners for the freedom to marry for China’s 60 million gays and lesbians are finding a large audience for their views.
Civil unions v. marriage
Posted on Jun 22, 2010 at 09:26 am
Hawaii's HB 444 would give same-sex couples the ability to protect themselves and their families, but it's not marriage
Prop. 8 backers target existing 18,000 marriages of same-sex couples in California
Posted on Jun 16, 2010 at 10:00 am
As the trial over California's prohibition on the freedom to marry enters its final stage today, the ban's sponsors are urging the judge to go a step further and revoke state recognition of the existing marriages of 18,000 gay and lesbian couples who wed before voters passed Proposition 8.
Changes in federal workers’ leave benefits extended to heterosexual partners, grandparents
Posted on Jun 15, 2010 at 01:30 pm
Federal workers may use sick leave or funeral leave in cases of ailing or deceased domestic partners starting July 14, the Office of Personnel Management said Monday.
Unlike other recent changes to federal personnel policies that apply only to same-sex partners, the new orders also apply to opposite-sex domestic partners.