Marriage Equality USA

Freedom To Marry Month

During National Freedom to Marry Week, at local marriage counters in cities all over the country, same-sex couples will once again request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s Offices and engage in other public education outreach to raise awareness of the harms and impact the inability to marry causes on their families.

“Since 2001, Marriage Equality USA chapters have engaged in these annual marriage counter actions to render visible the discrimination that is enforced every day. Married couples, both same-sex and different-sex, will be there in support and solidarity with same-sex couples who are now barred from joining them as married couples,” Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA Media Director. Click here for a list of events to celebrate Freedom To Marry month.

Federal Marriage Case 

The national debate over same-sex marriage will take center stage in a California courtroom next week at a closely watched federal trial that could ultimately become the landmark case that determines whether gay Americans have a right to marry.

The case will decide a challenge to California’s gay marriage ban that was approved by voters in 2008, and the ruling will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. How the high court rules in the case could set the precedent for whether gay marriage becomes legal nationwide..

To read more visit our Federal Marriage Case page for updates and news regarding the trial.

Marriage Equality USA will have Dr. Davina Kotulski, Author of "Why You Should Give A Damn About Gay Marriage" watching much of the trial in the coming weeks and blogging about her first hand experience which will be posted to the Marriage Equality USA website so people can follow what is happening.  We will also be posting weekly newsletters that will share the information presented in court.  There are also courtroom sketches by Joanie Laurel posted as well to give you a glimpse of the action inside the courtroom.

Hawaii Postpones Vote on Civil Unions

Hawaii lawmakers declined to vote Friday on a bill that would have allowed same-sex civil unions, effectively killing the measure. The state House of Representatives decided to indefinitely postpone a decision on whether to grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married couples. The state Senate had approved a civil unions bill last week. But House leadership wavered on pushing the controversial issue. Last year, 33 of 51 House members voted in favor of civil unions.

No roll call was taken on the decision to postpone the vote, which shielded representatives from having their position on the record. Instead, lawmakers shouted "aye" or "no," and Vice Speaker of the House Michael Magaoay then ruled that the motion to delay a vote had passed. The voice vote defers further action on the bill unless two-thirds of lawmakers vote to reconsider it; otherwise, Hawaii's debate on the issue is over for this year. Republican Gov. Linda Lingle had refused to say whether she would veto a civil unions bill if lawmakers had approved it.

Had a civil-unions bill been enacted, Hawaii would have joined California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, all of which grant essentially all the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five other states permit same-sex marriage: Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

California's 2010 Push for Equality

Marriage Equality USA has not taken a position in the debate of 2010 or 2012 as the year in which to place an initiative on the ballot in California to restore marriage equality. We support our leaders in whichever decision they choose to make and are here to provide necessary resources and information to be able to assist them in educational efforts. If you would like more information on the official campaign's efforts to restore marriage equality in 2010 we invite you to visit their website at: www.RestoreEquality2010.com.