As promised, Washington D.C. Council Member David Catania introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia. The bill should pass easily. Mayor Adrian Fenty says he will sign the bill.
Ten of the Council's 13 members have signed on as co-sponsors. The three Council members who did not join the majority as co-sponsors—Harry Thomas Jr. (Ward 5), Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) and Marion Barry (Ward 8).—represent majority black communities. Barry, who was a strong gay rights supporter during his term as mayor in the 1980s and early 1990s, emerged as the Council's sole opponent of marriage equality and claimed to oppose it on "moral grounds."
Alexander and Thomas voted for the same-sex marriage recognition bill earlier this year and have said they want to carefully review Catania's full same-sex marriage rights bill before making on final decision on whether they will support it when it comes up for a 'first-reading' vote that's expected in November. Activists familiar with wards 5 and 7 have said Thomas and Alexander are facing intense pressure from ministers and socially conservative constituents to vote against same-sex marriage.
D.C. has a very large and well-to-do black gay community. So far, most have maintained radio silence during the marriage equality debate. Maybe they're still recovering from all the summer circuit parties and barbecues ...
JUMP to watch Catania introduce the bill.
Is there a black gay community in DC? I know when sex is involved there seems to. But what about the rest of life's activities?
Posted by: Diva1961 | 06 October 2009 at 19:15
@ ROFLMAO
Ouch. -RM
Posted by: Rod Mc | 06 October 2009 at 19:24
You cannot throw enough shade at those tired DC black whores (with exceptions, of course).
You know what? Kudos to Yvette Alexander whichever way she votes. She voted for our side over the summer and she was honest about the conflicts that she had. She was also appreciative of the Stonewall Democrats and threw massive shade at those ministers.
She's been pretty honest and upfront and she's genuinely conflicted. In a respectful way.
I appreciate that.
Posted by: Chitown Kev | 06 October 2009 at 20:11
ROD STFU YOU DONT KNOW WHAT DC BLACK GAYS HAVE ON OUR PLATES
MARION BARRY CAME TO THE BBQ AND EXPLAINED HIS POSITION
So you invited Barry so he could tell you--while eating your ribs and potato salad--that you were immoral? Survey says .... -RM
Posted by: HU | 07 October 2009 at 02:26
I'm curious to know what DC Black gays have on their plates that may be different than black gays anywhere else.....
Posted by: CC | 07 October 2009 at 12:50
THEIR IS A HUGE BLACK GAY COMMUNITY IN DC. THE GAYS RUN DC. HAVE YOU SEEN THE DOCUMENTARY ON HBO CALLED OUTRAGED ABOUT SECRET GAY POLITICIANS THAT RUN THE US CAPITOL. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. AND ROD MARION BARRY DOES NOT YVETTE AND HARRY DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF BLACK COMMUNITES. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH YOU. THERE ARE MORE BLACKS NOW THAN EVER IN DC THAT SUPPORT SAME SEX MARRIAGES. JUST LOOK AT THE TEN OF THE 13 COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT VOTED TO RECOGNIZE SAME SEX MARRIAGES. THATS DC RIGHT THERE. NOT MARION BARRY.
AND ROD WHY WOULD YOU SAY WE ARE AT CIRCUIT PARTIES AND OUT HAVIN FUN THATS WHY WE ARE SILENT? NO, BLACK GAY MEN ESPECIALLY IN DC ARE SILENT BECAUSE THE MOST OF THEM ARE ON THE DOWNLOW OR EITHER TO AFRAID TO SPEAK. THEE OPENLY BLACK GAY MEN IN DC ARE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB BUT MEN LIKE ME, I'M SORRY BUT I'M ON THE DOWNLOW. MY FAMILY IS LIKE MARION BARRY. JUST PURE IGNORANT
ROD I LOVE YOU MAN
Posted by: jacob williams | 07 October 2009 at 15:26
This is nice. But Rod David Catania has his own agenda came in as a Dem and now is a Independent...HMMMM. I believe he is trying to become the first White Mayor in DC which I don't think it will happen.
I appreciate this step very much so. Now get back to the business of the people dealing with DC's crime, jobs, housing,HIV prevention, and care, etc. However I'm surprised at Harry Thomas caving in.
I think that is much more important!
Posted by: MRCHOCOLATE615 | 07 October 2009 at 17:40
Wow, this is the most I've heard from DC gays since I've been reading this blog. Rod, you must have slapped somebody's momma. LOL!
Posted by: Ravenback | 07 October 2009 at 20:11
Catania was elected to an At-large Council seat in 1997, when he was a Republican, and went independent in 2004.
Due to the city electorate being dominated by registered Democrats, a requirement of Council At-large elections has the practical effect of reserving two seats for non-Democratic Party candidates. Catania only has to be the top vote-getting, non-Democratic Party candidate in order to retain his seat.
It's hard to imagine him running for Mayor, his reasonably secure seat allows him to vote his conscience and speak his mind, so he has pissed just about everyone off at one point or another.
Of course, if Fenty & Co. keep messing it up, who knows...
Posted by: Max | 07 October 2009 at 22:25
"Maybe they're still recovering from all the summer circuit parties and barbecues ..."
OH HELL NO!
I am a proud resident of the district. And I USED TO BE a proud Rod 2.0 reader. Maybe the black gays were quietly working behind the scenes? Did that ever occur to you?
Your thinly veiled contempt for DC has been duly noted. Does that include DC's many beautiful muscle boys? I seem to remember you were "dating" a few ...
I WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT THIS BLOG.
Zzzzzzzz -RM
Posted by: Ward | 08 October 2009 at 00:48
LMAO at these comments!
Posted by: Chitown Kev | 08 October 2009 at 09:47