Earlier, Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the District's historic marriage equality bill into law. News video of the ceremony AFTER THE JUMP.
(TwitPic via Sarah Massey @ Twitter)
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Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty signs the District's historic marriage equality bill, clearing the way for the law to take effect in the spring after the mandatory congressional review period.
Fenty signed in front of 150 activists and same-sex couples—many of whom say they plan to marry—in the sanctuary of All Souls Unitarian in Mount Pleasant. "We knew this day would come," Fenty said. "I say to the world: An era of struggle ends for thousands in Washington, D.C. . . . Our city is taking a leap forward." Before he signed the bill, Fenty spoke of his interracial upbringing, noting it was illegal for his parents to get married 40 years ago. "This is one of the churches my parents would have brought me to when I was a boy," he said as his parents sat among advocates in a second pew. "Things have a way of coming full circle. When you're mayor."
The law to legalize same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia was introduced by D.C. Council Member David Catania, who is openly gay, and supported by an overwhelming majority of the council.
The District of Columbia becomes the only jurisdiction south of the Mason-Dixon line where same-sex marriage is legal. Our nation's capitol also becomes the only majority black jurisdiction where same-sex marriage is the law. Thank you Mayor Fenty, Councilman Catania and everyone who made this happen. Bravo and congratulations.
New York Gov. David A. Paterson made a surprise appearance at the New York City LGBT Community Center to sign Executive Order No. 33, which prohibits New York State agencies from "discriminating against any individual on the basis of gender identity and expression." Described as the "broadest inclusion yet of transgender people in state policy" by the New York Times, the order is still limited as it only applies to state agencies and employees.
Though state antidiscrimination law includes gay men and lesbians, it is silent on the issue of transgender people. And while Mr. Paterson’s order will not have the sweep of a statute enacted by the State Legislature because it will apply only to state agencies, gay and transgender rights advocates said it would be a first step toward including gender identity and expression protections in state law. Advocates for transgender people have succeeded in winning broad antidiscrimination protections in a number of cities throughout the state, including New York, Buffalo, Albany and Rochester. But efforts to add similar protections to state law have so far fallen short. The Assembly has passed a transgender antidiscrimination bill, but the Senate has refused to vote on the issue.
The bill in question is known as the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) and would ban discrimination in housing, employment, and credit for all transgender New Yorkers. The governor says its time for the Senate to pass GENDA: "As much as I am delighted to sign this executive order I am aware that my action is incomplete. I still demand that the New York senate take up a gender equality bill and pass it immediately."
Only two weeks ago, the State Senate defeated a bill that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed in New York. The 38-to-24 vote was a harsh rebuke to gay rights advocates.
Twelve states and the District of Columbia have broad laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender expression and/or identity, according to gay and transgender rights groups. More than 100 cities and counties across the country also provide similar legal protections.
Right-wing South Carolina social conservative Sen. Jim DeMint, described as a "favorite of the grassroots 'tea party' brigade and Fox News", tells Bloomberg News that same-sex marriage is "destructive" to our society and gays are so "immoral" he could never imagine one as president:
"He takes a hard line on social issues, passionately anti- abortion and pro-guns. He has been most outspoken as an opponent of any form of gay marriage. 'Marriage is a religious institution. The federal government has no business redefining what it is,' DeMint says. This is one issue where he doesn’t support states’ rights; state government shouldn’t have the right to permit gay marriage: 'Governments should not be in the business of promoting a behavior that’s proven to be destructive to our society.' He cringes at the notion of a gay or lesbian president: 'It would be bothersome to me just personally because I consider it immoral.'"
Speaking of marriages and morality, DeMint has been virtually silent regarding his state's governor, Mark Sanford, who abandoned his wife and children over Father's Day and flew to Argentina for a jump-off.
In October, the anti-gay conservative slammed the hate crimes bill that just passed Senate and claimed it "undermine[[d] the principles" soldiers are fighting for.
The New Jersey State Senate was supposed to vote on marriage equality legislation tomorrow after passing a key committee Monday night. The Senate vote has been postponed at the request of the bill's sponsors and moved to the Assembly, reports the Star-Ledger.
Sens. Ray Lesniak (D-Union) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said the bill -- which was up for passage on Thursday -- instead will likely be introduced in the Assembly Judiciary Committee in preparation for a vote by the lower house. The lawmakers said they expect Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) to agree to the delay. Codey, who had posted the bill on Thursday's agenda, could not immediately be reached for comment this afternoon. Lesniak said he still expects a vote on same-sex marriage in both houses before the end of the lame-duck legislative session in January.
While even proponents conceded this week that passage was in doubt, Lesniak and Weinberg said they were not postponing the debate because they lacked the 21 votes to succeed in the Senate. They said they want Assembly members to engage in the public dialogue and hear the testimony from both sides that senators already have been exposed to.
The marriage equality bill is expected to have a much better chance of passage in the Assembly. "Yes" votes by the Judiciary Committee and the full Assembly could give the legislation some momentum for a later vote in the Senate.
Marriage equality supporters are pushing for passage of the bill before Gov. Jon Corzine leaves office Jan. 19. The Democratic Corzine supports the bill while incoming Republican Gov. Chris Christie says he will veto it.
New York's Empire State Pride Agenda is making its first endorsement of a primary challenger to one of the eight Senate Democrats who voted against marriage equality. The endorsement goes to Assemblyman José Peralta, who is running against Queens Sen. Hiram Monserrate who previously stated support for marriage equality but then voted "no" during last week's vote.
Pride Agenda's statement:
José Peralta has demonstrated time and time again that he is a champion of equality and justice for all New Yorkers and has consistently represented the interests of his district in the New York State Assembly,” said Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. “His record on LGBT issues demonstrates that he does not duck-and-run when our bills come up for a vote. He has stood up for us in the Assembly, and we will stand with him in his race for the State Senate.”
Assemblymember Peralta has three times voted to pass the marriage equality bill in the Assembly, has voted twice to pass the transgender civil rights bill (the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act) and has several years in a row voted to pass the Dignity for All Students Act, which combats bias-based bullying and harassment of youth in public schools. The Pride Agenda has previously endorsed Peralta in his reelection to the New York State Assembly.
"Civil rights for all of my constituents and for all New Yorkers has always been a priority for me," said Assemblyman José Peralta. "I have worked towards full equality for LGBT New Yorkers in my seven years as an Assemblymember, and I will be proud to continue this work as a member of the State Senate. I think my record in the Assembly demonstrates that when I take a principled stand on an important human rights issue like marriage equality, I don’t suddenly change my mind when the bill comes up for a vote."
Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Cappelle tells the Poughkeepsie Journal: "We are going to begin a very strategic and steady rollout over the course of the next months of candidates who we feel would make better state senators than the people currently sitting in the seats."
In related news: On Friday, Monserrate was sentenced to three years probation and 250 hours of community servicefor the "acciddental" slashing and assault of his girlfriend.
This is a name to remember: Nia H. Gill. The Democratic New Jersey senator represents Essex County and is the sole black member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Gill is a strong LGBT rights ally and her speech last night supporting marriage equality was one of the most poignant. The marriage bill passed committee 7-6 and now heads to the Senate for a Thursday vote.
Said Sen. Gill on the "historical" nature of marriage and equality: "If you look at the Constitution and look at its intent, the Constitution never intended for African-Americans to be full citizens. I'm voting for marriage equality because I believe in the Constitution."
Gill is urging her colleagues to support the bill even if it does not have enough votes for final passage: "Sometimes you need to put a bill up in order to understand not only the opposition but so the opposition can understand you, and in fact you may be able to persuade."
On a personal level, it's very moving to see so many black legislators in New Jersey, just like in New York, take the lead in fighting for equality. Too bad they're not getting nearly enough credit.
Watch Gill's moving testimony after 1:10 AFTER THE JUMP. The audio of the entire speech has been posted to YouTube and you can watch/listen to that as well.
The New Jersey Senate will consider a marriage equality bill (S1967/A2978) this Thursday after it passed a key committee late Monday night:
After seven hours of public testimony, the state Senate Judiciary Committee voted seven to six to send the bill that would legalize same-sex marriage to a vote before the full state Senate. That vote is set for Thursday. Advocates of gay marriage are racing to get the measure approved in the legislature and signed into law before mid-January, when Governor Jon Corzine, who said he would sign it, leaves office. Corzine, a liberal Democrat, was defeated in his re-election attempt last month by Republican Chris Christie, who has vowed to veto the bill. In the New Jersey Senate, the bill's fate is uncertain and the vote is likely to be close. The state Assembly has not scheduled a vote. Both houses are Democrat-controlled."
The narrow vote did not follow party lines. Republican Bill Baroni (R-Mercer) voted yes along with six Democrats. Two Democrats, committee chair Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and vice chair John Girgenti (D-Passaic), both voted no.
If the measure is enacted, New Jersey would be the sixth state to allow gay marriage. The measure is similar to a bill that was rejected by the New York Senatelast Wednesday.
Gay political strategists have a warning to the eight New York Senate Democrats who helped to derail last week's marriage equality vote: There will be a "bloodbath" and the number one target is freshman Queens Sen. Joseph Addabbo, reports the Daily News
After spending more than $1 million to help the Democrats retake the chamber for the first time in decades, powerful gay activists and donors say they'll support challengers against anti-gay-marriage senators in 2010. "It's going to be a bloodbath," one gay operative predicted. "We're going to use every single weapon in our quiver to take these people out. We either need to replace them or scare the hell out of them so they do the right thing. ... The community is apoplectic ... and the commitment to building the Democratic majority is over," the operative added. "We won't make the same mistake twice." [M]ost of the rage is focused on the Democrats, particularly the eight senators who joined the GOP in voting "no." Of the eight, freshman Queens Sen. Joe Addabbo is target No. 1. Also in the advocates' crosshairs: Sens. Shirley Huntley and George Onorato, both of Queens, and Sen. Bill Stachowski of Buffalo. Huntley survived a primary challenge from former Councilman Allan Jennings last year. So far, no one has formally come forward to take her on in 2010.
Huntley once boasted she "wouldn't take a million dollars" to vote for marriage equality. The Queens Democrat was one of only two Black senators to vote against the bill.
And there are potential problems for another Democratic senator who voted against marriage: Hiram Monserrate. The Queens Democrat, who was a surprise "no" vote, is facing possible expulsion by his colleagues for viciously assaulting his girlfriend. Monserrate already has a primary challenger, Assemblyman Jose Peralta, who is backed by party leaders and has previously voted for gay marriage.
H/T: JoeMyGod
Writing at the Huffington Post, Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon salutes the "yes" vote of New York Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, whose emotional floor speech supporting marriage equality was widely praised. The actress describes meeting the "fierce" new ally:
Our gang of four met with her last spring and she explained to us in depth, over a long and respectful meeting why she thought she was going to vote no on gay marriage. Senator Hassell-Thompson is deeply religious. She felt strongly that marriage always has been and always should be the union between a man and a woman. But she is a careful, thoughtful person and you could see her weighing the issue again and again in her mind. And in her considering she stumbled across something in her personal experience that began to change her perspective.
She spoke about how her mother had been a deacon in their church at a time when previously only men had been deacons. And how controversial that had been. And how vehemently many people opposed her mother's appointment. And how none of those opposed could give any explanation for why her mother becoming a deacon was wrong, just that it was. Because it was new. Because it was shocking. Because it was an idea that took people a little time to get used to.
On Wednesday Ruth Hassell-Thompson voted yes. She voted yes because gay people and straight people walked through her door in droves and wrote her letters and called her on the phone. And because she is a person of conscience. And because of one more thing that she didn't tell us in her office that day: because she has a brother who is gay.
Read more of Cynthia Nixon's essay at HuffPo ...
Watch Hassell-Thompson's powerful testimony, if you missed it here earlier, AFTER THE JUMP ....
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