HEADLINES: Is New Hampshire’s Gay Marriage Push Destined to Fail in Senate?
• New Hampshire lawmakers arrived this morning for a hearing on a same-sex marriage bill — and were greeted in typical fashion by protesters and supporters of equality. But just because the nation is on a gay marriage role, and New Hampshire sits in gay-friendly New England, doesn’t mean some fear politics could bungle the momentum. (Gov. John Lynch, meanwhile, opposes the bill.) [Reuters]
• The California Court of Appeals ruled in favor of transgender rights, allowing anyone born in the state to be able to change their birth certificate to reflect their gender identity, regardless of their current state of residence. Before the ruling, only state residents could amend their California birth certificates. [San Francisco Sentinel]
• Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons says he won’t sign Senate Bill 283, which would give same-sex domestic partners many of the same rights as straight married couples. “I just don’t believe in it,” he says. [Las Vegas Review Journal]
• Transgender men and women in Alberta, Canada, and organizing to fight back against the government’s decision to end funding for gender reassignment surgery. [Edmonton Journal]
• While Iowans celebrate the chance to get gay married, opponents to equality have a trick up their sleeve: Push through a residency requirement for marriage licenses, limiting marriage (both same- and opposite-sex unions) to only Iowa residents. [WCF Courier]
• LOL AMAZON. To make up for its “glitch,” the online retailer will release a Gay Kindle. There’s a special edition Mankini version. [AfterElton]
Some thoughts:
1. The contrast between Governors Lynch and Governor Gibbons illustrates the problem with party politics. We still haven’t moved many governors into our column on marriage (although Lynch did sign a civil unions bill), but Republican governors in swing states won’t even allow relationship recognition of any sort (and the legislature in NV couldn’t pass a marriage bill even if it was so inclined).
2. The IA residency restriction is laughable, if that is indeed the proposal. I would think, though, that they’d be more likely to pass a bill modeled on the Massachusetts statute that was repealed last year.
Well, Governor Gibbons, I just don’t believe that a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman while running for Governor should get elected. But here you are.
Haha! Right on, Sam!