Cleveland City Council approved a domestic partner registry for gay and straight couples at its Monday session. Passage of the registry was difficult in a state where voters passed one of the toughest gay marriage bans in the country four years ago. The non-binding registry lacks the serious muscle of marriage or even civil unions; any benefits extended to couples would be strictly voluntary. But gay rights groups contend that in a state like Ohio, where city leaders have been hobbled by a broad constitutional amendment that forbids extending any marriage-like benefits to gay couples, it is a good compromise. [OnTop]
seitan-on-a-stick
Cleveland Rocks but Ohio still SUCKS!
Pragmatist
Sometimes I can’t keep myself from thinking that the U.S. is the new Third World.
D.bARR
This is interesting. Some progress is better than none. Baby steps….
Jeff Guard
YAY!!!! Ohio is beginning to modernize–Maybe this bolds well for what the Supreme Court of Iowa will rule, being that Iowa is a lot more progressive than Ohio.
rae
um,can we get the above comment deleted please?
Charles J. Mueller
@Pragmatist:
In many ways, it is, sad to say.
Chris
Does anyone know if there are moves to get the consitution changed in Ohio to allow dosmestic partnership or civil unions?
Kelly
Ohio as the frst state to pass a constitutional gay marriage ban. Our ban here is actually stricter than all states that have follwed suit, it goes so far as taking away rights from staright people if they are not legally married. Ohio has a long fight in front of them before they will be able to change the ban. If you beleive in the rights of gay and lesbian people to marry, then speak out on every gay ban, not just the one in California. The ban passed by 71% here and no one from outside of Ohio said a word.