Results tagged “gaymarriage”

Voters in New England's least appealing state told approximately one tenth of its population that it could go f*ck itself but without the sanction of marriage. Maine, also home to Olympia Snowe, did not include a trigger option in its narrow repeal of the state's same-sex marriage law. [Globe]

• While the Mass. ballot question on poker folded, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s ruled 25 ballot questions are constitutional. Backers of each can now gather signatures in support of each question. [ Boston Business Journal]

• In November, Maine residents will vote to uphold or repeal the state's gay marriage law. [Bangor Daily News]

The AP reports that Massachusetts filed suit in federal court over the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman and limits the rights of same sex married couples. The first state to legalize gay marriage, and the cornerstone of a five-state New England bloc of marriage equality, the Commonwealth argues that DOMA "constitutes an overreaching and discriminatory federal law." President Obama pledged during his campaign to repeal the law, and there's no word on his administration's reaction to the lawsuit.

Rhode Island is a nice, plucky state. Bostonist loves to have the Ocean State in our neighborhood. It beats having Florida's panhandle on the southern border. But, recent headlines emanating from Rhode Island have resulted in a resounding "HUH?" from this Bostonist. Rhode Island is having an identity crisis and it's time for an intervention.

On Tuesday, CNN reported that President Obama will extend "health care and other benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees" by signing a memorandum on Wednesday. As more states begin to recognize gay marriage, this could be seen as another reason for supporters of gay marriage to be optimistic that gay marriage will be allowed in any state. As Bostonist recently illustrated, attitudes on this issue still inspire heated exchanges and intense emotions. The President has recently been criticized by gay rights groups because his Justice Department supported the Defense of Marriage Act in court despite candidate Obama's pledge to try to repeal it. Obama has also not carried out his promise to drop the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

You know what’s annoying? Opening your daily Metro on the T only to find one of those giant Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons getting in the way of your sudoku. You know what’s tragic? Opening your daily Metro on the T only to find a steaming pile of bigoted anti-gay bullshit.

New Hampshire legalized gay marriage earlier today, becoming the sixth state in the union to do so and leaving Rhode Island as the only backwards New England state. It remains unclear whether New Hampshire is just doing this as another crazy libertarian protest of government intervention in our lives, but regardless of the reason, we're for it. And we hope Rhode Island gets on the gay marriage express soon.

   

On May 17, 2004, marriage licenses were granted to same-sex couples in Massachusetts for the first time. Though a few johnny-come-latelys have followed suit, civilization has yet to collapse (global financial crises notwithstanding). Bostonist would like to propose a toast. Or several.

Despite overwhelming House and Senate votes in favor of the it, Governor Jim Douglas is poised to veto Vermont's marriage equality bill. In the meantime, the Green Mountain State was beaten by freaking Iowa, which became the third state in the U.S. to allow everybody to marry the person whom they want to marry. The other two, of course, are Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Connecticut has joined Massachusetts, California, Belgium, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain as a part of the world where gay people share the same right to marry their lovers that straight people have. In a 4-3 ruling, the Connecticut Supreme Court overturned the state's law prohibiting same-sex marriage today. Welcome to the club, Nutmeggers. [Globe]

1913 MARRIAGE LAW REPEALED At noon today, Governor Patrick made official the repeal of the 1913 law that bars out of state couples from marrying in the Commonwealth. Originally drafted in response to interracial marriage, proponents of the law claimed that the issue was one of states' rights and that a repeal would be a way for liberal Massachusetts to export gay marriage to the rest of the country. Whether we will become the "Las Vegas of gay marriage" as some have foretold remains to be seen; keep an eye out for an influx of particularly flamboyant Elvises to the Commonwealth.

The House of Representatives has voted 118-35 to strike down the state's 1913 law that prevents people from getting married here if they couldn't legally get married in their home state. Originally passed as a way of preventing uppity interracial couples from coming here for a quickie wedding, it looked like one of those quaint and ridiculous "no putting squirrels down your pants for the purpose of gambling" laws. Until it became relevant again, when Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage. Now, gay couples from Alaska to Arkansas can come here, get legally married, and then go home and try to get their own states to recognize it. Critics like former Governor Mitt Romney say this will turn Massachusetts into the "Las Vegas of gay marriage"; proponents, seeing how much moolah flows in and out of Vegas (mostly in) on a daily basis, wonder why exactly that's a bad thing. The repeal now needs to be signed by Gov. Patrick, but he seems enthusiastic about doing so.

--Headline on WBZ: "Storm Fails to Break December Storm Record." While we don't want to be too hard on our local weatherheads, shouldn't that really read "Weatherheads Fail to Predict Size of Storm"? [WBZ]

As any Massachusetts resident well knows, former governor and Republican presidential aspirant Mitt Romney can transform himself overnight. One minute, he's the moderate governor of a liberal state. The next, he's a staunch conservative who claims that he somehow tamed the residents of that state.

--When word got out that Mayor Menino wanted to bring in a petting zoo to revitalize Downtown Crossing, we thought it was a joke. But it turns out that the barnyard animals are at the crossing on weekends outside Filene's Basement. Animal activists are underwhelmed, and how can looking at sad, cold animals inspire people to shop? [Boston Herald] --Wondering what all the screaming was about early yesterday evening at Downtown Crossing? It didn't...

Former Massachusetts governor and current presidential aspirant Mitt Romney is probably off somewhere kicking himself right now. One of his biggest supporters, Senator Larry Craig, a Republican from Idaho, allegedly engaged in "lewd conduct in a men's room" at the Minneapolis airport. We'll let you use your own imagination - just see our past post about individuals who are "Lewd at Logan." On paper, Craig was an ideal match for Romney in the nonsexual sense....

--Lowe's Home Improvement stores have been getting a heap of negative publicity. First, their banner on the Boston Globe website's home page obscured the big news that legislators voted down the gay marriage ban. (See Adam and Spatch's appropriate sarcasm regarding these obtrusive Internet ads.) But it gets worse. The Lowe's brass is probably cringing at the news that a shootout erupted at the Danvers Lowe's last night. Imagine, you're at Lowe's, you're picking up...

Protestors on Beacon Hill voiced their opposition to a great many things today—gay marriage, a proposed (and soon defeated) ballot question on gay marriage, Nazism, and even specific sexual positions:...

Lawmakers voted down the proposal to add a measure to ban gay marriage on the 2008 ballot. The vote was 45 for adding the ban to the ballot and 151 against. WBZ has also posted the roll call vote so you can find out who to send a thank-you card. Or a nastygram, depending on the case. Now that Pride has wrapped up, it couldn't have happened at a better time. A whole lot...

From the "You Do Know There's an Election Today, Right?" department: Tomorrow is the election for the person who replace former State Senate President Robert Travaglini, affectionately known around here as "T-Vag." Anyone who lives in the First Suffolk and Middlesex District (parts of Boston, Cambridge, Revere, and Winthrop) will be interested. So let's get started. The men who want to replace T-Vag in the hearts and minds of Democrats are Dan Rizzo and Anthony...

All across the Ist-A-Verse (or at least the American parts thereof), writers and editors are in the midst of enjoying their three-day weekend. But after the week we've all had, we feel like the break is not only needed, but deserved. Just look at everything we've been doing! Gothamist headed into the Memorial Day weekend with a number of tasks accomplished. They worried about Long Islanders giving New Yorkers a bad name. They tried...

Former (we say that with relief!) Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney has been making quite a few enemies this week. Let's find out who is on his sh*t list now:

With L'Affaire Sharpton, L'Affaire Duck Hunt, and L'Affaire Hair, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is building quite a national reputation. It may not be the reputation he wants, but we think it might be time to start a weekly roundup of Mitt's exploits as he runs for president. --Romney claims that he's found religion – of sorts – when it comes to abortion. Even though he was pro-choice, and everyone knows he's pro-choice, and his...

Massachusetts lawmakers are putting off the inevitable ugly battle over whether or not to put a gay marriage ban on the ballot. Lawmakers approved putting the ban on the ballot once, but they have to approve it a second time.

We can't make fun of Senate President Robert Travaglini, lovingly known as "T-Vag," anymore. T-Vag (not to be confused with "T-Weed" of I Love New York fame) has announced that he's leaving that he is leaving the guv'mint for a higher-paying job. $90,000 dollars a year wasn't enough for him, so he's moving on to bigger and better things. The Globe says T-Vag will launch "a lobbying company that would help clients navigate the political...

Sunday. Usually, a quiet, contemplative day in the Blogosphere. But not here in the Ist-a-Verse. Nonono! Just look below and see all of the wild and crazy stuff our staffs are up to. In Austin, bands are beginning to confirm for SXSW and the rumor mill is up and running. Good thing, too, because we all know how much Austinites love live performances. Austin also found itself in the national spotlight, with Longhorn Legend...