Marriage Equality Is Coming To America

In what is no doubt a major setback and outrage to the anti-gay organizations like “The National Organization for Marriage” (NOM), Minnesota became the third state in two weeks to pass Marriage Equality. Yesterday marriage equality won a major victory when the Minnesota Senate approved marriage equality in a vote of 37-30. Minnesota’s Mayor Mark Dalton Told spectators:

"What a difference a year and an election can make in our state."

He then went on to sign the marriage equality bill into law. You may know by now that two other states have also enacted marriage equality: Delaware and Rhode Island. The Delaware Senate voted 12-9, to approve marriage equality legislation (HB 75), guaranteeing that Delaware will become the 11th state that recognizes same-sex couples’ marriages, while Rhode Island gave final approval to a bill to legalize gay marriage as well, making it the 10th U.S. state to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. It was the last of the six New England states to do so.

All of these marriage equality wins will no doubt have an influence on the upcoming rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court on not only Prop 8 in California, which overturned the rights of same sex couples to marry, but “The Defense of Marriage” which bars federal recognition of same sex marriages across the board. The Supreme Court is set to make it’s ruling on both sometime in June. Just in time for Pride festivities! I don’t know about you, my dear readers, but I HAVE A GOOD FEELING about this!

Now is not the time to stop fighting for our rights. Now is the time to keep fighting harder. We cannot let up on a fight that has cost the lives on many in our community. Those such as Matthew Sheppard, and so many others. Now we must forge ahead and keep up the momentum. We are so close to Marriage Equality all across the board, we can’t let up now.

Please share this post if you are an equality ally! My thanks always!

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President's Administration: Strike DOMA For Being Unconstitutional

On Friday President Obama’s administration urged the Supreme Court to strike down the Defense Of Marriage Act(DOMA) in a brief it filed calling the law unconstitutional under the merits that it violates "the fundamental guarantee of equal protection". DOMA, which has been found unconstitutional by several lower courts, is about to “have it’s day in court” sometime next month. It is a decision many are looking towards with anticipation. The day may finally be here when we as taxpaying, law abiding, same sex loving, committed couples will be recognized no differently than anyone else. Here's a video on the White House's recommendation:


Please help by supporting equality for all by making your voice heard!

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Founder of PFLAG Leaves Us At 92

Today the LGBT community has lost another of its champions and true pillar of courage and change. Jeanne Manford, founder of Parents of Gays (P.O.G.) died today at age 92. P.O.G. would later become the now historic and still path blazing PFLAG ( Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) with a name change in the 1980's.

 Ms. Manford, a school teacher from Flushing, New York,  started the organization after her activist son was beaten while in a gay rights demonstration in April of 1972. She turned on the TV news and saw her son Morty Manford, being beaten by Michael  J "Mickey" Maye, who was the leader of The Uniformed Firefighters Association. Mayes, ( I will not give him the honor of Mr.) Was also a former Golden Gloves heavyweight boxing champion. The  police stood by and did nothing.  Like his mother, Morty himself was involved in a gay rights group (some say )he helped  found in 1969 called “Gay People at Columbia University”.  Morty would later become an assistant New York State attorney general. Sadly, he passed away of Aids complications in May 1992. 

Jeanne Manford’s now famous letter, which she wrote on April 29th 1972 stated the words that would start an open dialogue that has lasted over 4 decades. In that letter, she uttered the words that are the most important to an LGBT child :

I have a homosexual son, and I love him

Ms. Manford can be seen in this PFLAG video doing what she did best: spread knowledge on loving your LGBT family and friends:


Little did many realize that her support and love for her son would grow to become an organization that is over 500 chapters strong across 50 states! This from the small gathering of its first members in a Metropolitan Community Church on March 11, 1973. 

It is sad that the passing of such a caring and loving mother, should come two years after PFLAG lost yet another beloved icon and leader: Ms. Adele Starr. It is some comfort to know that their legacy will still live on. R.I.P. and may your words and actions, continue to bring about understanding and love to the LGBT community.

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