Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Maybe a miracle in Florida?
Florida might well defeat Amendment 2, a Proposition 8 on steroids that targets rights for all unmarried couples including health care benefits for domestic partnerships.
The Amendment’s proponents say it’s a necessary step to ensure the defeat of gay marriage in the State. In reality, it’s a broad attack on every couple who chooses to not tie the knot.
But this isn’t the first time Florida has taken a stand on gay relationships. That state legislature really doesn’t like its gay people.
Four different statutes define marriage as between a man and a woman and ensure that gay marriages from other states are not recognized, “for any purpose” in Florida. Judges can’t issue marriage licenses before ascertaining that “one party is a male and the other party is a female.” And any claim arising from a same-sex relationship (think divorce proceedings etc.) will not be enforced by the Florida government or its agents.
The courts echo their legislators.
In Lofton v. Secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services (2004), the Eleventh Circuit Court affirmed a decision that stated that a State policy prohibiting individuals “known to engage in current, voluntary homosexual activity,” from adopting and/or fostering children had a rational basis.
Why?
Because homosexuals are not as capable as heterosexuals at guiding children during their sexual development, homosexuals are less able to create stable home environments and because homosexuals are less likely to eventually establish a married household (the preference for foster families in Florida).
So what can we learn from this overview of Florida’s gay politics?
Well, it’s probably more infuriating to be gay in Florida than say, Massachusetts. And it’s a miracle that Amendment 2 is seeing real opposition in the state.
I hope that this push is a change in the tides.
So far, Florida’s track record on gay rights is downright dismal
As a gay resident in Florida, I for one fear for many things. Especially in southwest Florida, gays aren’t really well tolerated. There are a few people who suspect I’m gay, but don’t say anything, but most of them are the more forward thinking ones, or the ones who actually realize that it doesn’t really matter what goes on in the bedroom anyway.
The major fear for me is m job. Alas, I work for a racist redneck who not only hates African-Americans, and Hispanics, but especially hates homosexuals. He has made it very well known how much he hates gays, and if he knew I was, there is a 99.999% chance I would not have a job shortly thereafter.
Its really a shame, but I think it stems from Florida being a melting pot for the nations retirees. Most retirees grew up in a time when there were no gays, no gay rights, or even any real discussion of gays. Many of them are set in their ways, and are not open to change. That is why Florida is largely a Republican state.
I hope one day to be able to have a legal relationship with my boyfriend, but seriously equate this chain of events to a less identifiable repeat of the civil rights movement that took place 50-60 years ago. Gays are going to have to peacefully continue the fight and we’ll eventually prevail.
Craig is correct. We live in Southeast Florida, which has pockets of civility; nonetheless, when my partner and I (now both age 71) moved from CT in 1994, it was quite an adjustment to realize that we had moved to a developing nation very much unlike our CT. We do have a registered domestic partnership for Palm Beach County, one of the few Counties providing such a registry. We have great neighbors in our gated/guarded community of 1000, and we have a fine network of friends and associates. Health care has been excellent, and the weather remains the big draw. As retirees, we’re pretty much all right, but to work here would be another matter; lower pay and too much bigotry permeates the slowly evolving culture.
Hey guys. I can’t imagine having to put up with what you tolerate over there. I live in South Florida where thankfully in Miami-Dade we are protected. However, as in any area people can always finds ways to get rid of you or make it about something other than sexuality.
Craig, I agree with you about the melting pot, but think that it is also the red-neck bible thumpers and for us in South Florida it is also the catholics from latin american countries and the Caribbean Islands. Remember, Jamaican’s, in general, or horribly bigoted toward gays. Until diversity training is required by the INS when individuals immigrate to this country we will continue to have these issues. Then again, it is a laughable to think that could ever happen. At least in England they even require employers to put all employees through workshops on LGBT issues and concerns.
We left our motherland to flee the church of England and have created the theocracy that we wanted to escape. Then again it is really a matter of who is in control right?
We can elect an African American President by a landslide, but hate and bigotry are still present, just redirected at another group of people, Gays And Lesbians. You would think that in this day and age, people would be more fair and open minded. You would think that people where smarter and could detect sleazy underhanded hidden discrimination.
If Gays and Lesbians are already unable to marry in the state of Florida, then why would an amendment to the states constitution be necessary? The “Protection of Marriage Act“, what a joke, the only decline in divorce is because people are not getting married these days.
I am outraged that Amendment 2 was even on the ballet. The majority of the people who voted where uninformed about the subject and when reading it, it was very misleading. It did not go into details or discus Domestic Partnership and how it would be effected. This impacts gay and straight couple alike who co-habitat instead of getting married. Both Disney and the airlines here in Florida, along with a couple other larger companies offer Domestic Partner Benefits.
The problem is, all the straight folk, didn’t know it could also effect them, other wise the vote would of been swayed in the opposite direction. I’d bet they’d be in a up roar if Domestic Partner Benefits cease to exist and there are no insurance benefits or free airline tickets to their girlfriend/boyfriends (partners) at least they have the option of being forced into marriage for these benefits again.
Why are people still letting others control how they think, feel and opinions they should have about Gays and Lesbians? Any so called religious group that preaches fear or hatred to any other group or tries to mandate how one should live, is not doing the work of God in my opinion. Jesus did not come to earth as a fearing political or religious leader, he was born to a couple no one knew, they where not of money, stature or power. He lived as a humble carpenter, who lead by example, taught and spread kindness and love. He was not a feared man, spurting fire and brimstone.
This is an unconstitutional and should not be allowed to pass no matter how many mislead votes it received!
Florida4Marriage claims that legal union of Gays & Lesbians would hurt Florida Marriages and Families, they want to preserve marriage. Well the problem is not Gays and Lesbians, we already can’t get married. The problem is straight couples don’t feel the need to get married. Gays & Lesbians, have nothing to do with the fact that Florida already, out of any other state has the highest divorce rate, according to the data prepared by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics show ,of the states reporting, Florida had the most divorces with 66,712 from January to September 2006.
Another thing that angers me, is that during PRIDE, 135,000 estimated gay and lesbian and growing every year, generate millions of dollars, for Central Florida’s economy. You’re greedy enough to take our money, but not gracious enough to let us legally take vows with our monogamous partners. This is how Florida repays us, with hate and bigotry!
You can’t stop us from taking vows or from being committed to one another. A family is a family with or with out a piece of paper, with two women, two men, or a single parent and their children. These groups that says there protecting the “Act of Marriage” or protecting children in the name of Christianity or under any other name. It’s a lie!
This is why we have a separation of church and state. There taking away peoples rights.
Like in Arkansas, they made it so only married couples can adopted. You’re only hurting the children. The only kids they let Gays and Lesbians adopt where terminally ill children that no one wanted. Gay and Lesbian couples who adopted these children should be applauded. Do you know how much time, devotion and care, not to mention financial responsibility it takes to care for these kids?
I think next time, you let someone else think for you on what is right or wrong, think for yourself. Research information before you vote on little know facts and vote responsibly.