Comments on: Gay marriage lawyers receive national honor

By: naked news

naked news — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:40:23 +0000

[...] Minter and Therese Stewart have been recognized for their work fighting for gay marriage, as welhttp://www.365gay.com/news/081308-gay-marriage-lawyers/Naked BlogNaked Blog: bringing you all the news that really matters, since 1997. Thanks to mike of [...]

By: Leland Traiman

Leland Traiman — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:10:17 +0000

Massachusetts and California do not have Marriage Equality! Marriage Equality is having ALL of the rights of marriage, including the 1138 federal marriage rights, not a legal category labeled “marriage” which is devoid of those rights. Barak Obama supports granting “civil unions and other legally-recognized unions” (including domestic partnerships and marriage) the 1138 federal rights of marriage. Presently, that includes 10 states! That would be Marriage Equality! Who cares what it is called? The vast majority of the LGBT community is more interested in their rights than the title.

The backlash to our marriage-only strategy has brought us an entirely new body of anti-gay laws: the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and 45 states passing laws or constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. 17 of those laws/constitutional amendments went further by also prohibiting civil unions and domestic partnerships. However, domestic partnerships and civil unions have never been successfully reversed on a direct challenge. The difference between California’s same-sex marriage and California’s comprehensive domestic partnerships is moot. When will our community start putting reality before rhetoric? True Marriage Equality can only be won in the US Congress, signed by the President. That is where we should be focusing our energies.

http://www.EqualityWithoutMarriage.org

By: John Bisceglia

John Bisceglia — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:10:33 +0000

Guy in SF said, “My appreciation of Shannon Minter’s work has also changed my opinion of transgender people. They deserve the same respect and rights as anyone else.”

Amen & hallelujah! All one has to do is speak to, hug, and look into the eyes of a transgendered person; how can their soul be “less than” mine or any other person’s soul? Any class of people can easily be demonized and hated when they are invisible. We ALL need to be OUT, OPEN, and UNASHAMED of ourselves and our families. It’s only CIVIL.

By: Flex

Flex — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:02:21 +0000

Good work, the two of you. I’m not married, but it’s nice to be able to have the option! Carry on.

By: Guy in SF

Guy in SF — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:39:14 +0000

Therese Stewart and Shannon Minter are very deserving of the award. Both presented outstanding oral arguments before the California Supreme Court in the marriage case. Both have earned my deepest respect.

My appreciation of Shannon Minter’s work has also changed my opinion of transgender people. They deserve the same respect and rights as anyone else. I now support ENDA to be all inclusive for all LGBT Americans.