MarriagEquality - Press Releases - Full Text

Parliamentary Questions - Civil Partnership & Constitutional Convention

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:39:00 GMT

Written Answers from Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Question

Seán Kyne (FG - Galway West)

To ask the Taoiseach if he would indicate when the Constitutional Convention will take place; and the form he envisages it will take.

AND

To ask the Taoiseach the issues which will be examined and debated through the constitutional convention; and if civil marriage for citizens who are gay or lesbian will be on the agenda for debate and subsequent introduction to ensure equality among citizens.

Answer

Enda Kenny (Taoiseach)

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to establish a Constitutional Convention and indicates areas for it to examine, including the area of same sex marriage.

Work is proceeding on proposals to set up the Convention and these proposals will address, inter alia, the structure, membership and operation of the Convention. It is intended that they will be the subject of consultation with Opposition Parties before being finalised. It is my intention that the Convention will be set up in the Spring.

Question

Seán Kyne (FG - Galway West)

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when the legislative shortcomings of the Civil Partnership Act, which although a vitally important step in introducing equality and recognising the diverse composition of family units here, will be remedied to vindicate and realise the rights of non-biological parents and the children of families with same gender parents.

Answer

Alan Shatter (Minister, Department of Justice, Equality and Defence; FG - Dublin South)

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to amend the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 to address any anomalies or omissions, including those relating to children. In this regard, the Law Reform Commission has made detailed recommendations in its Report on the Legal Aspects of Family Relationships. In particular, the Commission recommends that legislative provisions be introduced to facilitate the extension of guardianship (parental responsibility) to civil partners and step-parents either by agreement with the other parties who have parental responsibility for the child or by application to court. The Commission's recommendations are under consideration in my Department with a view to preparing legislative proposals.

Court Strikes Down Ban on Marriage Equality in California

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:36:00 GMT

(via the New York Times)

LOS ANGELES -- A federal appeals court panel on Tuesday threw out a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage passed in 2008, upholding a lower court's ruling that the ban, known as Proposition 8, violated the constitutional rights of gay men and lesbians in California.

The three-judge panel issued its ruling in San Francisco, upholding a 2010 decision by Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who had been the chief judge of the Federal District Court of the Northern District of California but has since retired. The panel found that Proposition 8 -- passed by a vote of 52 percent to 48 percent -- violated the equal protection rights of two same-sex couples who brought the suit. The proposition placed a specific prohibition in the State Constitution against marriage between two people of the same sex.

But Tuesday's 2-to-1 decision was much more narrowly framed than the sweeping ruling of Judge Walker, who asserted that barring same-sex couples from marrying was a violation of the equal protection and due process clauses of the Constitution.

The two judges on Tuesday stated explicitly that they were not deciding whether there was a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry, instead ruling that the disparate treatment of married couples and domestic partners since the passage of Proposition 8 violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.

"Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently," Judge Stephen R. Reinhardt wrote in the decision. "There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted."

"All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same-sex couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation 'marriage,' " the judge wrote, adding, "Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in California."

In his dissenting opinion, Judge N. Randy Smith wrote that the court was overreaching in nullifying a voter initiative.

Unlike the 2008 State Supreme Court decision here overturning an earlier ban on same-sex marriage, this decision is not about to set off a race to the chapel by same-sex couples. A stay imposed on Judge Walker's original decision will remain in place, at least for two weeks. Theodore B. Olson, one of the lawyers who challenged the ban, said he would seek to get the stay lifted; backers of Proposition 8 said they would oppose that.

Both sides in the case made clear that they intended to take the case before the Supreme Court in hopes of prompting it to settle once and for all an issue that has been fought out in courts, legislatures and ballot boxes since at least a 1971 case in Minnesota. That said, there is no guarantee the court will take it. The narrow parameters of the ruling's reasoning -- and the fact that it was written to apply only to California -- may prompt the court to wait for a clearer dispute before weighing in.

Whatever the legal nuances of the decision -- and lawyers were battling about how far-reaching it would prove to be -- the decision reverberated throughout political circles, from the presidential campaign to state legislatures.

Mitt Romney denounced the decision as an attack by "unelected judges" on "traditional marriage" and predicted that the Supreme Court would decide the issue. "That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values," he said.

Still, the decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, coming at a time when Washington State seems poised to become the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriages, seems likely to add to what members of both parties said was a sense of momentum. Chad Griffin, the president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged Proposition 8, noted that polls in the past year had shown public support for same-sex marriage steadily increasing, a significant change from just a decade ago.

In New Jersey, State Senator Stephen M. Sweeney, a Democrat and president of the Senate, who abstained in a vote on a same-sex marriage bill two years ago, is now championing one that is to come up for a vote next Tuesday. "Today's court ruling simply reaffirmed what we already knew: Marriage equality is right, and its time is now," he said.

Proponents of Proposition 8 expressed disappointment, but said they were not surprised, given the nature of the Ninth Circuit, which they view as liberal, and predicted the ruling would fail before the Supreme Court. Several said the decision was narrow enough that it was more unlikely now that the Supreme Court, if it accepted the case, would use it to establish a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.

"Since the beginning of this case, we've known that the battle to preserve traditional marriage will ultimately be won or lost not here, but rather in the U.S. Supreme Court," said Andrew P. Pugno, general counsel for the ProtectMarriage.com coalition, which was behind Proposition 8. "We will immediately appeal this misguided decision that disregards the will of more than seven million Californians who voted to restore marriage as the unique union of only a man and woman."

Mr. Pugno said he had not decided whether he would appeal to the Supreme Court or ask a larger panel of the Ninth Circuit Court to review this decision.

Douglas NeJaime, an associate professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said the narrowness of the decision could influence the Supreme Court to take a road it often favored: issuing narrow and incremental decisions, not sweeping ones. "It's striking that the court -- or at least the two judges -- went out of their way to define the judgment as narrowly as they could," he said.

Mr. Olson hailed the decision, saying it was a "huge day," and noted that the judges had, in the course of their 89-page majority decision, systematically rebutted most of the arguments that had been made against gay marriage.

"I'm not at all surprised that the court didn't go further than it needed to go," he said. "If it had, it might have been criticized for reaching more than it should."

The emotional repercussions were on display as Spencer Stier, 17, the son of one of the couples who initiated the case, turned out to praise it. "With this ruling, in the eyes of the government, my family is finally normal," he said as his mother looked on.

Correction: February 7, 2012

A previous version of this article said supporters of Proposition 8 might ask a larger panel of the 11th circuit to review Tuesday's decision. It would be the Ninth Circuit.

Parliamentary Questions - Adoption Services

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:06:00 GMT

Written Answer from Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Question

Jonathan O'Brien (SF - Cork North Central)

Question 506: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has met with the Department for Children and Youth Affairs on the issue of introducing adoption rights for gay couples to allow them to both be adoptive parents of a child; if he will introduce legislation on same as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Answer

Alan Shatter (Minister, Department of Justice, Equality and Defence; FG - Dublin South)

Responsibility for adoption legislation and policy lies with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs who recently indicated in responding to a similar question (number 235 of 19 January 2012) that "Under the provisions of the Adoption Act 2010, the only persons who can jointly adopt are married couples. There are currently no proposals to change the legislation in this regard." I have not met with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the matter.

US: Washington State Senate Approves Bill To Allow Same Sex Couples To Wed

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:58:00 GMT

(via The Huffington Post)

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Washington state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

The measure now heads to the House, which is expected to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire supports the measure and has said she will sign it into law, though opponents have promised to challenge it at the ballot with a referendum.

The packed public galleries burst into applause as the Senate passed the measure on a 28-21 vote Wednesday night after nearly an hour and a half of debate. Four Republicans crossed party lines and voted with majority Democrats for the measure. Three Democrats voted against it.

Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, the bill's sponsor, said he knew same-sex marriage "is as contentious any issue that this body has considered in its history."

Lawmakers who vote against gay marriage "are not, nor should they be accused of bigotry" he said.

"Those of us who support this legislation are not, and we should not be accused of, undermining family life or religious freedom," said Murray, a gay lawmaker from Seattle who has spearheaded past gay rights and domestic partnership laws in the state. "Marriage is how society says you are a family."

Nearly a dozen amendments were introduced, including several that passed that strengthen legal protections for religious groups and organizations.

Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester argued that the proposed law alters the definition of marriage and "will lead to the silencing of those who believe in traditional marriage."

Even though a referendum clause amendment was rejected, opponents have already promised to file a challenge, which can't be done until after it is passed by the full Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by June 6.

If opponents aren't able to collect enough signatures, gay and lesbian couples would be able to be wed starting in June. Otherwise, they would have to wait until the results of a November election.

Before last week, it wasn't certain the Senate would have the support to pass the measure, as a handful of Democrats remained undecided.

But after the first public hearing on the issue Jan. 23, a previously undecided Democratic senator, Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island, said she would be the 25th and deciding vote in support of the bill, all but ensuring its passage.

Gay marriage opponent Jane Sterland, 56, stood outside the Senate gallery before the debate started. Sterland said she was disappointed by the light turnout of same-sex marriage foes.

"It saddens me that there aren't more Christians here tonight," she said. "I'm just very grieved about this whole thing. I want to be here for prayer support against this issue."

Alex Guenser, a 26-year-old engineer, drove down to Olympia from his Redmond home with his boyfriend to watch the Senate debate.

"I feel like this is the hill, the crest of the marriage equality fight. And after this passes (in the Senate), it's all going to be smoother sailing from now on," Guenser said. "I'm really excited to have Washington pass this. I'm excited for my state."

Same-sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

Lawmakers in New Jersey and Maryland are expected to debate gay marriage this year, and Maine could see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot.

The debate over same-sex marriage in Washington state has changed significantly since lawmakers passed Washington's Defense of Marriage Act in 1998, which banned gay marriage. The constitutionality of DOMA was ultimately upheld by the state Supreme Court in 2006, but earlier that year, a gay civil rights measure passed after nearly 30 years of failure.

The quick progression of domestic partnership laws in the state came soon after, with a domestic partnership law in 2007, and two years of expansion that culminated in 2009 with the so-called "everything but marriage law" that was upheld by voters after opponents filed a referendum to challenge it.

Under the measure that passed Wednesday, the more than 9,300 couples currently registered in domestic partnerships would have two years to either dissolve their relationship or get married. Domestic partnerships that aren't ended prior to June 30, 2014, would automatically become marriages.

Domestic partnerships would remain for senior couples where at least one partner is 62 years old or older. That provision was included to help seniors who don't remarry out of fear they could lose certain pension or Social Security benefits.

US: Laws jeopardise economic security for LGBT parents and their children

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:45:00 GMT

New Report Shows Children Struggling Economically Because of Laws and Policies Targeting Their Parents

WASHINGTON, DC -- The latest in a series of groundbreaking reports shows how children are suffering because of laws and policies intended to hurt lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.

Strengthening Economic Security for Children Living in LGBT Families describes how antiquated and discriminatory laws increase poverty for children with LGBT parents, and can be especially harmful for children living in low-income households. Today's release is the latest in a series of reports co-authored by Movement Advancement Project (MAP), the Family Equality Council, and the Center for American Progress, in partnership with the National Association of Social Workers. It is a companion report to All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families, which paints one of the most comprehensive portraits to date of LGBT families in America and how outdated laws make it harder for children with LGBT parents to achieve three major needs: economic security; stable, loving homes; and health and well-being. Both reports are available online at www.children-matter.org.

AMERICA'S FAMILIES ARE CHANGING
"Our laws and economic policies need to reflect the reality of today's families -- especially those families led by parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council. "Overall, LGBT families are twice as likely to be living in poverty as married, opposite-sex couples."

Current trends also show the following:

Approximately 2 million children are being raised by LGBT parents.
Children of same-sex couples live in 96% of U.S. counties.
Gay and lesbian couples are most likely to raise children in the South, with the highest percentage of families in Mississippi, followed by Wyoming, Alaska, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, Montana, South Dakota, and South Carolina.
LGBT families are more racially and ethnically diverse than the population as a whole, and same-sex couples of color raising children are more likely to be poor than white same-sex couples raising children.

EXTRA SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS FOR LGBT FAMILIES
Strengthening Economic Security for Children Living in LGBT Families illustrates how LGBT families face economic burdens that most families do not.

"Public policy should be based on reality. Our nation's reality is that gay and transgender people are forming families and raising kids. It's time for our laws to reflect this fact and make sure LGBT families do not face unnecessary obstacles to achieving their economic security," said Jeff Krehely, director of the LGBT Communications and Research Project at the Center for American Progress.

Some of the most common extra economic burdens faced by LGBT families include:

Lack of legal protections. Because same-sex couples cannot marry, children in LGBT families often have legal ties to only one parent. Although legal documents can help create some protections, they are costly and usually inadequate.
Higher taxes. LGBT families cannot file joint federal tax returns and are often denied child-related tax deductions and credits. As a result, many LGBT families pay higher taxes.
Reduced access to health benefits. Because employers are not required to extend coverage to children without legal ties to their parents, LGBT families may be forced to buy coverage privately for their children or go without.
Lack of access to safety net programs. Programs designed to support families during difficult economic times often treat LGBT families inconsistently or exclude them completely. As a result, children fall through the safety net when they most need help, including when a parent dies or becomes disabled.

PROVIDING ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR ALL CHILDREN
"This report again clearly details how children have become unintended collateral damage of anti-gay policies," said Ineke Mushovic, executive director of the Movement Advancement Project. "There is a lot that can be done to ensure all children are treated equally under the law."

Strengthening Economic Security for Children Living in LGBT Families details several policy recommendations that would help reduce the extra financial burdens faced by LGBT families, including:

Strengthening the legal ties of the entire family by legalizing and federally recognizing same-sex marriage.
Allowing joint adoption by LGBT parents, and recognizing LGBT parents and recognizing LGBT parents through other avenues such as second-parent adoption and de facto parenting that allow children to gain full legal ties to their parents.
Revising the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code to provide equitable treatment for LGBT families.
Ensuring equal access to health insurance and health care.
Modernizing archaic wrongful death and intestacy statutes.

The report also supplements the 100+ policy recommendations included in All Children Matter with 20 practical "in the field" steps that governmental agencies, community-based organizations, advocates and funders can take to assist and support all LGBT families, including those in crisis, low-income LGBT families, and LGBT families living in poverty. These steps include:

Expanding outreach to, and documenting the unmet needs of, low-income LGBT families, LGBT families of color and LGBT families living in rural communities.
Expanding training to organizations serving low-income LGBT families, including adoption agencies, child welfare and government agency workers, judges and schools.
Creating guidebooks to help LGBT families navigate the economic hurdles they face and, if needed, help them access safety net programs.

For a complete list of recommendations, download the report at www.children-matter.org.

About the Movement Advancement Project: Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project is an independent think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and analysis that help speed equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

About Family Equality Council: Family Equality Council is America's foremost advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender family equality. We represent the one million LGBT families raising two million children in the United States and are working to ensure full social and legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families.

About Center for American Progress: The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

Inter-Country Adoption Legislation Debated

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:32:00 GMT

Comments from Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, TD (SF, Cavan/Monaghan) from the Dail debate on Inter-Country Adoption, 26 January 2012:

"...I am mindful of the advice provided by the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, on the Adoption Act 2009. I urge the Minister to take on board and implement her outstanding recommendations, especially that consideration be given to requiring that bilateral agreements with states not party to the Hague Convention be reviewed periodically. I am disappointed the State did not see fit to see to address the adoption rights of same-sex couples in the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2011. It is an outstanding issue that has been raised time and again. I can only describe this as a deliberate omission, which is a source of much sadness and disappointment for many gay and lesbian couples. People who wish to provide loving homes for children should not be barred from doing so because of their gender or sexuality. In 2012, I would have expected the Government to have seen fit to address this issue."

Australia: Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) welcomes marriage equality inquiry

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:46:00 GMT

The Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSW) welcomes the recent announcement by Senator Sarah Hanson Young to refer the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Recent polls indicate that over 60 percent of Australians support giving same-sex couples the right to marry.

GLRL Co-Convenor Lainie Arnold said the inquiry is "an important step to reflect the broad constituency of support for equality" and applauded the work already done by GLRL members and its partner organisations and coalitions to have this issue put on the 2012 policy agenda.

Justin Koonin, GLRL Co-Convenor added, "marriage equality is an issue of fairness and justice for all Australians" adding that the inquiry "makes the pursuit of allies from across the political spectrum an imperative."

On an international level, Canada, Argentina, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, South Africa and six US states now grant the right to marry to same-sex couples.

The GLRL strongly urges all those who support removing discrimination to write into the inquiry and emphasise the social and legal importance of marriage equality.

Mr Koonin stated that, "there is still plenty of work to be done, but at least the path ahead is clear. It is time to end the discrimination. It is time to recognise the dignity of our sexuality and the depth of our relationships."

Marriage equality a step closer in Washington State

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:55:00 GMT

(Via The Huffington Post)

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- As lawmakers held their first public hearing on legalizing same-sex marriage, a previously undecided Democratic senator on Monday announced her support for the measure, all but ensuring that Washington will become the seventh state to allow gay and lesbian couples to get married.

The announcement by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, that she would cast the 25th and deciding vote in favor of the issue came as hundreds of people filled the Capitol to advocate for and against gay marriage.

In a written statement issued at the end of a Senate committee hearing on the bill, Haugen said she took her time making up her mind to "to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy."

"This is the right vote and it is the vote I will cast when this measure comes to the floor," she said.

The state House is widely expected to have enough support to pass gay marriage, and Gov. Chris Gregoire publicly endorsed the proposal earlier this month. If a marriage bill is passed during this legislative session, gay and lesbian couples will be able to get married starting in June unless opponents file a referendum to challenge it. Opponents have already said they will.

A referendum can't be filed until after the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by July 6.

Opponents and supporters packed a Senate committee hearing for the first public hearing of the most high-profile issue before the Legislature this session. The Senate set up three overflow areas for the public, including the public gallery on the Senate floor.

Gay marriage foes wore buttons that said "Marriage. One Man. One Woman." Others wore stickers that read "Washington United for Marriage," a group that announced in November that it was forming a coalition to support same-sex marriage legislation.

Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, a gay lawmaker from Seattle who has led the push for gay civil rights and domestic partnerships, testified before the Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee with his longtime partner, Michael Shiosaki.

"I realize the issue of marriage for our families is emotional and divisive," said Murray, who is sponsoring the Senate bill. "It touches what each of us holds most dear, our families."

Others argued that the measure goes against traditional marriage and the Bible.

"You are saying as a committee and a Legislature that you know better than God," said Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church.

Committee chairman Craig Pridemore said that no action on the bill would be taken Monday, but that a committee vote would be taken Thursday morning.

The bill is expected to easily pass out of committee, since the four Democratic members, including Pridemore, have all said they would vote yes on the measure. The three Republicans on the committee have all said they will vote against gay marriage.

The House Judiciary Committee held a companion hearing in the afternoon.

Washington would join New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage. The state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and an "everything but marriage" law since 2009.

Murray said that upon learning the decisive vote had been secured, he felt "humbled."

"It's an emotional moment," he said. "I want to smile and cry at the same time."

The National Organization for Marriage, noting its involvement in ballot measures that overturned same-sex marriage in California and Maine, issued a statement Monday morning pledging a referendum campaign to fight any gay marriage law in Washington state. Last week, the group announced that it would spend $250,000 to help fund primary challenges to any Washington Republican who crosses party lines to vote for same-sex marriage. So far, two Republicans in the Senate and two in the House have said they would vote in support of gay marriage.

"I want to re-emphasize that we fully expect that this issue is going to end up on the ballot," said Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle and sponsor of the House bill, said at a news conference following Haugen's announcement. "People should not be complacent."

Gay marriage has won the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft Corp. and NIKE, Inc., and last week a conservative Democrat who once opposed same-sex marriage said he will now vote for it.

Jane Abbot Lighty, 75, and her partner of 35 years, 84-year-old Pete-e Petersen, celebrated the vote-count announcement after the hearing.

"We could have gone out of state and gotten married," said Lighty, of Seattle. "We want to be married in our home state."

In October, a University of Washington poll found that an increasing number of people in the state support same-sex marriage. About 43 percent of respondents said they support gay marriage, up from 30 percent in the same poll five years earlier. Another 22 percent said they support giving identical rights to gay couples but just not calling it marriage.

When asked how they would vote if a referendum challenging a gay marriage law was on the ballot, 55 percent said they would vote yes to uphold the law, with 47 percent of them characterized as "strongly" yes, and 38 percent responded "no," that they would vote to reject a gay marriage law.

Zach Silk, campaign manager for Washington United for Marriage said they were prepared for a tough campaign.

"This is just the first scrimmage into the long battle into November," he said.

Olivia Newton-John joins calls for marriage equality

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:17:00 GMT

More celebrity support to be announced this week at fundraising dinner

(Via Australian Marriage Equality)

Australian Marriage Equality has welcomed the support of highly-acclaimed Australian singer and actor Olivia Newton-John.

Ms Newton-John has joined other prominent Australians including Hugh Jackman, David Stratton, Margaret Pomeranz, Lizzy Gardiner and Wallaby's captain David Pocock in backing the campaign for reform.

According to a statement issued by Ms Newton-John:

"With respect to marriage equality I believe that no one has the right to judge and deny couples who love each other the ability to make a marriage commitment. Love is love."

The statement comes ahead of a marriage equality fundraising dinner this week, where celebrated Australian screenwriter and director Stephan Elliot will announce the support of a number of other well respected Australians in his address to the dinner.

Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex Greenwich has welcomed the growing support for reform.

"Australians admire celebrities like Olivia Newton-John and Hugh Jackman because they reflect our values of tolerance and a fair go for all, values which they are reminding us apply just as much to same-sex couples as to other Australians."

The dinner, which has sold out, will also include an auction with prizes donated by Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, Icon Films, GetUP, Lady Gaga and others.

Marriage Equality launches Civil Partnership Supplier Directory

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:32:00 GMT

Today marks the official launch of Marriage Equality's new Civil Partnership Supplier Directory - an online resource for same sex couples planning their civil partnership ceremonies. The new section of the Marriage Equality website - which went live on December 1st last year - features a directory of gay-friendly venues, photographers and jewellers, as well as links to information on the legalities of civil partnerships in Ireland.

Moninne Griffith, Director of Marriage Equality, said "We decided to set up our Civil Partnership Supplier Directory because we wanted to match gay and lesbian couples with suppliers who actively support LGBT rights and freedoms, including marriage equality. According to a survey of same sex couples carried out last year by wedding website Mrs2be.ie, many of our own supporters are planning to register Civil Partnerships in the near future, but nearly 1/3 of them have had difficulties finding LGBT friendly suppliers for their big day. At the same time, we've had many calls and emails from vendors and suppliers who are keen to reach same sex couples, but aren't sure how to go about it."

The organisation, which campaigns for equality for same sex couples and families in Ireland, also features information on charity favour cards and "Registering for Equality" - in which couples can set up a personalised page on MyCharity.ie to request donations to Marriage Equality in lieu of (or as well as) gifts. All proceeds go to support Marriage Equality's campaign for equality, which includes two highly successful viral videos - Rory's Story and Sinead's Hand - as well as a recent billboard campaign featuring same sex couples and families, and highlighting the ongoing inequalities and legal difficulties faced by same sex couples and their families despite the progress made with the Civil Partnership scheme.

"Many couples out there are still committed to fighting for equality," said Ms Griffith, "but, understandably, they want to avail of the rights and entitlements available at the moment to same sex couples by registering a Civil Partnership. By asking guests to consider making a donation to Marriage Equality, or by using our charity favour cards, they are able to support our work and raise awareness of the continued, urgent need for equality, while also celebrating their big day."

Marriage Equality believes that Civil Partnership is an important stepping stone on the way to full equality. Their recent report, "Missing Pieces" - an in-depth comparison of the current Civil Partnership Act and the various laws governing marriage in Ireland - found 169 legislative differences between civil partnership and civil marriage, most notably around the rights of children of same sex couples, who are left in legal limbo under the Civil Partnership Act.

Marriage Equality's Civil Partnership Directory can be viewed online at:
http://www.marriagequality.ie/getinformed/cpresources.html

Reassurances from Canada - Attorney General

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:14:00 GMT

The Attorney General of Canada has made a very clear public statement in Toronto today (January 14th) that:

(a) The Government is of the opinion that these marriages (same-sex marriages of non-Canadians) are valid;
(b) The Civil Marriage Act will be amended to make this clear;
(c) the commitment to do so is in addition to the commitment to amend the divorce law to permit such couples to divorce here, and
(d) acknowledged the needless distress this uncertainty has caused to the affected couples.

He stressed repeatedly that his Government has no intention of re-opening this debate.

LGBT Legal Groups: Canadian Marriages of Same-Sex Couples Are Not in Jeopardy

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:00 GMT

The following is a joint statement from Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, and Freedom to Marry:

We write to respond to a news report from Canada that a lawyer in the current government has taken a position in a trial-level divorce proceeding that a same-sex couple's marriage is not valid because the members of the couple were not Canada residents at the time that they married, and the law of their home jurisdiction did not permit them to marry at the time.

No one's marriage has been invalidated or is likely to be invalidated. The position taken by one government lawyer in a divorce is not itself precedential. No court has accepted this view and there is no reason to believe that either Canada's courts or its Parliament would agree with this position, which no one has asserted before during the eight years that same-sex couples have had the freedom to marry in Canada.

Canada permits non-residents to marry and thousands of non-resident same-sex couples have married there since Canada first began recognizing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in 2003. Indeed, Canada's Parliament codified the equal right to marry for same-sex couples in 2005.

The message for same-sex couples married in Canada remains the same as it is for same-sex couples validly married here in the United States: take every precaution you can to protect your relationship with legal documents such as powers of attorney and adoptions, as you may travel to jurisdictions that don't respect your legal relationship. There is no reason to suggest that Canadian marriages of same-sex couples are in jeopardy, or to advocate that people try to marry again elsewhere, as that could cause these couples unnecessary complications, anxiety, and expense.

Senator Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan honoured among top inspirational female role models in Europe

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:24:00 GMT

Following a successful nomination to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) by Marriage Equality, Senator Katherine Zappone and her partner Dr Ann Louise Gilligan have been featured in the EU organisation's "Women Inspiring Europe" 2012 calendar. With the publication of the calendar, currently in its second year, EIGE aims to give visibility and pay homage to some of Europe's most remarkable women, by highlighting their achievements and success stories.

Moninne Griffith, Director of Marriage Equality, said "We're absolutely delighted that Senator Zappone and Dr Gilligan have been featured in the 'Women Inspiring Europe' calendar. They are hugely inspirational women for the marriage equality movement - not only in Ireland, but around the world. Their struggle to have their Canadian marriage recognised here is a huge part of the reason that we have Civil Partnership legislation in Ireland today. While Civil Partnership is an important step on the road to equality, there is still much work to be done before equality is achieved. Senator Zappone and Dr Gilligan's continued challenge has inspired people from all across the country to join the campaign for equality for same-sex couples, our families and our children."

Marriage Equality nominated Senator Zappone and Dr Gilligan not only for their work with the marriage equality movement, but also for their tireless dedication to women's rights. In 1986 they founded The Shanty (An Cosán) - a distinctive model of community-based education aimed at tackling poverty, isolation, inequality and disadvantage that played a key role in crystallising women's community education in Ireland and worked to gain recognition of women's community education as deserving a state-supported role within the education system. They have also established the Centre for Progressive Change, which aims to respond to the crisis of the breakdown of financial and social systems that Ireland is facing by promoting an ethical vision that puts community at the heart of public life. The CPC offers services and training to individuals and organisations aiming to implement progressive change in the development of public policies and laws, and the design and delivery of public services.

Senator Zappone and Dr Gilligan are featured in the month of May, which coincides with the International Day of Families (May 15th) and the International Day Against Homophobia (May 17th). The 2012 calendar is the first time a lesbian couple has been highlighted as an inspirational feature. The text accompanying their photo praises their courage and devotion as an inspiration to others who encounter a violation of their rights to fight for them.

Speaking at the launch of the calendar, EIGE Director Virginija Langbakk said "So many women across Europe could be promoted as great examples of their career and actions. We selected 12 women... just to give Europe a glimpse of their potential and to demonstrate that people can make a difference - if they act, and in particular, if they act different."

The "Women Inspiring Europe" calendar will be widely distributed in EU policy making circles.

To download a copy of the calendar, please click here!

Note

About the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE):
The European Institute for Gender Equality aims to promote gender equality, to fight discrimination based on sex and to raise awareness of EU citizens of gender issues. With the "Women Inspiring Europe" Calendar, EIGE aims to give visibility and pay homage to some of Europe's most remarkable women, through highlighting their achievements and success stories. (www.eige.europa.eu)

Gov't Commitment to Removing Barrier to Overseas Gay Marriages Welcomed

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:30:00 GMT

AUSTRALIA: Marriage equality advocates have welcomed the Federal Government's announcement that it will act on yesterday's Labor Party National Conference decision to allow Australian same-sex partners to access the official documents they need to marry overseas.

Until now the Australian Government has refused to issue same-sex partners seeking to marry in other countries with the certificate they require to show they are not already married in Australia.

The Certificates, known as Certificates of Non-Impediment to Marriage or CNIs, are issued as a matter of course to Australians intending to enter opposite-sex marriages overseas.

Australian Marriage Equality Campaign Director, Rodney Croome, said the change will make a real difference to many partners.

"Many gay and lesbians Australians travel overseas to marry because they can't marry here, but when they discover the Australian Government won't give them the required paperwork, weddings plans have to be cancelled and the partners concerned continue to experience the legal and social disadvantages of not being able to marry", Mr Croome said.

"Obviously, it would be better if Australian same-sex couples could marry in their own country rather than being forced overseas to marry."

"But for those who do marry in other countries the new policy will make a real difference."

The new CNI policy comes in the wake of the Labor Party National Conference adopting a new party policy supporting marriage equality but allowing Labor MPs a conscience vote on the issue.

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) has campaigned for the removal of the CNI ban since for several years, lobbying consistently for its removal, securing a recommendation against the ban from a 2009 Senate inquiry, highlighting cases where the ban has impacted adversely on ordinary Australians, and threatening legal action if the ban was not removed.

AME recently helped highlight the case of Angela Borella, the sister of former Tasmanian Labor Premier, David Bartlett, who was denied a CNI to allow her to marry her Portuguese partner in Portugal where same-sex marriage is legal.

In an opinion article, Ms Borella wrote,

"My partner and I were full of excitement about the future ahead and fulfilling our plan. But my feelings immediately dissolved in to sadness, embarrassment and shame when I found I couldn't have a CNI. I had never felt more de-valued as an Australian citizen."

"The failure of the Australian Government to issue us a CNI impedes greatly on our relationship here. For example, I am unable to access certain entitlements like health care unless I am married. I'm also concerned about my partner. What about her right to enter a marriage with the woman she loves? After all, we are living in Portugal, not Australia."

A fact sheet on CNIs can be found here.
http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/CNI-FACT-SHEET.pdf

Marriage Equality's December Advocate of the Month

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:15:00 GMT

On Saturday, November 26th, artists and art lovers came together at 14/15 St Stephen's Green in support of Art for Marriage Equality - an exhibition and fundraising auction for Marriage Equality.

The event was organised by Darina Brennan, a long time supporter of Marriage Equality and our Advocate of the Month for December. Together with her organising committee, she received donated artwork from some of the finest well-known and up-and-coming Irish artists, organised an amazing night, and spread the word to both existing and brand new supporters of Marriage Equality.

With the beautiful rooms of 14/15 St Stephen's Green as the backdrop, the Art for Marriage Equality fundraiser was a huge success. Every piece sold, a great time was had by all, and Darina's event was able to raise over €12,000 for Marriage Equality!

Art for Marriage Equality was not Darina's first time getting involved with Marriage Equality. From our earliest days she was an active volunteer, and has remained a passionate supporter of ours for many years.

As Darina said in her welcoming speech at Art for Marriage Equality:

I got involved with Marriage Equality because I believe in equality. I am a law abiding, taxpaying citizen, yet because of who I love I am being treated as a second class citizen in modern day Ireland. We organised this event for two reasons: one, to create awareness, and two, to raise much-needed funds to carry on our campaign for marriage equality.

We'd like to say a huge thank you to Darina for her energetic and enthusiastic leadership, and for working so tirelessly to realise her idea of reaching out to the art and art-loving community in Ireland for their support.

We'd also like to thank the Art for Marriage Equality working group, and everyone involved in the night who helped to make it such a success.