Current Events

Article: “Task Force applauds Gov. Schwarzenegger for signing into law three LGBT rights bills”
Location- California
People in Charge- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Reason of importance- Schwarzenegger signed three LBGT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender) bills. The first bill allows marking May 22 as “Harvey Milk Day” honoring the gay leader, Harvey Milk. The second bill passed is allowing all same sex couples, married before Proposition 8, the same marriage rights as all the heterosexual partners have. The third bill passed expands funding of domestic violence for same-sex relationships. Unfortunately two did not get passed. These two bills allowed transgender individuals to obtain a new birth certificate stating their correct gender. The second bill that did not get passed asked to recognize gender identity as well as sexual orientation convicts and house them safely.
Question: If the second bill that did not get passed (recognizing gender identity as well as sexual orientation convicts and house them safely) got passed, how would you house these convicts safely?

Article: “Thousands march in Washington for gay rights”

Location- Washington D.C.

People in charge- Obama and LBGT activists

Reason of importance- The march followed president Obama’s speech about abolishing the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy in the military. The reason for the march was to push a time-line on when the policy will be repealed and also to fight for the “1,100” rights that heterosexual people had and LBGT people are denied. A few days after the march Obama stated that he is working on undoing former president, Bill Clinton’s “Defense of marriage Act ” by allowing same-sex couples to marry and be federally recognized.

Article: “Senate passes gay hate-crimes bill”

Location- Washington, D.C

People in Charge- Congress

Reason of importance- A bill was passed posing that it will be a federal crime to inflict violence upon Gays and Lesbians as well as any other group (i.e: religion, race, gender and disability). This article states that soon (whenever this might be) President Obama will pass the bill so it will officially become a federal crime.

Question: What other groups do you think might be added to this bill in the future?

Article: “The Truth about the Day of Silence”

Location- Throughout America

People in Charge- Students at the University of Virginia

Reason of importance- Is to bring attention to discrimination, verbal and physical abuse the LGBT takes everyday. The day of silence shows to those discriminated agent that it is recognized and they are not alone. Another reason is to publicize the harassment that students of this nature, have to put up with everyday, hoping for a solution. By being silent, it educates those who do not know, the discrimination of LBGT happening all over the world. In order to participate in the day of silence you can be anyone. It does not matter what your background is or you sex perseverance, just letting people know, that you know what is going on. The next day of silence is on April, 16, 2010

Question: Have you ever participated in the day of silence? Why or why not? Will you be participating in this coming year?

In the Media

Celebrity Gay Weddings - a slideshow

Related Videos:

Celebrity Story: Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O'Donnell is another lesbian celebrity who cherishes her family. Rosie O'Donnell was married in a non-state-recognized wedding in 2004. Rosie O'Donnell is a winner of multiple Emmy awards and an LGBT rights activist and advocate. Rosie is both a foster mother and an adoptive mother; she has four children currently. After a fifth child, a foster child, was removed from their family, Rosie O'Donnell has been working to fight laws banning gay adoption in Florida. O'Donnell had a hand in starting "R Family Vacations", which caters complete vacation packages to gay and lesbian families. The first cruise was held with 1600 people in 2004. A documentary about the cruises, called "All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise" came out on HBO in 2006 and was nominated for three Emmys.

Celebrity Story: Ellen DeGeneres

One well known gay celebrity is Ellen DeGeneres. Her talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres show, often discusses controversial topics and is widely popular in the united states. The character that DeGeneres played on her sitcom, Ellen, came out on May 1st, 1997; DeGeneres came out right afterwards. In 2004 Ellen met Portia De Rossi backstage at an awards show, and the two women began dating. Portia didn’t publically come out until 2005 in interviews with Details and The Advocate. After the overturn of the same-sex marriage ban in California, DeGeneres announced on a May 2008 episode of the Ellen DeGeneres show that she and Portia de Rossi were engaged.  DeGeneres proposed to Portia with a three-carat pink diamond ring. The couple got married August 16^th, 2008 in their home. Only 19 guests attended the ceremony.

This a video of the couple and a spotlight on their wedding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTsqs-CtB_M&NR=1

 

 

In the recent presidential election, Ellen had a debate with Republican candidate John McCain about gay marriage. Here is the video:

http://www.imdb.com/video/cbs/vi889389081/

Something to Think About

How do you think all this political influence effects individual families?

After reading the opposition, has your position on gay families shifted thus far?

If someone has a parent who is prejudice, how you think this would effect them?

"People with prejudice attitudes do not tend to have neurotic personalities, but are low in the dimensions of Agreeableness and Openness. Prejudice flourishes amongst people who are cold, callous, inflexible, close-minded, and conventional." -Psychology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/human-natures

Presidential/Political Views on Gay Families

President Bill Clinton signed the Defense Against Marriage Act, thus defining marriage as a legal union between a man and a women.

President Bush and the Republican Party are opposed. They tried to introduce a federal law to ban all gay marriages in the United States. The Republican party has a history of opposition to gay rights.

http://www.traditionvalues.org

Mayor Adrian Fenty in DC is all for the idea. It would be a big obstacle to get past congress, but a major step forward. If there were a Democratic majority in congress, maybe in 2010.....

http://ballotbox.governing.com

The Maine Marriage Alliance is fighting to get a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

http://gayrights.change.org

Another argument put forward against gay marriage, is an idea supported by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to be free from political influence (referring to sexual orientation).

Barack Obama opposes same sex marriage, even though much of his campaign donations came from wealthy homosexual individuals. He is a member of the United Church of Christ and believes marriage is a sacred union intended for a man and women exclusively.

John McCain is also opposed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/politics/01marriage.html

Stereotypes/Oppositional Stances

Marriage is an institution between one man and one women

• The concept of not denying people their right unless you can show compelling reason to do so is the basis of the American ideal of human rights.
• As we have learned in class, views are always shifting, as a country we must learn to adapt to changing environments.

Marriage is for procreation.

• What about love?

Same-sex couples are not a good environment to raise children in

• Says who? There is no research thus far supporting this claim.
• All children need are positive role models

Gay relationships are immoral

• Once again, separation of church and state......

Gay sex is unnatural-it is a perversion

• homosexual behavior has actually been observed in many animals
• Homosexuality is multi-dimensional, and is much more about love and affection than it is about sex.

Gay people "might recruit."

• The fear of recruitment is based on a false premise
• Sexual orientation is inborn
• Therefore the notion that one be changed from strait to gay is quite unlikely

Religious Opposition Groups

Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints

• better known as the Mormons
• they raised 70% of the money that came into California from out of state, to push the campaign for Proposition 8

Catholic Church

• Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger announced that homosexual unions are "immoral, unnatural, and harmful."
• Catholic charities were put out of the adoption business because they refused to go along with the same sex-marriage

Most branches of Islam

Orthodox Jews

Mainstream Christians

• Baptist Church announced "gay marriage is not so much a debate of adult rights as it is about the rights of children to be raised in a home with a mother and a father."
• Aim to strength people on the traditional, Biblical view of marriage

It is important to note that one of the things America prides itself on it the separation between church and state.

"The Bible has absolutely no standing in American Law"

Opposition

Current statistics say that 10 percent of the population is gay/lesbian. 1/3 of these lesbian couples have children, and 1/5 of the gay couples have children. That is millions of people.... Then why all the opposition??

Nearly seventy percent of people in the US oppose gay marrigage, almost the same proportion as are otherwise supportive of gay rights.

Legislation on Same-Sex Marriage and Same-Sex Adoption

Legislation and Reform

The United States is divided in that there is not a blanket law that governs gay marriage as a whole. While the United States’ Federal Government has passed controversial laws regarding what constitutes a marriage, for example through its Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996, the system is such that while the Federal Government itself does not recognize gay marriage, individual states have the ability to pass legislation prohibiting, or recognizing, gay marriage for themselves. The legalization of gay marriage became a prominent political issue in the 1990s, and has remained a controversial and touchy point in political discussion today.

State Laws

In many individual states, gay marriage is on the agenda. Gay marriages were first considered legal in Massachusetts in 2003. Since then, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont have followed suit and now permit and recognize same-sex marriage. In New Hampshire, gay marriage will be fully legal on January 1, 2010—the legislation has already been passed. Maine is in an interesting situation—voters will decide whether to repeal a law that permits same-sex marriage in November. At this point, many experts are saying that it is too close to call, though some are claiming victory already. This month, in Washington DC, a bill was introduced that would legalize same-sex marriage. While most people believe that the bill will become law, DC provides a different kind of lawmaking—Congress gets the chance to override any DC laws. The city currently recognizes same-sex marriages, as does New York, Rhode Island, and California. In California, gay marriage was legal from June 16, 2008, to November 4, 2008, until constituents voted on Proposition 8, and the gay marriage laws were repealed.

An Interactive Map of State Laws

An Article on Washington, DC's Vote

An Article on Maine's Upcoming Vote


Federal Laws

In addition to the varied laws governing each state, there are also Federal Laws and guidelines that pertain to marriage between same-sex couples. The Defense of Marriage Act, passed on September 21, 1996, limits the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman, specifically. Its origin lies in fears that Hawaii would legalize same-sex marriage if a bill was not passed. The law itself has two main parts; first, that no state is required to recognize gay marriages, even if they are legal in another state; and secondly, that marriage itself is limited to a man and a woman joining together. Though the law passed with a sweeping majority, in September of this year, Congressman Jerrod Nadler, New York, proposed a Respect for Marriage Act to counteract the Defense of Marriage Act. The bill, which now sits with the House Judiciary Committee, would permit the Federal Government to grant benefits and rights to same-sex married couples. In 2006, the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have prohibited states from recognizing same-sex marriages, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, but was voted down in Congress.

An International List of Laws


Gay Adoption

Gay Adoption laws, similar to gay marriage laws, can vary state by state. Some states do not allow adoption by unmarried couples in general, so that may prohibit gay couples from adopting if their marriage is not recognized within the state; this is the case in Utah. Many states have laws prohibiting or at least inhibiting adoption by a same-sex couple, or even by LGBT individuals. Here are a few examples, the most notable of which is in Florida, where gay or lesbian individuals are not allowed to adopt at all. Nebraska, whose state constitution defines married couples as male and female only, does not permit adoption by gay individuals or couples. Mississippi legislation does not allow same sex couples to adopt, much like Arkansas’ laws.

A U.S. map showing gay adoption laws


Discussion Questions:
If Maine and/or Washington, DC pass laws legalizing gay marriage, do you think it may be likely that other states will follow? Why or why not?

Given the current political climate, what are some reasons for and against the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act?

What, in your opinion, makes the US hesitant or unwilling to pass gay marriage laws when many other developed countries, such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, have laws that grant rights to same-sex married couples?

An Introduction to Gay Adoption

Many same-sex couples across America have hopes to raise a family. Unfortunately for these couples, starting a family does not come as easy as it does for straight couples. While straight couples can have a baby the "traditional" way as long as they are physically able, same-sex couples have to rely on other alternatives to start a family. Some gay men choose to have surrogate mothers, in which a woman is paid to carry and give birth to your child, some lesbians have their own children through fertility clinics and sperm banks, and some couples choose to adopt.

According to the Seccombe text, Families and Their Social Worlds, only nine states allow openly homosexual adoptions. These states include: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Washington, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. Because so few states allow for open adoption, many gay men and lesbians have had to cover up their sexual orientation in the past. However, this leads to problems for a couple since only one of the parents will have legal rights to the child. In states where openly gay adoption is not allowed, one person must adopt the child and their partner has to apply for the position of "co-parent" so they may also be considered the child's legal guardian.

The picture above is from a documentary called "Daddy & Papa" that follows a group of gay men and their children. Producer Johnny Symons and his partner William Rogers knew that they wanted children but were daunted by the process that was ahead of them. To get their son, Zachary, they had to go through the adoption process which even included CPR classes. William later comments on the fact that straight couples can simply have sex to get a child and do not need the approval of anyone while he and his partner were having to pass classes in order to start their family. On top of that, Johnny and William had to face Zachary's foster mother who was not happy about the idea of "two daddies" until she got to know them and realized how much love they would give to Zachary. (See video below. . . )

Common Myths About Gay Parenting:
• Gay men and lesbians sexually abuse their children.
Truth: Studies on sexual abuse show that homosexuals no more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexuals.
• If a child is raised by gay men or lesbians they also will turn out gay.
Truth: Studies on this assumption show no evidence that the sexual orientation of the parents (birth or adoptive) influences the sexual orientation of the child.
• Children raised by gay men or lesbians will face many problems from growing up in an abnormal family.
Truth: No studies show evidence that children raised by homosexuals are different from children raised by heterosexuals when it comes to their psychological and developmental health.

Source: daddyandpapa.com

Related videos:

Discussion Questions

• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in April 2005 110,000 children in the U.S. were in foster care waiting to be adopted. Should these children be deprived of a loving home simply because the parents in question are homosexuals?

• Have you ever known someone with two moms or two dads? How did that make you feel? Were there more similarities or more differences in their family compared to "traditional" families?

Why is Gay Marriage Important?

Preventing people from marrying separates them from mainstream society. It gives the impression that gays and lesbians are not capable of forming regular family units. Refusing to let gay couples get married is similar to not allowing any other minority group to marry- it is withholding common rights. Marriage not only provides financial and social benefits, it is a tradition way of recognizing attachments to culture.

Gay Marriage

Same-sex marriage, or gay marriage, is defined as a social or legal marriage between two people who are the same biological sex or gender.

A civil union is similar to marriage and grants same-sex couples nearly all of the state recognized rights and privileges granted to married couples. Many Americans are opposed to civil unions, however, because they are titled differently from marriage and therefore create a separation that is inherently unequal. (Source: New University, October 13, 2008. Volume 43, Issue 3.) The federal government does not recognize civil unions, and other states are not required to recognize civil unions performed in states where it is legal.

A third term that is helpful to understand is a domestic partnership; this is a status recognized by the city, county, state, or employer that may be available to same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples. It is similar to marriage, but a domestic partnership does not award any of the 1,138 rights that are granted to married couples by the federal government. Domestic partnerships in the United States are determined by local jurisdiction, and there is no national consistency. (Source: Human Rights Campaign. Domestic Partner Benefit Eligibility: Defining Domestic Partners and Dependents. 2009.)

In the United States the federal government does not recognize a same-sex couple union as a marriage; gay marriage is, however, legal in four states, and New York and the District of Columbia do not grant but recognize legal out-of-state same-sex marriages. The issues that prohibit legal same-sex marriages from expanding to other states are complicated because of this country’s federal government. Usually, the federal government does not establish and impose it’s own definition of marriage; marriages recognized by a state are recognized federally. With the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, where a marriage was specifically defined as a union of one woman and one man according to federal law, the federal and state government “need not recognize a marriage from another state if it is between persons of the same-sex”. (Source: http://www.domawatch.org/index.php)

A poll taken April 30th, 2009 by ABC News/Washington Post found support for same-sex couple marriages at 49%, opposition at 46%, and those with no opinion on the subject at 5%. 53% of people polled believe that gay marriages performed in other states should be legal in their states.

People in support of same-sex marriages contend that it is not fair that they are denied access to the rights that are granted to heterosexual marriages. Among these rights are:
*Hospital visitation. In a married couple, when one of the two is in the hospital the other spouse has the right to visit and make medical decisions. Same-sex couples do not necessarily have this right, and can be denied visitation to see their loved one.
*Social Security benefits. Married couples receive Social Security payments upon the death of a spouse; even though they pay payroll taxes, gay and lesbian partners receive no Social Security survivor benefits. This results in an average annual income loss of $5,528 after the death of a partner.
*Immigration. Americans in relationships from two different nationalities are not permitted to petition for their same-sex partners to immigrate. As a result, they are often forced to separate or move to another country.
*Health insurance. Many public and private employers provide medical coverage to the spouses of their employees, but most employers do not provide coverage to the life partners of gay and lesbian employees.

These are just a few examples, and others include estate taxes, family leave, nursing home rights, home protection for seniors when their spouse is in the nursing home, and pensions.
(Source: Human Rights Campaign. Facts and Questions About Same-Sex Marriage. 2009.)

Here are some questions to get everyone thinking about/discussing gay marriage:

Why do you think marriage is so important to same sex couples? Is it because of the legal benefits or is it something more?

Should marriage be a way of recognizing people who love each other and want to spend their lives together? Or should the legal definition stating it is only a union between a man and a woman preside?

Do you think that prohibiting same-sex marriage is just as discriminatory as prohibiting interracial marriage, like some states used to do? If not, what is the difference?

Week 2 – Gay and Lesbian Families – Marriage and Adoption

By Lisa Vise, Emma Rhodes, Kimberly Wabik, Cassidy Freed, Jacqueline Trabish

This week our group is going to cover the topic of homosexual families and various issues that come with being part of a same-sex headed family. The “nature of the American Family” has changed dramatically over the last century and even more so in recent years. The concept of the gay family is still very controversial and in flux. Throughout the week we will discuss a variety of topics pertaining to gay families including:

Day 1- Introduction to gay marriage
Day 2 – Introduction to gay adoption
Day 3 - Legislation and reform
Day 4 – Opposition and stereotypes
Day 5 – Celebrity Stories
Day 6 – Additional Current Events
Day 7 – Recap and summary

Before reading the blog, consider your own views on gay marriage and adoption.
1. Do you know anyone who is currently part of a same-sex family?
2. If so, how did this shape your opinion?

Summimg up

Our blog was designed to provoke thought on this controversial topic. Although many think he or she is not personally affected by the issue of health care in America, in some way everyone can relate to the problems circulated within our current system.
The homeless population in America suffers on many levels, along with the minority populations in our country. Women, married or single, struggle to afford, or even struggle to qualify for some sort of health insurance related issue. With our new president, Barak Obama, we could potentially see a radical change in what health care means to many Americans. Everyone will be affected by the change. People who have health insurance will no longer worry about being “dropped” because of an illness that could be costly An “insurance exchange” will be the implemented strategy for all citizens to have health insurance. Many steps are involved, and it will be a complicated process. However, the change would be beneficial to all the topics our group talked about and many more as well.