We'll Have a Gay Old Time: Marriage News by the Truckload

Image from Huffington Post

"Truckload" might sound like the wrong metaphor, but you're forgetting about the lesbians, aren't you? Heh. Anyway, there has been a lot of marriage equality news. I know I swore I'd get away from "the gay," and I really thought that the subject would fade until June's big Supreme Court decisions. But truly, the love that dare not speak its name is really tired of being kept quiet, it would seem!

We're only to Wednesday, and already three states have jumped some hurdles on the way to passing marriage equality legislation, Nevada, Rhode Island and Delaware. If they are successful (and they still have a ways to go), they will join 9 states and Washington DC in allowing same-sex marriage, putting the percentage to over 25%. . .and that's pretty amazing, given that the first push against it really didn't hit until the late 90s.

More significant, at least in its immediacy is the decision of France to legalize same-sex marriage. It's sparked some violent overreaction from conservatives in the country, which is somewhat surprising. Supposedly, Europeans were supposed to be much more indifferent to the notion, we've been lead to believe. And you have to wonder how much of that has been the direct result of American meddling by the (badly named) National Organization for Marriage, which seems to be in the process of rebranding itself as international. Though they've uttered some perfunctory words of condemnation of the violence in France, they've been fanning the flames for weeks.

My bet is, that overworked, overblown reaction will peter out, and "gay marriage" will just become an ordinary thing, as it largely has in those countries and US states where it has already been passed. Now, it would be wonderful if this was NOM (IOM?)'s last gasp, and that the marriage equality wave would finally just crest over the civilized world. Then I could maybe really change the subject around here! But even with the swiftness of this movement, it still has a long way to go. Even so, the constant flurry of activity is very exciting to see.

[Excerpt]

France Legalizes Gay Marriage After Harsh Debate, Violent Protests

France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate that exposed deep conservatism in the nation's heartland and triggered huge demonstrations that tapped into intense discontent with the Socialist government. Within hours, fiery clashes broke out between protesters and riot police. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Openly Gay NV State Senator, Kevin Atkinson
Image from ABC News

[Excerpt]

Gay Senator Comes Out As State Approves Same-Sex Marriage

While the country waits for rulings from the Supreme Court on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, states are rushing ahead to reform their own regulations on marriage. Several states have bills coming up on their legislative dockets that would allow gay couples to legally marry in their states. Rhode Island’s Senate Judiciary Committee and Delaware’s House are both set to vote on same-sex marriage bills today. Minnesota and Illinois are also engaged in fights over whether to open up marriage to gay couples. . .

Read more at: ABC News