Vermont Freedom to Marry

Town of Deerfield, NH, refuses to vote on the rights of NH residents

After 30 minutes of discussion, Deerfield, N.H., residents nixed voting on a proposed state constitutional definition of marriage.  The nonbinding referendum was submitted by the pastor of a local church and may appear on the slate in other towns on March 9, New Hampshire's Town Meeting Day.  But in Deerfield, residents voted 92-28 to strike all but two words from the amendment, effectively killing it.

"It's clearly a statewide, divisive end-around to try to impose individuals' religious and moral views on others," said Jim Deely, the Deerfield resident who made the motion that ended the issue for Deerfield.

On June 3, 2009, the New Hampshire legislature passed a marriage equality law, which was signed by Governor John Lynch.  Same-sex couples began marrying in New Hampshire on January 1, 2010.

For more information and to get involved, visit the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition.

Join Vermont Freedom to Marry & Outright Vermont in St. Johnsbury

Prop 8 witnesses debate scholarship on families

By Dana Rudolph on January 30, 2010

Star witnesses for both sides in the recent Proposition 8 trial agreed on one thing: Children of same-sex parents benefit from having two parents who are happily married to each other.  [Pictured right:  Michael Lamb, head of the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cambridge]

The conclusion was most stunning from David Blankenhorn, an expert witness for the defenders of Proposition 8.

“I believe that adopting same-sex marriage would be likely to improve the well-being of gay and lesbian households and their children,” he said, during his testimony as the last person to take the stand during the trial.

Nepal to have marriage equality beginning in May

Imagine getting married on Mount Everest!  That's part of Nepal's plan to appeal to same-sex couples.  The freedom to marry begins in Nepal when a new constitution takes effect in May, 2010.  Possibilities include ceremonies at the Everest base camp and remote Tibetan enclaves.

Nepal will be the first Asian country with marriage equality.

Photo by Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it

The state of the new landscape in the Senate doesn’t kill chances

 By Patti Tihey on January 28, 2010

Scott Brown’s special election victory this month, taking the late Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat, could have the power to derail passage of pro-gay civil rights legislation this year. The GOP Massachusetts state lawmaker’s come-from-behind win January 19 eliminates the Democrats’ supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate—a margin necessary to stop a filibuster-prone Republican minority from stalling any liberal-leaning legislation for the remainder of the Congressional session.

But key gay civil rights supporters in Congress are not conceding any fight.