Tag: Gay Politics

Video Surfaces of Bachmann’s Out Gay Step Sister at Obama Inauguration

Jon Ponder

Helen LaFave and Nia Wronski at the Inauguration Jan. 20, 2009 from julie phillips on Vimeo.

Michele Bachmann is rapidly becoming a latter days Anita Bryant. In 2004, during a lecture at a conference, she referred to her gay step-sister, Helen LaFave, who is shown in the video above, saying “Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle — we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan.”

From Towleroad:

MICHELE BACHMANN: I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgendered. We need to have profound compassion for the people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life, and sexual identity disorders. This is a very real issue. It’s not funny, it’s sad. Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle—we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It’s anything but gay.

Sting on Bachmann Christian Psychology Clinics Uncovers Dangerous Anti-Gay Quakery, Ethical Violations

Jon Ponder

Thanks to an undercover investigation by Truth Wins Out, TWO, a group that exposes the “ex-gay” movement, it appears that Rep. Michele Bachmann’s husband, Marcus, lied when he asserted that the Christian psychology clinics he and his wife own, routinely conduct so-called “reparative therapy” on gay Christians:

[…]

After New York: Over to You, California

Jon Ponder
Photo from New York's Pride Parade, posted at The Dish
Photo from New York's Pride Parade, posted at The Dish

As was noted here last week, repealing marriage equality in 2008 has already cost California businesses and local governments $750 million and could represent a loss of $2.5 billion over the next decade.

The sentiments in the photo above were reflected in the lead editorial on the Los Angeles Times op-ed page today:

[…]

Breaking News: Any Adult in New York Can Now Marry Any Other Adult They Love

Trish

EmpireRainbowA bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York passed the state senate 33-29. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who proposed the legislation, is expected to sign it.

“New York has finally torn down the barrier that has prevented same-sex couples from exercising the freedom to marry and from receiving the fundamental protections that so many couples and families take for granted,” Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a written statement shortly after the vote.

With New York on board, that means there are 6 states down, and 44 to go.

Repealing Gay Marriage Has Cost Californians $750 Mil in Lost Revenue, So Far

Jon Ponder

photo-gaybeachweddings.comHere’s a timely report from June 2008:

Gay couples are projected to spend $684 million on flowers, cakes, hotels, photographers and other wedding services over the next three years – so long as voters don’t put a halt to the same-sex marriage spree, according to a study by the Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

During the three-year period, the researchers project that about half of the state’s more than 100,000 same-sex couples will get married and another 68,000 out-of-state couples will travel to California to exchange vows. The nuptial rush is expected to create some 2,200 jobs.

The study estimates that over the next three years, gay weddings will generate $64 million in additional tax revenue for the state, and another $9 million in marriage-license fees for counties.

That’s not the way it turned out, of course. […]

Republican State Senator Breaks With Party to Support Same-Sex Marriage

Trish
NY Gay Marriage
N.Y. State Sen. Roy McDonald

“You get to the point where you evolve in your life where everything isn’t black and white, good and bad, and you try to do the right thing. You might not like that. You might be very cynical about that. Well, fuck it, I don’t care what you think. I’m trying to do the right thing.

“I’m tired of Republican-Democrat politics. They can take the job and shove it. I come from a blue-collar background. I’m trying to do the right thing, and that’s where I’m going with this.”

— New York State Sen. Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga), explaining his support for same-sex marriage.

Only Christians Can Save Christianity

Jon Ponder

Dan Savage makes the point that liberal Christians who are tired of being lumped together with what he calls “right-wing fundamentalist batshit asshole douchebag Christians” should complain — not to the targets of evangelical hate campaigns like himself — but to the haters who run the hate groups in Christ’s name, like the American Family Association, National Organization for Marriage and the rest.

Your Honor, Are You Straight or Gay?

Trish

So the question is, “Should only straight judges be allowed to rule on gay rights issues?”

…ethicists disagree on whether retired federal judge Vaughn R. Walker, 67, should have disclosed his 10-year relationship with his partner before presiding over the challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot measure that reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage. Walker ruled in August that the ban was unconstitutional, and his decision is now before an appeals court…

A federal district judge in San Francisco has scheduled a June 13 hearing to decide whether Walker’s ruling should be wiped from the legal record as a result of his personal situation.

Does this mean only gay judges can preside over straight divorces in states that outlaw same-sex marriage? Read the whole mess in the L.A. Times and then discuss amongst yourselves.