Out in America Features» legal protections

NJ Couples Seeking Same-sex Marriage

OIA Staff — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:11:31 +0000

Seven gay and lesbian New Jersey couples, along with many of their children, are going to court to try to force the state to recognize gay marriage. The families say in their legal complaint that the state’s civil union law designed to give gay couples the same legal protections as married couples has not fulfilled [...]

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Marriage equality goes down in Maine

OIA Staff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:32:49 +0000

“Despite this setback, the tide clearly is turning nationwide in favor of marriage equality. We are confident that Maine will again join the growing number of states that extend the essential security and legal protections of marriage to all loving, committed couples.” — Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force The National [...]

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CA Governor Signs Harvey Milk Day and Marriage Recognition Bills

OIA Staff — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:21:49 +0000

Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law two historic LGBT rights bills – recognizing the contributions of slain civil rights leader Harvey Milk and a bill that underscores that same-sex couples married before the passage of Proposition 8 are entitled to full recognition as married spouses in California, regardless of whether they married in California or [...]

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Do Signs point to a gay-friendly Sotomayor?

OIA Staff — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:34:05 +0000

“[G]ay legal experts — having sifted through her rulings, statements, civil rights advocacy and comfort around gay clerks and friends — are cautiously optimistic that she will help gay men and lesbians finally secure legal protections that other Americans can take for granted,” she noted. “Let’s hope the nation’s first Hispanic justice will turn out [...]

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Wisconsin budget extends rights to gay couples

OIA Staff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:50:42 +0000

With the budget signed Monday by Gov. Jim Doyle, Wisconsin has become the first state with a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions to put in place domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. Wisconsin also is the first Midwestern state to legislatively put in place legal protections for same-sex couples, according to advocates. But [...]

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