In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Lee Swislow, Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), about the defeat of Gay Marriage on Maine’s ballot referendum . This is a slippery slope when the majority votes away the rights of a minority. When asked about this turn of events Swislow stated, “As devastating as it was and I think going to the ballot on civil rights is never a good idea, I support that we also remember how much progress we have made and how many people over the last six years since the Goodridge decision have come to embrace marriage equality. I’m really heartened by the passion I saw not just among the LGBT community, but the non-gay folks who were waiting along with us for the results who had taken on this battle as their own.” President Obama has continued to state that he is in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). When asked if she thought he would follow through Swislow said, “He does say that he’s in favor of repealing DOMA, but there hasn’t been any indication that he’s willing to expend any political capital to do that. I think if Congress presented him with a repeal bill he would sign it, but I also haven’t seen signs that Congress is anxious to take this up any time soon. So although there is expressed support, I don’t think we can rely on anything coming out of Congress for the next few years.” GLAD continues its marriage equality and discrimination work throughout New England and is committed to moving forward with its partners in Maine.
Last March GLAD filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court in Massachusetts challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
For More Info: GLAD.org
Tuesday’s elections produced both great successes and great disappointment for the LGBT community. We can celebrate that voters in the state of Washington soundly defeated a referendum to overturn that state’s new domestic partnership law. In Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city, Annise Parker, an out lesbian, came in first in a crowded race and is now the frontrunner in the Dec. 12th run-off to elect that city’s mayor. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, voters approved an ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by a wide margin.
ReplyDeleteThe results from Maine, where voters overturned the state’s same-sex marriage law, are deeply hurtful and disappointing. But we should not feel defeated. LGBT Americans and our allies will continue our march toward full equality. History and justice are on our side and we will prevail.
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and the first, and only, out lesbian elected to Congress.
Baldwin is quite correct when talking about the issue taken to the ballot box.
ReplyDeleteAs long as this remains the route forced upon us, I'm also afraid the results will be consistently bad for us.
It still boggles this simple mind how people can be so egerious to continue to deny a basic want of two people.
All marriage benefits aside, why is it so wrong for two people, no matter who they are, to become one in a formal union.
When someone can explain that to me I'll be able to explain Einstein's Theory Of Relativity.