Apple donates $100,000 to fight Prop. 8 Proud day if you’re an employee or fan of the company:
Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights—including the right to marry—should not be affected by their sexual orientation.
Couple fight California’s gender-neutral language in wedding license
You can’t make this stuff up:
In May, after the California State Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal, the courts mandated state officials to provide gender-neutral licenses and other marriage forms. “Bride” and “groom” became “Party A” and “Party B.”
[Newly-married heterosexual couple] Bird and Codding have refused to complete the new forms, a stand that has already cost them. Because their marriage is not registered with the state, Bird cannot sign up for Codding’s medical benefits or legally take his name. They are now exploring their options, she said.
Bird and Codding say they are trying to figure out what to do next. Bird said she does not know what she will do if she should become ill and need insurance. “I really don’t know,” she said.
With millions of gay couples in America locked out of the benefits of marriage by unconstitutional state laws banning marriage for gays and lesbians, it’s such a slap in the face for this couple to suggest that they’re being discriminated against because they don’t like the terminology on the form. Perhaps their struggle will open their eyes to the hurtful and discriminatory position that gay people are subjected to in this country.
But something tells me probably not.
LGBT rights pioneer Del Martin passes away
Today, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community lost an iconic leader and a beloved friend. Del Martin, 87, passed away in San Francisco with Phyllis Lyon, her lifelong partner and spouse, by her side.
I couldn’t help but be moved when I read about Del and Phyllis’ wedding on the day that marriage rights were finally restored to gays and lesbians in California. It’s so sad to see that they were able to enjoy their marriage for such a short period of time, but I bet they’d both tell you they were just glad to have lived to see the day they were able to wed. Not that the radical right doesn’t wish to see their marriage invalidated anyway—take the time now to donate to the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ No on 8 PAC to preserve the rights of gays and lesbians in California to follow in Del’s footsteps.
Scream, shout, jump up and down. No matter. The gay-marriage issue is over and done with. The upshot: love won.