Kennedy Endorses Gay Marriage

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., said Sunday that he supports the right of gays and lesbians to get married, adding that he backs a court ruling that could legalize same sex marriages in his own state


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The Gender Circus
By William O. Beeman, Pacific News Service

The Massachusetts Supreme Court advisory, stating that nothing short of marriage for same-sex couples would satisfy the state constitution, has sent legislators throughout the nation as well as President Bush scrambling to define marriage as between "one man and one woman."


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Poll shows voters in Florida oppose gay marriage, constitutional ban
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD
Knight Ridder Newspapers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - (KRT) - While most Florida voters don't approve of marriage for gay and lesbian couples, a majority supports civil unions that would give same-sex couples the legal rights of married couples, according to a new poll.


Voters are also uncomfortable with a proposed federal constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage, with only 41 percent of those polled saying they would support President Bush's push to ban same-sex marriages.



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Same-sex marriage: breaking down the closet door
By Leslie Feinberg

As of March 3, civil disobedience in support of same-sex marriage is spreading through the U.S. In Portland, Oregon, the Multnomah County Board of Com mis sioners announced that it will issue marriage licenses to gays and lesbians today. In Detroit, supporters of same-sex marriage rallied downtown, with same-sex couples expected to request marriage licenses at the Wayne County clerk's office. At the Capitol building in Atlanta demonstration, gay rights activist Lisa Flick briefly blocked traffic by sitting down in the street and was dragged away by police. In New York state, the mayor of New Paltz says he will continue to perform same-sex marriages despite being charged with 19 criminal counts, possibly facing jail time for his actions. Joining him in defiance is Mayor John Shields of Nyack, who says that, not only will he marry other same-sex couples, he will seek a marriage license for himself and his same-sex partner


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Bloomberg shares parade duties with New Paltz mayor
By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press Writer
March 7, 2004, 5:03 PM EST
NEW YORK --Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has sent mixed signals on same-sex marriage, and New Paltz Mayor Jason West, who was criminally charged for performing them, both marched in the gay-inclusive Queens St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday.


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Uncivil union: States not united on legal responses to gay marriage
By Lea Brilmayer
Special to The Washington Post
The news that gay and lesbian couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses and marry legally in Massachusetts starting May 17 pits the rights of states to formulate their own family-law policies against their conflicting obligations to recognize legal relationships entered into in other states.


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Personal Voices: Let's Get Married...Or Not
By Elisabeth Hurst, Bad Subjects
I'm queer, so everyone I know, and a whole lot of people I don't know, assume that I have something worthwhile to say about same-sex marriage. While they wait for me, I've been struggling to put my thoughts into something vaguely resembling coherency.