Cal. Gay Marriage Bill Inching Forward
by Mark Worrall
365Gay.com Newscenter
(Sacramento, California) A bill to allow gay and lesbian couples to get marriage licenses in California is cautiously moving forward amid fears it may not reach the floor of the Assembly this session.

Yesterday, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) said it was doubtful the House would vote on it this year. Nunez, a supporter of same-sex marriage, said that "we have to pick our battles, and it's probably not a fight we engage in this year."

Nevertheless, he said it is an issue that he hopes to see passed during his tenure in the Assembly.

The author of the bill, Assembly member Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) continues to lobby his colleagues but concedes he does not yet have enough votes to ensure passage.


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Scopes Trial Site Hosts Gay Rights Fight

DAYTON, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee courthouse that hosted the Scopes Monkey Trial over the teaching of evolution nearly 80 years ago is the site of another furor after local officials voted to ban gays.

Commissioners in rural Rhea County quickly rescinded the vote in March, declaring they were only trying to show support for a statewide ban on gay marriage. But their action is drawing a new generation of protesters to the courthouse where high school teacher John Scopes was convicted in 1925 of giving lessons on evolution.

Competing demonstrations are planned this week - one a courthouse march Friday against same-sex marriage and civil unions, and a Gay Day on Saturday that is expected to draw 3,000 people to a park for a picnic and entertainment.

"God condemns homosexuality very, very strongly," said the Rev. Franklin Raddish, an organizer of the protest march.

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School policy prevents same-sex prom dates

A civil liberties group is asking the principal of a Central Texas high school to reconsider a policy prohibiting students attending the prom from buying tickets for same-sex guests.

"It's supposed to be a special night that you're supposed to share with people you like to be around," said Sherrell Ingram, a 16-year-old junior. "If they're setting limits on who you can and can't bring just because of their sex, it's not going to be great anymore. It's not going to be special."

Ingram, who helped organize the prom, noticed a sign detailing the rule against same-sex prom ticket purchases last month, just as her mother was about to buy tickets for her and a best friend. Ingram and the girl have been best friends since the sixth grade. Ingram said she is not a lesbian but thinks the policy discriminates against her gay friends.

"I was like, 'Whoa, Mom, read this,'" Ingram said in Wednesday editions of the Austin American-Statesman. "Isn't that illegal?" she recalled asking her mother, who works in the school cafeteria.


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UW report calls for progress on domestic-partner benefits
John Lucas
UW-Madison could improve campus climate and retention of gay and lesbian faculty and staff by continuing to encourage the state of Wisconsin to allow domestic-partner benefits, according to findings in a new report.

The report was issued May 5 by the Faculty Senate Committee on Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual and Transgender Issues, led by sociology professor Joe Elder.

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Methodist stand against homosexuality divides denomination
Copyright © 2004 AP Online
By RACHEL ZOLL,
PITTSBURGH (AP) - United Methodists who want to stop the appointment of gay clergy have won some new tools to do so at their national meeting this week. But observers say those who oppose

"What we've done is taken a fundamental conflict and we're forcing everyone to comply and it will not work for long," said Scott Field, legislative coordinator for a coalition of Methodist evangelicals.

Methodists, with 8.3 million-members, form the nation's third-largest denomination and are among many Protestant churches struggling with what the Bible says about gay sex.

Officially, Methodists haven't altered their stand against homosexuality since they first took up the issue three decades ago. Delegates to the General Conference in Pittsburgh have voted to reinforce that position.

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Two counties approve anti-gay marriage resolutions

Location: Clovis
Source: AP
The Curry and Roosevelt County commissions have adopted resolutions opposing issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The commissions approved the resolutions yesterday.

Roosevelt County Clerk Joyce Fraze (frays) says the resolution in her county instructs her to follow state law prohibiting the issuance of licenses to same-sex couples.
Curry County Clerk Mario Trujillo says he already interprets the law to mean a license should only be issued to a man and woman.

Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap issued 66 same-sex marriage licenses on February 20th.

But she stopped after state Attorney General Patricia Madrid advised that the licenses were invalid under state law.