Civil unions

16 Stories

A Film That Premiered Today Holds Big Statement From Pope

In it, Francis endorses same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope

(Newser) - Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary Francesco, which had its premiere at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday. The papal thumbs-up came midway through the film that delves into issues Francis cares about most, including the environment,...

Rhode Island Recognizes Out-of-State Gay Marriages

Gov. Lincoln Chafee gives gay married couples full legal rights

(Newser) - Good news for gay Rhode Islanders who marry out of state: Their marriages are now legally acknowledged back home, the AP reports. Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the order today in a Statehouse ceremony, granting gay married couples many rights—including insurance coverage for the spouses of state employees and the...

North Carolina Gay Marriage Ban Likely to Pass Today

Amendment would also ban other types of unions

(Newser) - North Carolina heads to the polls today, and the ballot issue getting the most attention is the state’s proposed ban on gay marriage . Though same-sex marriage has gotten some high-level support in the past few days, supporters of the amendment have been marching and running ads of their own...

Civil Unions Now Legal in Delaware

Governor Jack Markell signs bill in party-like ceremony

(Newser) - Governor Jack Markell signed a law granting same-sex couples the right to form civil unions in Delaware last night, in a packed and celebratory event at the Queen Theatre in Wilmington. “Tonight, we say to loving and committed couples across the state … ‘Your love is equally valid...

NY Prisons OK Same-Sex Conjugal Visits

Partners must be married or in civil unions

(Newser) - New York prisons will now officially allow gay inmates to receive conjugal visits from same-sex partners—so long as the couple are in a civil union or same-sex marriages. The new rules will also allow a partner to take a prison furlough if their lover is terminally ill, reports the...

For 1st Time, Most Americans Back Gay Marriage

ABC/Post survey finds 53% in favor

(Newser) - A new survey from ABC and the Washington Post suggests a milestone for gay rights: More than half of Americans—53% to be exact—say gay men and women should be able to legally marry. It's the first time the percentage has cracked the 50% mark in almost 10 years...

Finally, Obama Looks Ready to Back Gay Marriage
Finally, Obama Looks Ready
to Back Gay Marriage
OPINION
Oct 28, 2010 12:40 PM CDT

Finally, Obama Looks Ready to Back Gay Marriage

Blogger: He hints that a reversal is coming soon

(Newser) - President Obama officially opposes gay marriage, but it looks like that's going to change soon, writes Dan Amira at the Daily Intel blog at New York. Obama told liberal bloggers yesterday that "attitudes evolve, including mine," and that while he's not prepared to reverse himself at the moment,...

Texas Accidentally Bans Straight Marriage

Law designed to forbid gay civil unions actually bars any unions

(Newser) - The geniuses who wrote Texas’ gay marriage ban may have accidentally banned all marriage in the state, according to one Houston lawyer. Subsection B of the ban, a constitutional amendment ratified in 2005, states, “This state…may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage....

How Prop 8 Could Help Everyone
 How Prop 8 Could 
 Help Everyone 
OPINION
Jun 16, 2009 12:28 PM CDT

How Prop 8 Could Help Everyone

(Newser) - Proposition 8 could turn out to be a win-win for everyone, “if we can stop all the shouting,” writes Douglas Kmiec, a Catholic, pro-Obama Republican law professor. The California Supreme Court’s ruling “is as inconsistent as it is incomplete,” declaring that gay couples must be...

Conn. Becomes 3rd State to OK Gay Marriage

(Newser) - Connecticut today became the third state to legalize gay marriage, after Massachusetts and California. In a 4-3 ruling, the state supreme court said civil unions are discriminatory because they violate the equal protection clause of the state constitution, the Hartford Courant reports. Although she disagrees, Gov. Jodi Rell said, "...

Obama Wouldn't Give Chiefs Gay 'Litmus Test'

Says 'don't ask' hurts US military, but won't demand brass agree

(Newser) - Barack Obama said he wouldn't require top military appointees to support letting open homosexuals serve, stressing that his priority for Joint Chiefs of Staff is the ability to protect the country. Speaking to a gay magazine, the candidate called “don’t ask, don’t tell” a “counterproductive strategy,...

NH Rings in Civil Unions With New Year

First primary state becomes 4th to recognize same-sex vows

(Newser) - At midnight, New Hampshire became the fourth state to allow same-sex civil unions, and more than 40 couples came from across the state to ring in 2008 with vows under the State House arch, the Concord Monitor reports. Planned as a small ceremony for about 20 couples, the event drew...

Elizabeth Edwards Backs Gay Marriage

But John's 'conflicted'

(Newser) - Elizabeth Edwards became the first potential White House resident yesterday to support gay marriage at an event kicking off San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade. Edwards declared she's "completely comfortable" with the idea, even though her husband isn't, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. John Edwards supports civil unions, but opposes...

Giuliani Wants It Both Ways On Gays
Giuliani Wants
It Both Ways
On Gays
Apr 27, 2007 8:00 AM CDT

Giuliani Wants It Both Ways On Gays

Pro–civil union pol denounces NH bill as too close to marriage

(Newser) - Rudy Giuliani is trying to tone down the gay-friendly stance he took as mayor of New York, criticizing New Hampshire's new civil unions bill because it "goes too far" toward gay marriage, which he opposes. As mayor, Giuliani signed a landmark domestic partnerships bill; on the campaign trail, he...

New Hampshire Says "We Do" To Gay Unions

State's gay bishop welcomes same-sex civil unions

(Newser) - New Hampshire is about to become the fourth state to offer civil unions for gays—and one of the first couples in line may be the state’s gay Episcopal bishop and a senior state bureaucrat. “My partner and I look forward to taking full advantage of the new...

NH to OK Civil Unions
NH to OK
Civil Unions
Apr 19, 2007 11:59 AM CDT

NH to OK Civil Unions

Governor says he will sign bill to "prevent discrimination"; opposes gay marriage

(Newser) - With the stroke of a pen rather than a protracted legal battle, New Hampshire will become the fourth state to allow same-sex civil unions. Gov. John Lynch, who had not previously taken a position on the issue, said today that he will sign the legislation after the state senate votes...

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