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 | 1999-OCT-24: Statement by presidential candidates: The Baptist Press reported that five presidential candidates, all Republicans, have signed a pledge promising to fight against same-sex marriage. They are Gary Bauer, Pat Buchanan, Steve Forbes, Orrin Hatch, Dan Quayle and Alan Keyes. George Bush, Elizabeth Dole and John McCain have not yet signed. Democratic candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley refused to sign the pledge. Libertarian candidate Harry Browne and independent candidate Robert Smith have not yet signed it. The pledge promises to uphold "the sacred institution of marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman" and to "vigilantly defend this age-old institution against any effort -- judicial or legislative -- to redefine it to include same-sex relationships." It also commits the signers to "oppose all judicial and legislative efforts to place children in homosexual households, which are motherless or fatherless by design." The Presidential Candidate Pledge on Marriage was prepared by 15 conservative Christian groups, led by Americans for Truth about Homosexuality. | ||||
| 1999-DEC-20: Vermont:
The Vermont supreme
court ruled in favor of equal benefits for gay and lesbian couples. They
determined that Vermont's current laws are unconstitutional because they give
special privileges to married heterosexuals that cannot be enjoyed by gays and
lesbians. They require the legislature to proceed speedily to either:
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Sponsored link:
Year 2000 developments:
| 2000-FEB-15: National: The Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music recommends local option on same-sex union ceremonies. Ironically, their report was released on St. Valentine's Day. It includes essays on Scripture, decision-making, church tradition, and blessings. It says, in part, "We are not ready, theologically or scientifically, to say a defining word about the life of homosexuals in the church...In the context of reverence - and humility - it seems best not to take absolutist positions on a national level." It recommends a form of local option in which area dioceses would "find their own way in the matter." They were simply unable to reach a consensus after much debate. So they shifted the decision to local congregations. More details on the battle in the Episcopal Church over homosexuality. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-2: Vermont: First reading was given to a Vermont legislation that would allow gay and lesbian couples to obtain "a certificate of civil union through a process that parallels the process for obtaining a marriage certificate. These couples would be entitled to the same benefits, privileges and responsibilities as [married] spouses." The existing family court would process any dissolution of civil unions. More developments. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-7: California: The California
electorate approved Proposition 22. It was sponsored by state Senator William
Knight (R). It states that "Only a marriage between a man and a woman is
valid or recognized" in the state. MSNBC commented: "Supporters of
Proposition 22 ran a self-described 'pro-family' campaign saying the main
issue was protecting the state’s right to determine what constituted a
marriage. Opponents, however, countered that the real motivation behind the
initiative was to discriminate against homosexuals." Public opinion polls indicated that it would pass by a vote of about 56% to 38%. Exit polling showed that the responses were heavily influenced by the religious beliefs of the public:
* Actual count with 65% of the precincts reporting. Proposition 22 appears to apply only to marriages; it seems to have no impact the civil unions as defined in the proposed Vermont legislation. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-17 Vermont: The Vermont House has passed a bill creating a system of civil unions whereby gays and lesbians can enter into a relationship that is identical to marriage, in everything but name. More developments. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-12 (approx) Europe: The European
Parliament passed a resolution which recommended that same-sex unions be
granted the same legal recognition as heterosexual marriages. It called on all
15 members of the European Union "to make rapid progress in the area of
mutual recognition of the various forms of living together legally, but not of
a conjugal character, and of legal marriages between persons of the same sex."
1,2 The vote was 265 to 125 with
33 abstentions. Some responses were:
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| 2000-MAR-19: Canada: The
federal Liberal party held a national policy conference to prepare for a
federal election which is expected in 2001. The Liberal party currently holds
power in Ottawa. The party's youngest members proposed expanding the Marriage
Act in Canada to allow gays and lesbians to marry. Jascha Jabes, a Queen's
University student from Kingston ON argued that "All we are saying is that
there is a time and a place for government to step out of the way and allow
for the only prerequisite for a successful marriage to be love...Not gender or
sex, but love." In opposition, Tony Ceraldi argued "Without marriage,
there is [sic] no children in a married state. One of these days there won't
be any young Liberals left because there won't be any children if this is the
state of affairs" [We are still trying to figure out what that means. He
may be saying that if Canada allows gays and lesbians to marry that nobody
will want to have children]. Linda Schulz said: the "foundation of the
family" should receive special rights because of of its role in society. "If
we give all benefits to anything, what is there to encourage the next
generation to take on that responsibility, that commitment to live 25, 50
years of marriage?" [Her point may be that if we allow gays and lesbians
to marry then nobody will make a lifetime commitment within marriage. Her
rationale is unclear]. The proposal was voted upon. The vote was so close (468 to 365 in opposition to the measure) that an exact count had to be made. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-29: USA: The Central Conference of American Rabbis overwhelmingly approved a resolution giving rabbis the option of presiding at gay and lesbian commitment ceremonies. The CCAR is the largest rabbinical group within American Judaism. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAR-28: England: Two clergy negotiated a compromise between the British government and religious leaders over new regulations concerning the teaching of human sexuality in English schools. One negotiator was the Bishop of Blackburn, Alan Chesters. He heads the Church of England's Board of Education. The other was a Roman Catholic colleague. The new guidelines would stress the importance of stable relationships. It would give a central place to the "importance of marriage for family life." However, it would also make room for other "stable and loving relationships." The enabling legislation was at least temporarily stalled by the House of Lords. Lord Longford commented: "Putting stable relationships outside marriage -- almost on the same footing as marriage -- would be wicked, wicked. If I voted for the government amendment. I would be betraying my own soul and betraying our children for generations to come." Some have called for Chesters' resignation. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-APR-19: Vermont: The state Senate gave preliminary approval to their version of the civil union bill on APR-17. On APR-19, the senate defeated a Vermont state constitutional amendment that would have stated that one of the central purposes of marriage is procreation. The civil union bill passed 19 to 11 on APR-19. It was very similar to House bill H. 847. The main difference is over the effective date. The Senate version calls for JUL-1; the House version specifies SEP-1. The House approved the senate bill. The bill creates a system of civil unions for gays and lesbians which parallels the system of marriage for heterosexual couples. The law would grant about 300 state benefits of marriage, including medical decision making, tax breaks and inheritance. They would receive all of the benefits of married couples. The rights, privileges, and obligations of married couples are unchanged by this bill. No other state in the U.S. has conferred more than a handful of benefits to gay and lesbian couples. One interesting feature of the bill is that it mentions no residency requirements. A gay or lesbian couple on vacation would apparently be able to visit Vermont, enter into a civil union, return to their state of origin and ask that their status be recognized. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-APR-26: Vermont: Governor Howard Dean (D) signed the civil union bill into law. Gays and lesbians will be able to obtain their civil union certificates on 2000-JUL-1. This is the third major change in the legal recognition of partnerships by the government. In the 19th century, African-Americans throughout the U.S. were allowed to marry for the first time. In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the miscegenation laws of 16 states and mixed-race couples throughout the U.S. were allowed to marry for the first time. Now, Vermont has changed its laws to allow gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions, which are equivalent to marriage in all but the name. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-MAY-21: New York: The state Democratic committee has decided to study the issue of lesbian/gay marriages. Lawrence Moss, chairperson of the party's reform caucus said: "We believe it's a fundamental rights issue. We believe the time for it has come." State Senate Republican spokesman John McArdle said a civil-union bill "is not something we'd advocate." | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-AUG-17: Southern Voice
reported that in at least four states, same-sex unions or marriages are being
actively discussed by Democrats:
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| 2000-DEC-19: Netherlands: Gay and lesbian couples, who are either citizens of the Netherlands or who have residency permits, can marry and adopt with the full privileges enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. This is the first country in recent history to have legalized gay and lesbian marriages. More details. |
References:
- "Dilemma for Scottish Lawmakers: Obey Church or Party," at: http://www.mcjonline.com/news/
- "Special Report: Laws recognizing homosexual unions," at: http://www.zenit.org/english/archive/0003/
- "Tony Blair's better half had better shut up before she really gets herself in trouble with the Church over gay issue," at: http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2000Mar/mar22dc3.htm
- "England: Support for gay rights: Prime Minister joined by his wife," at: http://us.catholic.net/rcc/Periodicals/
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Copyright © 2001 to 2002 incl., by Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2002-JUN-18
Author: B.A. Robinson
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