October 22, 2008
D.C. Council Inches Toward Introducing Same-Sex Marriage Bill
On Tuesday, the D.C. Council agreed unanimously that retirement benefits should be extended to domestic partners of the city’s retired police officers and firefighters. The move brings marriage equality in the District a step closer to fruition, according to the Examiner.
As we wrote last month, the chances of D.C.’s same-sex marriage bill gaining approval depend on the results of the forthcoming election. It’s believed that a same-sex marriage bill in D.C. stands a better chance of survival if Democrats gain seats in Congress and if California’s Proposition 8 – which seeks to revoke same-sex marriage rights in the state – is defeated. Congress has oversight regarding any legislation the Council wants to pass; the passage or failure of Proposition 8 could be a litmus test for the District’s own bill.
The Examiner article adds that the election of Sen. Barack Obama would also be a factor. Obama supports civil unions – not same-sex marriage – and has voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
If the above results come together this Election Day, D.C.'s marriage equality bill could be formally introduced as early as January.
Photo by joekerstef.
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fingers crossed for equal rights!
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Senator McCain doesn't support same-sex marriages, either. Or same-sex sex, for that matter.
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Knowing the Examiner's political leanings I rather suspect they're running the story in order to get "conservatives" up in arms against them darned lib'ruls on the DC Council.
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Is there a list out there of which candidates for DC council will support a same sex marriage bill?
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@dupont53: While not in list format, the Washington Blade's article from last month that we cited in our post runs down who on the Council would vote for a same-sex marriage bill. Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) is painted as the only Council member who supports civil unions and domestic partnerships over same-sex marriage.
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I'm all for bringing the miseries of marriage to us 'mos, but for fuck's sake can we wait six months or so? Assuming Obama and the Dems win big in two weeks the last thing they need is something like this to take over the national agenda.
Give them a chance to actually steamroller some other legislation through before introducing this.
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Ohhh great...gays get married, have kids and then move to the burbs...which will leave only the douchebag breeders in an ever increasing lame DC.
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never thought about it that way, rj. whatever shall we do!?
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We settle this once and for all. Rumble tonight under the bridge. Gays versus straights. Everybody dress up sweet and sharp. Meet Tony and me at the dance at ten. And walk tall.
We always walk tall! We're Straights! The greatest!
When you're a Straight you're the top cat in town.
You're the gold-medal kid with the heavyweight crown.
When you're a Straight you're the swingingest thing.
Little boy, you're a man, Little man, you're a king!
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Rumble tonight under the bridge. Gays versus straights. Everybody dress up sweet and sharp. Meet Tony and me at the dance at ten.
Hey, I'm a straight white guy from the midwest. You know what they call straight white guys from the midwest who can dress up sweet and sharp, or dance? Closeted. I say we settle this the old-fashioned way: trial by ordeal. Spill something on Roy Pearson's pants, best of seven
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The gays are already getting married and moving to the burbs. Just ask the people that live in Del Ray.