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Minnesota passes same-sex marriage
Six months after voters in Minnesota voted to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, the state legislature passed legislation providing equal access to civil marriages for gay and lesbian couples. Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill into law and Minnesota is now the 12th state with marriage equality, and is the third state this month to pass marriage-equality legislation, following Rhode Island and Delaware.
“Minnesota is a perfect example of the progress we’ve made on marriage equality in America,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin. “Voters in Minnesota brought anti-equality efforts to a screeching halt on Election Day, and today state leaders in St. Paul made it clear that all Minnesota families are equal in the eyes of the law.”
New Zealand passes gay marriage
New Zealand’s parliament voted in favor of allowing same-sex marriage, which prompted cheers and the singing of a traditional Maori celebratory song from the public gallery. The bill passed with 77 of 121 members voting in favor of amending the 1955 Marriage Act to allow gay couples to wed. New Zealand is the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so.
“Two-thirds of parliament have endorsed marriage equality,” said Louisa Wall, a gay opposition Labour party MP who campaigned in favor of the bill. “It shows that we are building on our human rights as a country.”
France passes gay marriage
France became the 14th country in the world to permit same-sex nuptials when its parliament voted to legalize marriage equality and adoption by gay couples. Lawmakers in the lower National Assembly, where President Francois Hollande’s Socialists have a majority, passed the bill with 331 votes for and 225 against.
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Transgender student denied prom crown
A Pennsylvania high school student was denied the opportunity to become prom king when the school’s principal said it was “not traditional.” Issak Wolf said he put in his ballot to be considered for prom royalty only to learn his birth name was used in the ballot and was rejected to run as prom king. Wolf later said he would like an apology from the school for the mistreatment.
Man arrested at hospital for refusing to leave bedside of sick husband
A Missouri man was arrested after he refused to leave his sick husband’s hospital room. Roger Gorley went to visit his husband at Research Medical Center when a member of his husband’s family asked him to leave. When Gorley refused, hospital security removed him in handcuffs, and he was later arrested and served with a restraining order.
