Bloomberg, Quinn GLBT Leaders Meet

NYC Mayor Michael Boomberg facilitated a meeting with GLBT leadership for discussions about making marriage equity a reality in NY.

Also in attendance NYC's first female, openly gay city Council Member, Christine C. Quinn (D) of the 3rd District.

A very in-depth piece can be found at Gay City News.


Photos:
Bloomberg: NNDB
Quinn: NY City Council

"OUT" of this World!

March 30, 2006
from advocate.com

George Takei becomes HRC spokesman

Star Trek veteran and Howard Stern Show announcer George Takei will make a six-city tour on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, the organization announced Tuesday. Takei will discuss his life as a gay Japanese-American and... Read it?

Photo: georgetakei.com

I WAN'AN EASTER EGG!!!
2006 Easter Egg Roll in Washington DC
(Rain or Shine)

Join hundreds of other LGBT families as we fill the White House Lawn at the annual Easter Egg Roll on April 17, 2006! There is no more powerful way to change the national discussion around our families and our rights than to introduce ourselves to our neighbors on a grand scale. Join us in making history, having fun and showing off our amazing families to the country! The National Park Service will distribute free tickets on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 7:30am on Saturday, April 15, 2006. A maximum of five tickets will be issued per person.

Children of all ages can attend but there must be at least one child seven years old or younger and no more than two adults per group. Ticket holders are admitted to the South Lawn of the White House between 8am and 2pm on April 17.

Groups of about 250-500 ticket holders are admitted at 15-minute intervals. We need to be in line by Friday evening to be the first ones on the White House lawn so we can maximize our impact. This is a celebration of our families. We want to give our fellow citizens the opportunity to see us as real families, participating in a great American tradition on the White House lawn, rather than protesting from the sidelines.

From: NBJC e-mail newsletter- 3/31/06
White House photo by Paul Morse

5th Calif. Mayor Comes Out
by Mary Ellen Peterson,
365Gay.com San Francisco Bureau

(San Francisco, California) West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon ended months of rumor and speculation Wednesday night, coming out in a speech at city hall. The announcement came at the end of the annual State of the City dinner... read it?

HIGH CLASS BLOGS
It's a good Friday! savvyplanners.com's LGBT Weddings+ Blog is now listed with High Class Blogs in their Gay & Lesbian grouping. Their link is on the sidebar on the right.

Thanks to Paul for the nomination!

There was another "Ring of Fire"

The documentary of EMILE GRIFFITH is especially touching and may have links to anti-gay bias and tells a moving and incredible story. This, now retired, presumed gay, champion boxer ended up killing his opponent. He knocked Paret unconscious but he was still in a somewhat upright position against the ropes so the fight wasn't stopped. Griffith threw another dozen or so devastating punches. Paret died a little more than a week later.

Some say that during the weigh-in before the bout, his opponent, BENNY PARET, called Griffith a "maricon" ("faggot" in spanish) refering to his alleged homosexuality. READ IT at Cinematical.

A poignant film that shows the rise and fall of this notable fighter. Worth seeing!

Photo: courtesy of Thomas & Co

American Culture Excludes Bisexuals
By Tara Maroney
Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Focus
University of Connecticut Paper

"Author and editor, Ron Jackson Suresha came to campus to talk about the issue of bisexual invisibility. His presentation discussed the ways that bisexual culture is excluded from both heterosexual and homosexual conversation.

When former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey came out to the country while standing next to his wife, the media "avoided saying the B word," Suresha said. Instead they said that he was gay, ignoring the fact that he had been married to a woman.
full story...

photo courtesy of obliquity

Mass. Out-Of-State Gay Marriage Ban Upheld

by Michael J. Meade, 365Gay.com Boston Bureau
March 30, 2006 - 10:21 am ET, Updated 11:00 am ET, 11:56 am ET
(Boston, Massachusetts) Gay and lesbian couples from outside Massachusetts were dealt a blow Thursday when the state's highest court - the Supreme Judicial Court - let stand, at least for now, a 1913 law that prevents clerks from issuing marriage licenses to people from states where that marriage would be illegal.

story at 365gay.com

MEET TRANS ACTIVIST ELI R. GREEN

Issue Date: 03/30/2006, Posted On: 3/30/2006
"TransNation"
by Jacob Anderson-Minshall (Bay Windows)

Take the opportunity to meet FTM, Trans activist, scholar, educator: Eli R. Green in this intriguing article at Bay Windows (MA), New England's Largest GLBT Newspaper. Thanks, Eli, for all that you do!

Check out Eli's website: Trans-Academics.org

NJ May Be Next to Allow Marriage Equality

It was, perhaps, serendipitous to have chosen New Jersey as the new base for savvyplanners.com when expanding operations from Key West, Florida. Now, within ten months of our expansion, New Jersey is pondering embracing full-on marriage equity. When evaluating locations, Canada and Massachusetts were reasonably the first ones on the table. The move was prompted by our desire to grow and to service a growing number of clients in the northeast while strengthening our work in the Florida Keys. It is just possibly really good fortune that we came here when we did. We await the outcome.

"Canada was a first conversation. It was impractical and hugely expensive to basically re-launch a business in a foreign country. I started this business to be dedicated to serving GLBTQI people in the USA. I grew up in this state and am accustomed to its fair-minded attitude. It was funny and exciting that the discussion turned to New Jersey when we were researching additional locations. Two states in two just years is MORE than pleasing at this point! We had discussed about 10 different places and it's wonderful to be back in my home state."

-MW Savant, CEO

To hear an NPR audio story about NJ Marriage & the court, click here.

Scalia: Gays Have No Constitutional Rights
by Doreen Brandt, 365Gay.com Washington Bureau
March 29, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET

Scalia: Gays Have No Constitutional Rights(Washington) A tape of a speech given earlier this month by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has drawn the ire of LGBT civil rights activists who worry the landmark high court ruling on sodomy could be revisited.

Court Lifts Ruling That Forced Gay Couple To Split Up Over Child
by 365Gay.com

Annapolis, Maryland) A Maryland court on Tuesday lifted a custody restriction prohibiting a gay father from residing with his life partner. The court ruled that the restriction, which was imposed by a Virginia court, was harmful to Ulf Hedberg’s 13 year-old son.
The judge found that the child did not understand why his stepparent, Blaise Delahoussaye, was forced to move out of the family home and was upset and saddened by his absence.

read more...

GLAAD THEY GOT IT!

By Chris Michaud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oscar may have snubbed "Brokeback Mountain," but the so-called gay cowboy movie was tops with a gay watchdog group on Monday, adding the top prize to its burgeoning roster of honors at the GLAAD Media Awards.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation named the film, which lost an Oscar for best picture to "Crash," the year's best wide release motion picture at its 17th annual awards.

Director Ang Lee accepted the award, commenting: "Finally, an award that actually means something." Noting that "Brokeback Mountain" had won a slew of awards, Lee said, "Some of these are very meaningful to me". Read more

The Big Gay Picture: McCain moving right on marriage?

The Big Gay Picture blogger Michael Jensen sees U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., cozying up to the Rev. Jerry Falwell as he positions himself to run for the GOP nomination for president: "He's not only giving the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, but it also appears McCain has changed his position on the necessity of the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Falwell claims McCain recently told him the statue may be necessary. That sure is a far cry from McCain's previous statements."

INTERNET NO LONGER FREE?

You think the Internet will always be the great information superhighway of free speech and democracy you've grown to love? Well, think again. Media giants want to privatize our Internet. Take Action!

It takes 30 seconds to do. We already pay for access to the internet!
Please take a moment to tell them NO!

A STAND AGAINST "BLATANT DISCRIMINATION"

ASHEVILLE - The Rev. Howard Hanger announced Sunday that he will be turning in his ordination to the United Methodist Church.

He told the congregation of Jubilee! Community, a nondenominational church that draws about 500 people for Sunday services, that his decision was due to his difference with the denomination over its stance on homosexual unions. Hanger joins the Revs. Joe Hoffman and Mark Ward in protesting institutional stances on same-sex marriages.

more...

"STARS & STRAIGHTS FOREVER"

On the eve of a Senate vote on immigration, a controversial new film combines the explosive issues of immigration and gay marriage to illustrate how same-sex relationships will soon be a Federal Crime if Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's immigration reform were to become law.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 27, 2006 -- With a Senate vote on immigration looming, a controversial new independent film combines the explosive issues of immigration and gay marriage exposing the one arena where same-sex relationships are not only illegal, but will soon be a Federal Crime if Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's immigration reform becomes law.

Read press release
READ THE BILL (PDF)

As tide turns on same-sex marriage, many American churches lag behind
2006-03-27
By Sandip Roy
New America Media

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jack Moline did not really think about same-sex marriage until he saw what his lesbian and gay friends went through just to deal with commonplace marital issues like health care or custody. Now he is part of a small and unusual group going around the country speaking about one of the most divisive electoral issues of our time -- marriage equality. Unusual, because Moline is the rabbi of a conservative synagogue in Alexandria, Va. Small, because religious leaders like Jack Moline are still very much in the minority.

But the tide might be turning. A Pew poll released last week shows that opposition to same-sex marriage is dropping, down to 51 percent, from 63 percent in February 2004. The drop has been especially sharp among senior citizens and Republicans...

Read more

GUILTY

The sentence has been passed in South Africa for the murderers of a four year old boy killed on June 12, 2003 for not calling his mother's lesbian partner "daddy".

The women (Hanelie Botha (r), 30, and her partner Engeline de Nysschen, 32), "have been charged with murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, child molestation and negligence in the death of Hanelie's 4-year-old boy, Jandre Botha."

Photos: The Mercury
Story:© 2006 Independent Online
The story

FAVORITE BUMPER STICKER (EVER!)

This 'velvet hammer' comes to us from
fromtherooftops.com.

What is also amazing about these folks is that these standard sized bumper stickers, which I have and can vouch for, are high-quality. Even better than that is a group or organization can buy these (even in small quantities=less than 50. For $2.49each).

You can order in larger quantities from 50 - 10,000!!! They'll even put your information (URL/web address/Telephone, etc.) on orders of this size---AT NO CHARGE. They are a tremendous fund raising tool.

Could it GET any better??? Well, yes. fromtherooftops.com donates $1.00 from each sticker sold to help grassroots organizations fighting for marriage equality. I have spoken with these folks on a number of occasions and think they're awesome, legitimate and dedicated!
I'm sportin' one on my "savvymobile"!

I LOVE them. Please check them out.

Sincerely,

MW Savant

California Approves Nearly
Identical Benefits To GLBTI Couples

A Sacramento Judge has upheld a new law that provides marriage benefits to domestic partners. This move provides benefits to domestic partners which are almost the same as for married couples. The exception is the ability to file joint income taxes. Fascinating reading here.

"What in the World Do I Call Them?"

Our CEO wrote an essay in 2004 about options relating to the "right" way to refer to newlyweds in the GLBT family.

There has been a great response to the piece and people are finding it useful. You can check it out here.

Ex-NFL'er Releases Memoirs

Esera Tuaolo is a parent of two and a spouse, to a man, who has faced tremendous challenges in the notoriously homophobic National Football League. His personal story is both inspiring and some recollections---tragic.

Read about Esera, his life and his book in this telling feature from the Star-Bulletin.

Billie Jean King's New Thing

The tennis legend has decided to design a fitness center, bearing her name, for the first GLBTI retirement community in Palms Springs, California. You can read about the center here.

Many of us grew up with this daring lady of Tennis and remember her bravery in coming out publically. She has since been heavily involved in children's fitness and developing tennis players along with her HIV/AIDS and charity efforts.

Thanks to Billie Jean King for her bold, fearless contributions to the community!

NOT IN MY BACKYARD... UPDATE 2/25: It has made it to the 2008 Ballot.

Thursday the supreme court of the state of Florida prepared wording to amend the state's constitution and change the language to specifically define marriage in the state as between one man and one woman. This move would prevent civil unions as well. Get the full story from 365Gay.com.

On the island of Key West, we perform ceremonies anyway. Though symbolic (aren't all ceremonies symbolic?) the island has a long known attitude of "live and let live". Ceremonies are often performed by mayors or other officials. Same-Sex marriages from other states where they are legal are respected on Key West.

What impact will the passage of this amendment have on Key West?
Why do we think it's worth it to have a ceremony and honeymoon on Key West?

Welcome to the launch of
savvyplanners.com's Blog!!

It is here that you can ask questions, get advice, share ideas and tips and tell us about your special wedding moments! We will use this area to post interesting tid-bits, developments and information concerning marriage equity, the GLBTQI family, destination weddings on Key West and more.

The savvyplanners.com blog is all about gay and traditional weddings, events and the clients we serve. We intend to bring up to date information regarding marriage equity, promiment GLBT issues and more. We intend to discuss all aspects of weddings and events. We look forward to hearing your ideas which will help fuel the direction and development of the blog.

We like Charlene Li's blogger code of ethics and have adapted it for
savvyplanners.com's Blogger Code Of Ethics (some of which are found below).

Blogger Code Of Ethics:
* We will tell the truth and we will acknowledge and correct any mistakes promptly.
* We will not delete comments unless they are spam, off-topic, defamatory, threatening or violent.
* We will reply to comments when appropriate as promptly as possible.
* We will link to online references and original source materials directly .
* We will disagree with other opinions respectfully.

We Invite you to join the discussion!
MW Savant, CEO

CAUTION: Someone has already posted a not-so-nice comment to this post. But hey! That's what we're here for.