Tag Archives | Government

MERI calls on supporters to tell Chafee to veto civil unions bill

In an email this afternoon, MERI called on their supporters to contact Governor Chafee and urge him to veto the Civil Unions bill:

By now, you’ve heard that the Senate passed a civil union bill last night that included the dangerous and discriminatory Corvese Amendment. That means that if this bill becomes law, private and religiously-affiliated organizations will be allowed to ignore the legal rights of civil union spouses. You know why this bill is bad, you know all about the harm it will bring to thousands of gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships, and you know that it shouldn’t be signed into law.

I need you to call Governor Chafee’s office right now at (401) 222-2080, and tell him to veto H6103 because it includes the discriminatory Corvese amendment. It will only take you about 30 seconds, but trust me, if enough of us raise our voice in opposition to this injustice, it can make a big difference.

Here’s an idea of what to say:

Hi, this is____, from________, and I’m calling to let you know that I want the governor to veto the civil union bill because it includes dangerous and discriminatory language that will hurt thousands of gay and lesbian couples and families. Thank you.

Pretty easy, right? Now, go do it! Call 222-2080 and speak out against discrimination and intolerance. And when you’re done, send us a note to let us know you made the call and if you received any important feedback.

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Second Class

Last night the Rhode Island Senate passed a really problematic Civil Union bill. If you believe that a successful compromise is one that leaves everyone disapponted, it really hit the mark. The bill includes “religious exemption” language that might well set LGBT rights back 15 years in the Biggest Little, allowing religious institutions and individuals with “sincerely held beliefs” to ignore the very relationship status it creates. And because it’s so broad and sweeping, it may allow people to ignore the civil rights laws passed 15 years ago.

I’ve not been a supporter of civil unions for many years. Once Massachusetts, our neighbor state, began allowing same-sex couples to marry in 2004, the game changed. To pass a civil union bill now, in New England, less than a week after New York passed marriage equality legislation, makes us look provincial and stupid. To pass one with such wide reaching religious exemptions that it may actually remove queer folks’ rights to housing, hospital visitation, and funeral planning, well, that’s just wrong.

Context is important here. As I wrote in my testimony against civil unions this year, before the horrible Corvese amendment was added, “here in New England it is absurd to pretend that passing civil union legislation is a step forward for our state.”

Let us consider the following facts:

  • Our neighboring states of Massachusetts and Connecticut not only provide the full protection of marriage equality, but they recognize marriage as a constitutionally-guaranteed right (established through their courts) for all couples.
  • Four of 5 other New England states celebrate the freedom of all couples to marry
  • Rhode Island is unique in not having taken the step to either legalize or outlaw marriages between same-sex spouses. Additionally, out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples have largely been recognized.
  • The highest courts of both Massachusetts and Connecticut have ruled clearly that civil unions are not only an insufficient remedy to the unconstitutional exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, but also that they embody a clear message that gay families aren’t good enough.

Let’s not pretend that civil unions are a fresh answer to a new question. This esteemed committee has debated any number of pieces of legislation related to domestic relations for nearly 15 years. Hundreds of Rhode Island same-sex couples are legally married already, and hundreds more have access to marriage just outside our borders. In this context, it is clearly wrong to create a separate legal class for same-sex couples.

With full marriage equality available to same-sex Rhode Island couples just over the border in any direction, I don’t know why anyone would settle for a civil union. Marriage is a much stronger protection, and with the civil union law so tenuous, if I wanted legal recognition of my relationship, I’d head to Massachusetts or Connecticut.

So what’s next? I don’t know. People are talking about the 2012 election cycle, and I think that’s an important consideration. But I also think we need to find a way to demonstrate the harmful impact of this legislation, hopefully one that doesn’t wait until a civilly unionized couple faces religiously motivated denial of their rights. Maybe a “buy-in”, where we encourage queer Rhode Islanders and their allies to spend money in the “equality states” of Massachusetts or Connecticut? Don’t worry, Jef, I’ll give you a ride.

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Around New England: CT House Approves Transgender Discrimination Bill

While Representatives in Rhode Island were busy passing Civil Union Legislation, in Connecticut (where same-sex marriage is legal) the House was passing a bill to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity

House Approves Transgender Discrimination Bill
CTnow.com:

HARTFORD —— After five hours of sometimes emotional debate Thursday night, the House of Representatives voted 77-62 to approve a controversial bill intended to protect members of the transgender community from discrimination.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate, would prohibit discrimination on the basis of “gender identity or expression” in employment, public accommodations, the sale or rental of housing, the granting of credit and other laws that fall under the jurisdiction of the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

The bill defines “gender identity or expression” as a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not it is different from that assigned at birth or traditionally associated with the person’s physiology. Its provisions would go into effect Oct. 1.

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