Same-sex, whole-milk marriage: 50 Shades of Gay

[Primula Baggins]

He'd probably take a nuanced view of this story of a Muslim flight attendant for ExpressJet who was suspended for refusing to serve alcohol to passengers:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/05/travel/mu ... index.html

She had the job before she converted to Islam and continued to serve alcohol until she became aware that this, too, was forbidden. Then she made an accommodation with other flight attendants so she didn't have to serve alcohol, until one of them filed a complaint.

[Frelga]

And she was just trying to get out of serving alcohol herself, not keeping the passengers from getting their drinks.

[Primula Baggins]

Something similar would have been acceptable for the clerk in Kentucky, I imagine, as long as it was still possible for same-sex couples to get licenses from someone else at the same site. But she was trying to prevent that, too.

[River]

Something similar would have been acceptable for the clerk in Kentucky, I imagine, as long as it was still possible for same-sex couples to get licenses from someone else at the same site. But she was trying to prevent that, too.

You don't have to imagine - that arrangement was on the table and she chose to go to jail instead.

[Primula Baggins]

Now that you mention it, I remember hearing something like that.

I'm not following the news right now. We've got the house to ourselves this weekend and we are both taking three days off from work and just hanging out together. It feels sinful.

[Lalaith]

Do you have a license for that?

[Primula Baggins]

Well, it's meaningless now that any two people can just hang out together whenever they want, but somehow we've been enjoying it all the same. . . .

[Lalaith]

What is this world coming to?!

[Frelga]

Another thoughtful and informative post from Yonatan Zunger explains the history, significance and likely impact of the recent Perry v. Schwarzenegger ruling. The ruling dropped a 60-page hammer on Mississippi's, which would have legalized bigotry and discrimination based on a "sincere religious belief." Both the post and the linked article are well worth a read.

The law, HB 1523, granted special protections to three religious beliefs: Those who oppose same-sex marriage; those who oppose sex outside of marriage; and those who dislike trans and gender-nonconforming people. Starting July 1, HB 1523 would have allowed religious landlords to evict gay and trans renters; permitted religious employers to fire workers for being LGBTQ; granted state and private adoption agencies the right to turn away same-sex couples; allowed private businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ people; given doctors a right to refuse to treat LGBTQ people in most circumstances; and permitted clerks to refuse to marry same-sex couples.

Hours before HB 1523 was set to take effect, Reeves issued an injunction, holding that the law, in its entirety, violates both the Equal Protection Clause and the Establishment Clause. (Reeves had already halted the clerk-specific portion of the bill.) His decision marks a momentous occasion—the first time a federal judge has found that so-called “religious liberty” bills, designed to disadvantage LGBTQ people, violate the U.S. Constitution. Reeves’ opinion is worth paying careful attention to; its findings and logic are certain to be invoked in similar decisions across the country in the coming years.

[Túrin Turambar]

A bill legalising same-sex marriage has just passed both houses of the Australian Parliament unamended. I've been waiting for this for thirteen years. Its been an arduous process, with the non-binding postal plebiscite (61% in favour) followed by two weeks of debate in Parliament, but in retrospect it makes the legitimacy of the law beyond question. The majorities in both houses have been overwhelming, with even many staunchly anti-SSM MPs caving to the will of their electorates. Once it recieves royal assent, the wedding bells can ring.

[yovargas]

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Meanwhile in the U.S. the Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case that could legalize discrimination against gays based on "religious freedom". As usual, it will come down to what Justice Kennedy says, and he had harsh questioning for both sides (this is a case in which a baker in Colorado refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple).

[Frelga]

If the case wins, watch for jerks demanding that businesses in progressive areas make cakes with Nazi symbols.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

That doesn't actually make any sense, Frelga. There is no protected class of being a Nazi.

[yovargas]

What if, in the future, "political affiliation" became a protected class much like religion is?

[Dave_LF]

Then voting will be declared a hate crime.

[Frelga]

That doesn't actually make any sense, Frelga. There is no protected class of being a Nazi.

I did not say it makes sense, I said it was going to happen.

[Túrin Turambar]

Most SSM supporters felt the matter should never have gone to a public vote, but I think the show of public support made it worth it in the end - 133 of 150 electorates in the House of Representatives voted yes.

I had a human rights lawyer point out to me the other day that the plebiscite also gave us some information about the breakdown in support of gay rights across the country we would not have gotten any other way. Of the 17 seats which voted no, 2 were traditionally conservative electorates in rural Queensland, where most of us probably expected the strongest opposition. But the others were all in the suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney, particularly those with large populations of immigrants. The strongest anti-SSM sentiment was in Western Sydney, where 12 of the 17 'no' seats are found, with the seats with Australia's highest Muslim population coming in most strongly against.

Map of results

[Túrin Turambar]

The Bill (or Act, as it is now) received royal assent this morning. At the stroke of midnight tonight, all same-sex couples married overseas will be legally married in Australia. Same-sex weddings can begin on 9 January. A slow process in many ways, but a fast one in some.

[Impenitent]

I've been watching repeat footage of the celebration that broke out in Parliament after the final reading. Extraordinary to watch the House divide for the count and see only four lonely nay-sayers on the empty side of the chamber.

Sent from a tiny phone keyboard via Tapatalk - typos inevitable.