Weekend update: Can’t keep up
The people updating these marriage equality maps can’t keep up! (Click to embiggen)
One that is particularly exciting for me is Arizona. I have some friends who live there, two of whom happen to be a lesbian couple who, after being together more than a decade, had gotten legally married over in California during the brief period it was legal before Proposition 8 was passed (which, of course, was later struck down and now California is a marriage equality state, once more). But Kathy and Barb are Arizona citizens, and it has been galling (not to mention sometimes costly {don’t ask about how hard it is for a couple whose relationship is not legally recognized to get a clear house deed in both their names once the mortgage is paid off}). Anyway, on Friday Arizona came into the 21st Century, recognizing the rights of same sex couples to marry, which means their California marriage license is recognized. And the icing on the cake? Friday was the sixth anniversary of their California wedding! Talk about an awesome anniversary present! Congratulations, Kats and Barb, and here’s wishing you many more happy years together!
It’s not all good news regarding equality, Media Matters explains How Conservative Media Make It Harder For Schools To Protect Transgender Youth.
And look at this, Report about racial profiling for traffic stops in Ferguson, MO, reveals that 25% of the city’s revenue come for court fees and fines. Am I supposed to be surprised?
In case you missed it, since earlier this week most of the media failed to report that the seemingly slightly more tolerant statements about homosexuality were reversed, Catholic Bishops Scrap Welcome To Gays.
But in moderately better news, Catholic Cardinal who said it is evil to introduce children to their gay relatives ousted.
Missed the bit about the Bishops, but not really surprised. Reading between the lines, it looks like the new Pope is trying very hard to be a “good” and “tolerant” media mouth piece, but unless it comes in the form of a reversing papal edict (to current church rules) or the Cardinals/Bishops make a motion for a formal change, that’s all it is: words. That said, the more words he uses, the more the church attendees who don’t study theology take it to heart. A lot of standard parishioners don’t understand that his literal word is not always law. Many that I sat in church with thought if the Pope said it, it must be REAL. I think (wonder if) that’s one of the reasons people get confused and think it’s such a big deal whenever he does say a nice thing or a thing that is different (ie: women in prominent church positions are a good thing) than standard. They don’t understand how the actual rules work. Still, I see that as a potentially good thing in the long run. The more they hear that, the more pressure the actual governing body is going to get to actually enact the changes. I know that’s an extremely optimistic reading, but I’m hoping it happens that way.
Honestly, my main gripe is the way the media fall all over themselves to plaster in headlines that the church is becoming more accepting… and then they completely ignore the next day when the powers that be walk it back.
Then if us queers mention something bad the church says or does later, random people scold us for not giving them credit for this good stuff they did awhile ago, you know?
No one should be scolded for bringing a problem to light. Especially when it’s ignored in favor of sugar coating.