Mens swimwear Male chastity
Same sex marriage
Samesexmarriage.biz
Penis enlargement
It's about time!
Same sex Marriage is now legal in California and even
though the right wing
Crazies are trying to get a measure on the ballot to
add a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay
marriage by all indications that measure will fail. I
believe the public is tired of the right wind agenda
on so many fronts same sex marriage just being one of
them. It will be very interesting to see what stands
our Presidential candidates take on the issue of same
sex marriage. All though legal in a couple other
states becoming legal in the powerhouse state of
California has broad national and international
implications. The past few decades California as been
a leader on so many levels that this has to be viewed
a major
victory for gay rights and of course for the
institution of same sex marriage.
This site is for people to post articles about same
sex marriage, we will offer interesting links to other
gay related sites too.
In the future we will be adding a gallery of gay
marriage wedding photos and
information on how best to plan a same sex wedding.
We are so excited to see same sex marriage get a
foothold here in California and elated
about the prospects of same sex marriage becoming
available to other people through-out
The USA and internationally too.
Same sex marriage - Is it right for you?
The same-sex marriage issue has become a very intense
topic between United States citizens. It doesn't
matter what state they live in, the topic remains a
tense one. It has pulled the country in many
different directions and it has caused a large number
of people to reevaluate their own feelings and beliefs
about this high profile subject.
No matter where you look, you will be able to find
both "gay" and "straight" couples alike are on both
sides of this argument. This fact alone makes it even
a more intense topic, since the division makes it no
longer a gay or straight issue alone. It instead has
now become a "rights" issue that not everyone believes
in.
Same sex marriage
Although, there is a large majority of gay couples
that tend to lean towards the granting of the term
"marriage" in their relationships, there are still
other gay couples that lean towards the term "union"
as long as the same rights are given in either case.
Some of these "union" advocates believe that the term
"marriage" refers to a ceremony of the church, and
that those churches have the right to allow same-sex
marriages or not, depending on their own beliefs, but
as for the government itself, it should recognize
same-sex unions equally with their church counterpart.
One being a church-backed ceremony recognized by the
government giving certain rights to each partner in
the marriage, while the other is also a government
recognized ceremony but may or may not have the
backing of a particular church with the same rights as
the other.
Although there have been two states that have passed
the appropriate laws to allow marriage between
same-sex couples. Massachusetts and California have
both passed laws regarding same-sex marriages.
Massachusetts did so in 2004, followed by California
in 2008. Both of these states have traveled a long
legislative road to get to where they are now on this
very tense issue. These two states now give full
spousal rights to those married same-sex couples.
Even though they are allowing marriages to same-sex
couples, they are still being fought at every possible
turn. The legislature of these two states is
constantly being bombarded by complaints and legal
action from groups and organizations opposed to the
legalization of same-sex unions or marriages.
Same sex marriage
There are other states that are allowing same-sex
civil unions instead of same-sex marriages, but the
two have many of the same rights and privileges.
Vermont same sex marriage
A controversial civil unions law passed in theVermont
General Assembly in 2000. It was passed as a response
to the the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling in Baker v.
Vermont which mandated that the state had to grant
same-sex couples the same rights and privileges that
are given to married couples. At the time, many
people felt strongly opposed to the idea of same-sex
marriage, so the legislature enacted civil unions as a
compromise between the groups seeking marital rights
for same-sex couples, and the groups who were
objecting to the concept of same-sex marriage. Marion
Milne who served in the Vermont House was a three-term
legislator from Washington. She was one of the most
influential componants in the passing of this bill.
Consequently, just like many of her fellow legislators
that were pushing to pass this bill, her conservative
home district retaliated by not re-electing her in the
2000 elections. The Vermont civil union is nearly
identical to a legal marriage, as far as the rights
and responsibilities for which state law, and not
federal law, is responsible are concerned. It grants
same-sex partners next-of-kin rights and other marital
protections that heterosexual married couples receive.
That being the case, in the absence of specific
legislation, Vermont's civil unions are generally not
recognized outside of the state of Vermont despite the
the "full faith and credit" clause that is contained
the United States Constitution. In order to prevent
the state from mandating obligatory recognition of
same-sex couples in other jurisdictions, opponents of
the law have supported the Defense of Marriage Act and
the proposed Federal Marriage Ammendment. If these
two bills were passed, it would mean that many of the
over 1,100 federal laws which fall in the federal
jurisdiction and give rights to married heterosexual
couples {such as joint federal income tax returns,
visas and work permits for the foreign partner of a
U.S. citizen, etc} would not be extended to the
partners of a Vermont civil union. As far as
voluntary recognition of the civil union in other
jurisdictions is concerned, New York City's Domestic
Partnership Law, which was passed in 2002, recognizes
civil unions formalized in other jurisdictions as long
as it was legel where they were received as well.
Germany has an International Civil Law or (EGBGB)
which gives to Vermont civil unions all of the same
benefits and responsibilities that apply in Vermont,
as long as they do not exceed the standard accorded by
German law to a German civil union.
Connecticut same sex marriage
In 2005, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a
bill to adopt civil unions in Connecticut.
Connecticut's civil unions are identical to marriage
and provide all of the same rights and
responsibilities except for the title. Connecticut was
the first state in the US to voluntarily pass a
same-sex civil unions law through the legislature
without any immediate court intervention.[citation
needed]
New Jersey Same sex marriage
On October 25, 2006 The Supreme Court of New Jersey
gave New Jersey lawmakers 180 days to rewrite the
state's marriage laws, either including same-sex
couples or creating a new system of civil unions for
them.[42] On December 14, the Legislature passed a
bill establishing civil unions in New Jersey, which
was signed into law by Governor Jon Corzine on
December 21, 2006. The first civil unions took place
on February 19, 2007.[43][44]
New Hampshire same sex marriage
On April 26, 2007, the New Hampshire General Court
(state legislature) passed a civil union bill, and
Governor John Lynch signed the bill into law on May
31, 2007.[45] At the time, New Hampshire was "...the
first state to embrace same-sex unions without a court
order or the threat of one.".[46] The New Hampshire
civil union legislation became effective on January 1,
2008.[47]
The huge news is California. As of June 16 2008 same
sex marriage has full legal
standing in the state of California. Same sex marriage
is expected to explode in California
and it has always been said that where California goes
the rest of the world can't be to far behind. The
California Supreme Court which said the states ban
against same sex marriage will have impact in the rest
of the nations courts. The California Supreme court
has tremendous standing in the legal world.
Some of these organizations are telling others actual
concerns that they have with this issue, while others
are misleading people by using various tactics. Some
of these tactics are being used to appeal to the
masses of religious citizens who would rather listen
to someone that "seems" to know what they are talking
about instead of double checking what they are being
told by doing the research themselves. A perfect
example of the confrontational archetype leading
others by stressing their view as fact is commentator
Bill O'Reily of The O'Reily Factor. He has been
caught in telling the viewers falsehoods constantly in
his incessant attempts to make a point that he does
not have the actual information on. Instead he says
things that are more or less what he wants to be true.
Granted he is a television personality that makes his
money on finding and exposing controversy in the news,
but given the presentation in which he delivers his
own view, as 100% fact, should be changed.
Unfortunately, there are many people on both sides of
the issue that are followers of people like this and
take their word as fact because they are on
television.
A lot of the religious organizations' arguments on the
other hand have to deal with their biblical doctrine
and belief that they are doing the right thing.
However misguided they may be on which issues to
attack, they have a right to be heard just as the
advocates of same-sex marriage have a right to be
heard. The churches tend to use scripture in their
arguments, therefore eliminating a lot of opposition
through lack of the ability to contradict what they
say. They will quote verses and repeat what their
preachers have told them, whether they have looked it
up themselves or not. A lot of times the verses may
be taken out of context or simply "re-interpreted" to
fit their agenda. These are the same type of people
who say, "well the Bible does say "An eye for an eye""
when someone wrongs them, giving them biblical reason
to take revenge on someone. They don't know or
realize that the whole verse says that revenge is for
their God to take and not theirs to take, therefore
forgetting or disregarding all of the other verses
about forgiveness. It is these instances that are the
fuel to this battle for what is right and wrong.
Other organizations may have legitimate concerns, but
their fear is being overshadowed by the other's
manufactured threats of what same-sex marriage will do
to society and are widely unheard.
Being A Gay Parent In A Homophobic Society.
In today's world, being a gay parent can be a
tremendous struggle, even with all the different
cultures views and a much wider realm of acceptance
among so many individuals and groups these days.
There are a large number of people who have a hard
time accepting the ever-increasing popularity of the
same sex relationships. Approximately six to twelve
million children have been born into a gay or lesbian
parented family. Even with the number of gays and
lesbians choosing to parent rising higher and higher
every single year, there is still a large struggle for
the need to be accepted into what is felt to be a
homophobic society. Lesbians and gays are the only
culture who's feelings seem to be restricted on their
rights as parents.
Some of the various restrictions that you might come
across, are that there are many states who still
consider the gays and lesbians as a second class
citizen, and they also do not allow them the benefit
of being able to adopt children into their home.
There have been several courts who have awarded
previous spouses or a heterosexual relative the
custody of a child from a gay or lesbian parent,
simply because his or her parents were gay. This has
even went as far as in restricting the visitation
rights of the gay parent.
Another very common problem many individuals will run
into when having a same-sex partnership is the legal
limitations that are placed on them, on parental leave
from work and the benefits in having shared health
insurance as a family.
There are many organizations that still do not accept
these same-sex relationships. For example, your
church, your family members, many of your friends or
even your job may discriminate against you, simply
because you are gay or lesbian.
What most people do not realize is the positive side
of this issue. In a study, it was found that gay
fathers were more apt to show a compassionate nature
and show a much wider range of emotion towards their
children.
Growing Up In A Home With Same Sex Parents
Contrary to what society might tell us, there have
been studies done, on children that have been shown to
prove that having a gay or lesbian parent, has had
absolutely no interference with their children's
sexual preference one way or another, or any other
area of their psychological and emotional
developments. Also it was found, surprisingly, that
children of same-sex parents also had no problems in
befriending their peers. Daughters have a tendency to
have a more positive outlook on themselves, and sons
had the tendency in being more passionate, and seemed
to have a less negative reaction to their peers.
There is no proof showing that children from these
parenting types face any more difficulty in
socializing then a child of the 'straight' lifestyle.
How Does Age Play Into A Gay Or Lesbian Relationship?
Gay or lesbian couples from the same age group:
Age groups and their involvement in relationships are
going to play the same types of roles in any
relationship. Whether it is a straight relationship,
a gay relationship, or a lesbian relationship.
Neither of these groups will hold any weight as to
whether they lean more to one age group, than another.
As with the 'straight' relationships where both the
male and the female are of the same age group, this of
course will also hold true in any of the gay or
lesbian relationships. Among males, you will find
couples where both men are of the teen or young adult
age group. There will be couples where both men will
be in the middle age group, and then there will also
be gay couples where both men will be of the older age
group.
In lesbian relationships, you will find the very same
groups of couples. There will be the younger girls,
teens, and young adults involved in relationships with
women of their same age. You will also find couples
where both women will be from the same middle age
group. Lastly, you will also find relationships where
both women are among the older age group.
Same sex marriage
Gay and lesbian relationships in the older / younger
age ranges:
This gap in age groups among relationships has always
had somewhat of an appeal among a large majority of
members in our society. Just as in the same age
relationships, this group also has an appeal in both
the straight and gay/lesbian lifestyles.
You will always be able to find many straight couples
where either the male or the female is much older than
their partner. Again, the same holds true for a gay
or lesbian relationship. Many times you will see same
sex gay relationships where one member will be much
older than his partner. In lesbian relationships, it
is just as common to see one of the young girls or
women in the relationship to be much older than her
partner.
There is however, a sort of 'sex appeal' that seems to
be placed by many people on the older vs. younger
lesbian relationships. Many times you will see the
lesbian woman who has been labeled as curious, or
someone who is 'testing the waters' so to speak,
latched onto the arm of a much older 'seasoned'
lesbian partner. This happens many times because the
younger female looks up to her older partner as that
of a mentor.
A large amount of younger girls and young women are
intrigued with the idea of finding an older man to
form a relationship with. This can also be true for
the lesbian type relationships where she is more
intrigued by her much older female counterpart.
The younger girl knows that her partner will have a
lot more experience in all aspects of the
relationship. Money, the decision making process,
family matters, dealing with the stigma that can be
placed on these types of relationships by society, and
an entire slew of other topics where it is just common
knowledge that the older partner is more likely to
have a lot more experience than her younger partner.
Will Being In A Gay Or Lesbian Relationship Have Any
Affects On My Homophobic Family?
This is a very broad question, and it is also one that
can branch off into many different categories. We
will touch on a few of these.
There is a very large number of families that will be
completely accepting of the family member who has just
'broke out of the closet' and told them that they are
living a gay or lesbian lifestyle. It would be
fantastic if we lived in a perfect world where all of
our family members accepted this bit of news with open
arms.
We do not live in a perfect world however, and there
are many family members who receive this surprising
news and do not accept it quite as easily as others
seem to.
It is usually best to stay completely open an honest
with your friends and your family members about your
feelings, thoughts, and ideas. This is an area
however, that you will have to use your own personal
judgment on.
There are some people, that it will not matter what
you say or do, they will remain close-minded to this
type of topic. All you can do is simply keep in mind
that you only have control over your own happiness and
your own dreams. You cannot change the way another
person feels, thinks, or responds.
If you are one that is trying to plan your marriage,
here is something you will need to take into
consideration. You will need at least 10 to 12 months
to be able to plan it all, for the moment of a
lifetime you have been waiting for.
The very first thing you need to decide, is on what
type of ceremony you and your partner are wanting to
partake in. Whether you have decided to choose a full
marriage, civil union, domestic partnership, or
commitment ceremony. You will also need to determine
if you would prefer a religious or non-religious.
Part of choosing your type of ceremony that you will
need to decide, is if you want a reception or not, and
this process will take at least a couple of hours.
Sitting down and finally planning a budget would be
the best option so that you both will know how much
your wallets will allow you to spend. Breaking it
down into certain events that you want in your wedding
is easy.
o 50% Reception
o 5% Flowers
o 10% Music
o 10% Photography
o 10% Tuxedo or Dress Rental
o 5% Invitations
o 10% Miscellaneous
Make sure you put enough into your budget, just in
case you have any last minute thoughts.
You may choose to write your own wedding vows to your
companion, or just simply research on the Internet for
the ones that fit you perfectly, and pick the vows
that have the most meaningful words to you.
Your big wedding day should be the best day of your
life, so pick the special place that both of you have
a deep love for. Be sure to ask that the venues you
decide on are gay-friendly. If you would like to have
your ceremony performed at a gay pride ceremony, just
check out their calendar and see when they will be in
the area. They may or may not be able to accommodate
you and your plans.
If you are refused when looking for a church because
they do not perform same-sex marriages, do not get
upset there are many more places out there.
Trying to determine how many of you're friends and
family members to invite? Always know that the more
people there is to share your memorable moments the
more your wedding will cost.
Do not worry about going out and spending a lot of
money on invitations, you can simply create them
yourself or just use the world wide Internet and send
them in an email to everyone! The choices you have
available are limitless.
Make sure you book your reception hall well in
advance. A lot of places tend to be reserved quicker
then other areas. You will need to decide if you
would like to have the event catered, a live band or
DJ, and whether or not you want a professional
photographer to capture all those special moments that
you and your partner will not want to forget.
There are people out there that take photos, but make
sure that you choose a professional, you would hate to
spend more money on someone that does not know what
they are doing as apposed to someone that is well
trained, providing you with a great quality. The same
goes for a DJ. You will not want a DJ that has not
performed at wedding reception, you never know what
song they might play next.
Do not worry about getting your vehicle decorated up
with all the streamers, cans, and shaving cream. Rent
a limousine that will pick you up and take you to and
from your ceremony and the reception. From there they
can take you to your final destination where you can
decide whether or not you plan to go on that wonderful
honeymoon as happy newlywed partners!
Just like with any other modern day wedding, your
partner gives you an engagement ring and during the
special moment of the wedding ceremony you both can
exchange commitment rings. If you choose not to
exchange rings, decide on another type of jewelry that
symbolizes your love for each other.
You will also want to check out the attire that can be
available for your wedding. Whether you choose a
formal or casual wedding, make sure you rent your
tuxedo and buy your dress around the last 3 months
prior to the wedding date. Especially if gaining
weight is a big factor for you and your partner, you
would hate to rent or purchase your attire, then when
it comes down to the ceremony, it doesn't fit! Most
bridal stores offer a discount if you order all of
your wedding outfits at once.
Call you local bakery and sit down to discuss how many
layers, flavors, and other precious features you you
may want on your delicious cake. Be sure you do this
step 2-3 months in advance. Waiting till the last
minute, might mean that you won't get that perfect one
that you've always dreamed of.
Flowers can also make your wedding very colorful and
unique. Go to your local florist and choose the best
bouquets that you both agree upon.
Last but not least, choose that favorite destination
for you and your partner to go on, and enjoy that
wonderful honeymoon together. You will be able to
spend quality time together without the whole family!
This is a vacation of sorts that you will only have
one chance to do together. So, be sure to plan it
wisely, and most importantly, have fun! |
