|
Friday, May 23, 2014
2014 US Gay Pride Festivals & Celebrations
Friday, May 16, 2014
Oregon Marriage equality lawsuit: Judge to issue a decision Monday
For Immediate Release -- Friday, May 16
Contact: Peter Zuckerman, Press Secretary: 310-507-4689
Marriage equality lawsuit: Judge to issue a decision Monday
Some counties prepared to start issuing licenses right away
The federal judge in Oregon’s marriage equality lawsuit said he plans to issue an opinion at noon on Monday.
If judge Michael McShane strikes down Oregon’s law excluding same-sex couples from marriage, all loving and committed couples in Oregon could be granted the freedom to marry.
“We don't know which way the judge will rule, but we are hopeful that Oregon is on the verge of making history—and that by next week, all of Oregon's loving, committed couples will be able to wed in our state,” said Amy Ruiz, deputy campaign manager for Oregon United for Marriage.
Oregon United for Marriage launched a “Decision Day Resource Page” last week, for Oregonians anticipating the ruling.
On April 23, Judge McShane heard arguments on motions for summary judgment in the case. On Wednesday May 17 the Judge heard oral arguments from the National Organization for Marriage, which filed their motion to intervene in the case at 11:04 p.m. two days before oral arguments.
So far, more than a dozen judges have ruled for the freedom to marry since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down key parts of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act last year. Once Oregon wins marriage equality, Multnomah County has said that it plans to start issuing licenses right away to gay and lesbian couples.
BACKGROUND ON THE CASES:
Attorneys filed two lawsuits last year in the federal court in Eugene to challenge laws that exclude same-sex couples from marriage in Oregon. In October, attorneys Lake Perriguey and Lea Ann Easton filed the first case, Geiger v. Kitzhaber, on behalf of two couples. In December, staff attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Oregon, and volunteer counsel Misha Isaak and Tom Johnson of Perkins Coie, LLP, and Jennifer Middleton of Johnson, Johnson & Schaller, PC, filed a second case, Rummell v. Kitzhaber, on behalf of two same-sex couples who wish to marry in Oregon and Basic Rights Education Fund. In January, the judge, Michael McShane, consolidated the two cases.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced in February that Measure 36 is indefensible. “Sexual orientation does not determine an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and enduring relationship,” she wrote in a brief filed with the court. “The ban cannot withstand a federal constitutional challenge under any standard of review.”
The National Organization for Marriage in Washington D.C. filed a motion to intervene in the case, and now the judge is hearing arguments about how to rule.
Monday, May 5, 2014
The 2014 Russian River Weekend Coming
The 34th Annual Russian River weekend will be the week of May 15 - May 19th, 2014 and will be held in beautiful downtown Guerneville, California.
Russian River Women’s Weekend Tentative Schedule
May 15 – 19, 2014
VIP Pass Pick-up Location = *
Weekend Long Activities:
- Thursday – Sunday Weekend of the ELEMENTS Guerneville
- Saturday – Sunday Massage for the Health of It r3 Hotel Courtyard
- 6:00 – 9:00 Welcome Party and VIP Passes available McT’s BullPen *
- 6:00 – 10:00 ELEMENT: FIRE ~ Firewalk of Transformation Camp Outback
- 8:00 – Close Country Dan’s Lesbytarian Karaoke McT’s BullPen *
- 9:00 – 12:00 Hey Gurl Hey r3 Hotel
Friday:
- 11:00-6:00 VIP Pass Pick-up Center for Sacred Studies*
- 12:00 – 5:00 Let’s get this Party Started Pool Party r3 Hotel ($5.00 or free with VIP Pass)
- 6:00 – 8:00 RAGS - River Area Gals Society (rivergals.com) Rainbow Cattle Company *
- 7:00 – 9:00 Spiritual Seminar Center for Sacred Studies Ladamira – Siberian Shamanaka from Russia (No VIP Pass) $25
- 8:00 – 12:00 Country Dan’s Lesbytarian Karaoke r3 Hotel
- 8:00 – 12:00 3rd Annual DRAGSTRAVAGANZA Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
- 8:00 – 1:00 Dance Party w/dj Lady Char River Theater ($10 or Free with VIP Pass)
- 10:00 – 2:00 Spiritual Seminar with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies (No VIP Pass) $90 one day/$150 both
- 10:00 – 12:00 ELEMENT: AIR ~ Chanting and Mantras Center for Sacred Studies
- ELEMENT: EARTH ~ Walk in Armstrong Woods meet at Center for Sacred Studies With Ladamira
- 11:00 – 6:00 VIP Pass Pick-up Center for Sacred Studies*
- 12:00 – 6:00 ELEMENT: WATER ~ Pool Party R3 Hotel With DJ LadyRyan
- Water Blessing HIGH NOON
- Commitment/Marriage Ceremony ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
- 2:00 – 5:00 Wet “tease” T-shirt Contest R3 Hotel ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
- 8:00 – 12:00 Teresa Raef, Darcie Rickert and Velvetta! Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10 or Free with VIP Pass)
- 9:00 – Close Poo Poo Head Burlesque Show and Dance Party River Theater * With DJ LadyChar Show starts 10:30 ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
The “More Bang for Your Buck” Show Special:
$15 for both shows on either Friday OR Saturday Nights
$15 for both shows on either Friday OR Saturday Nights
- Friday: 3rd Annual DRAGSTRAVAGANZA & Dance Party
- Saturday: Live Music & Poo Poo Head Burlesque/Dance Party
- 10:00 – 2:00 Spiritual Seminar with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies (No VIP Pass) $90 one day/$150 both
- 11:00 – 5:00 Brunch and Live Music Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10, NO VIP Pass –Brunch not included)
- 12:00 – 4:00 Liquid Church Pool Party with DJ LadyRyan r3 Hotel * ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
- 1:00 – 4:00 “Eat my Pie” Contest r3 Hotel * “Painted Lady” Tattoo Contest RAFFLE to be held at 2:00 p.m. ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
- 1:00 – 5:30 Sweat Wildwood Retreat Center (No VIP Pass)
- 3:00 Rendezvous with Cool Beans River Mill Dinner Theater ($10, NO VIP Pass)
- 3:00 ELEMENT: WATER~ Special Blessing with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies
- 7:00 – 10:00 The Afterglow Main Street Station with "Wild Jane, Miss Maple, & The Bass Babe"
- 8:00 - Close Country Dan’s Lesbitarian Karaoke r3 Hotel
10:00 – 5:00 Leftover’s Lounge r3 Hotel
For more information, please visit: russianriverwomensweekend.org.
Friday, May 2, 2014
California may remove the words "between a man and a woman"
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill that would strike the traditional definition of marriage from California law was approved by the state Senate on Thursday after the U.S. and state supreme courts allowed same-sex unions to resume last year.
SB1306 would remove from the state Family Code language that marriage must be "between a man and a woman." It would substitute gender-neutral language, define marriage as a personal relation arising from a civil contract between two persons, and remove limits on the state recognizing the validity of same-sex marriages performed outside of California.
The bill removes "discriminatory language" from the Family Code and brings state law into compliance with federal and state court decisions allowing same-sex marriages, said Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court left in place a lower court judge's order striking down as unconstitutional a ballot measure known as Proposition 8, the 2008 voter initiative that outlawed same-sex marriages in California. A 5-4 court majority ruled that the ban's sponsors lacked authority to defend the measure on appeal, though the justices did not directly address the ban's constitutionality.
Marriages resumed in late June after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay it had imposed on the lower court ruling. The state Supreme Court dismissed a final challenge by the ban's backers in August.
"I cannot bring myself, though, to diminish the words 'husband and wife,' and this clearly does that. Throughout history those words have been widely used and accepted," said Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, the only senator to speak in opposition. "They're kind of sacred terms, I would argue, and by this bill we are diminishing those very important words."
The bill was sent to the Assembly on a 25-10 vote, with only Republicans in opposition. Two Republicans, Anthony Cannella of Ceres and Ted Gaines of Roseville, voted in favor.
"All this bill does is bring our Family Code section up to date to comply with those two court decisions," Leno said. He added later: "The sky did not fall, civilization as we know it did not end" when gay marriages began.
DON THOMPSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thursday, May 1, 2014
10 Lesbian Dating Red Flags to Watch Out For
By Ruth Schwartz, Ph.d., Conscious Girlfriend
If you’re a queer woman or lesbian who is dating in the hope of creating a happy, healthy, truly intimate lasting relationship, and you meet a woman with one of these red flags, proceed with caution and find out more. If she’s got two or more of these red flags, proceed at your peril. If she’s got three or more, run the other way!
- She and her last love broke up within the past six months – or she’s vague about exactly when they broke up.
- She spends a good part of your date talking about her last love. (Exception: if she’s speaking thoughtfully about her own mistakes and telling you what she learned, she gets a gold star instead of a red flag!)
- She trashes her last love and presents herself as a victim. (Remember, what she says about her ex is what she may be saying about you someday soon…)
- She hasn’t been in a relationship in many years. (Find out why.)
- She’s never had a long-term relationship. (Exception: if she’s under 25. But if someone over 25 has never had a relationship last longer than a few months, there’s probably a reason.)
- She doesn’t have any friends. (Find out why.)
- She spends a lot of time complaining… about anything or anyone. (Not a good sign.)
- She spends most of the time talking, rather than listening to you. (Also not a good sign.)
- She says something mean to or about you, or to or about anyone else. (There’s really no excuse for meanness, and it is definitely not a good sign.)
- She drinks or drugs daily or to excess. (Regular use of alcohol and drugs forestalls real intimacy – no ifs, ands or buts about it.)
Of course, you need to look honestly at yourself too. If you are a woman with two or more of these red flags, be kind to yourself – and to other women – by taking the time to heal and grow more whole before beginning to date.
None of these red flags are permanent conditions. All can be changed. But truly loving, intimate relationships are only likely between two relatively happy, whole, healed women. So, become one before you date – and then look for another. We can help you with this process – just click here!
Ruth L. Schwartz, Ph.D., has been a writer, healer and teacher for over three decades. She has a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology and is also a Board-certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with extensive training in Focusing, shamanism and energy medicine. She’s had a private healing practice since 2003, and is the author of seven books, including Soul on Earth: A Guide to Living & Loving Your Human Life. Ruth has taught at six colleges and universities, and is currently on faculty in the Ashland University low-residency graduate creative writing program.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
