Marriage Equality Rhode Island

Another group coming out strongly in support of marriage equality today: the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, an umbrella group of labor unions representing more than 80,000 people in the state —

Addressing the Executive Board, Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee called the discussion of same-sex marriage a “fundamental civil rights issue, and the labor movement has a long, proud history of fighting for the civil rights of all Americans.” Citing a 2004 General Accounting Office report Nee noted “that there are currently 1,138 federal civil statutory rights and responsibilities associated with the word ‘marriage’ to which thousands of Rhode Islanders are now denied.”

Now you can add your voice to this campaign, from anywhere in the country!  Sign up at callformeri.org to play a part in bringing marriage equality to a sixth US state.

This is great news from the senate president’s constituency. 

At a time when Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed remains a big question mark on same-sex marriage legislation, the Democratic City Committee in her home city of Newport has endosed the bill

Want to help see marriage eqaulity become a reality in Rhode Island?

Sign up at callformeri.org!

Let’s get MERI’d!

gaywrites:

A recent survey shows that people are generally more accepting of gay parents raising a child than of a single mom raising a child. The survey didn’t ask about single fathers.

The survey by the Pew Research Center uses a strange method to explain this, so I’ll let the Advocate give you the details:

One third of Americans say they are comfortable with a variety of family situations, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. That group is called “acceptors.” Another third, called “skeptics” by researchers, have mixed views on nontraditional family structures. The final third group, known as “rejectors,” believe nontraditional families can have a negative impact on society. 

The majority of acceptors and skeptics say that families headed by gay and lesbian parents are an acceptable, if not a positive, asset to society. The view on single mothers, however, is quite polarized. Ninety-eight percent of acceptors think women can raise children alone, but 99% of skeptics and 98% of rejectors believe it’s bad for society. The survey did not ask about single fathers. 

According to a specialist on the subject, the difference is that people are generally more accepting of two-parent families than single-parent families. Media influences featuring gay parents, like The Kids Are All Right and Modern Family, have helped too.

I have mixed reactions to this. I can’t say I’m totally surprised, especially with the explanation provided. However, it’s also important to point out that there’s no one “right” family model. Single straight parents, single gay parents, and two (or sometimes more) gay or straight parents are all perfectly capable of raising children, and one day, maybe we’ll reach the point where we realize that.

What do you guys think of this? Are you surprised by the results?

This is a pretty cool article. 

this is the story of Patricia Baker, she is 54 and has worked as a correctional officer for Rhode Island for 31 years. She gave an emotional speech at the senate hearing for bill 29 this past thursday.

“In 2005, I married Deborah Tevyaw in Massachusetts. Together, we own a home and have a family that includes Deb’s two children and two grandchildren.

While the government always recognizes my federal income tax contributions deducted bi-weekly from my paycheck, they do not extend that recognition to my marriage. I worked all my life for these benefits, only to be told that they will go back to the government because our marriage is not recognized. She needs this money to continue on after I pass, and if our marriage was recognized, there would be no question of that.”

Click the link. Read her story and then help her and hundreds like her stop the worry.

Let’s Get MERI’d!

callformeri.org