D.C Council Votes Yes on Marriage Equality

By: http://www. advocate.com

The D.C. council held its final vote Tuesday on a marriage equality bill, passing it by a wide margin. Mayor Adrian Fenty has pledged to sign the bill, which will go into effect this spring.
The bill passed the council by a vote of 11-2, identical to the vote in November. After Fenty signs the bill, it will have to withstand a 30-day congressional review period.“I have been making laws on behalf of the citizens of this city for 12 years, and until now, have never been a fully enfranchised citizen,” council member David Catania, the lead sponsor of this bill, said during today’s vote. He thanked several colleagues and gay rights activists who helped him get this bill passed.
Council member Kwame R. Brown also made a passionate speech in support of the bill, pointing out that he has a mother who disagrees with him on the issue — and said as much in TheWashington Post. He said this vote is for the "unborn— future generations who will benefit.Council member and former Washington mayor Marion Barry ran down his longtime support of LGBT rights before casting a no vote on the marriage bill, saying, “I’m not voting not against the LGBT community, I’m voting no against this particular act.”Barry says he supports domestic partnerships and will continue to stand behind LGBT citizens, but says it was a difficult “decision of conscience” that led him to disagree.Barry commended Catania twice during the vote and even acknowledged that this must be “a proud moment” for him.
Council member Yvette Alexander also voted no on the bill, but she thanked Catania and the LGBT community for continuing to stand with her despite this "difficult" decision. "We all have to be tolerant ... and we need to be open to some of the changes," Alexander said, before reaffirming her no vote.In recent days, “the only suspense... has been about whether the council would consider amendments the bill to try to assuage some of the concerns the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has raise about the proposal,” reported the Post. “Under the bill, church officials are already exempt from having to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies or celebrations. But if gay couples are allowed to marry, church officials worry Catholic Charities would be forced to extend spousal benefits and adoption services to same-sex couples."

Houston Elects Annise Parker

Annise Parker told voters in November she would be Houston's new mayor, and though low voter turnout made it a tighter race than predicted, she's made good on her promise.
The city controller beat out former City Attorney Gene Locke at the polls Saturday. With all of the precincts reporting, Parker won 53% to Locke's 47%, making Houston the largest city in the United States to elect an openly gay mayor.
“Tonight the voters of Houston have opened the door to history,” Parker said Saturday night, standing by her partner of 19 years, Kathy Hubbard, and their three adopted children. “I acknowledge that. I embrace that. I know what this win means to many of us who never thought we could achieve high office.”
Parker had been endorsed by both the Victory Fund and the Chronicle and was an early favorite to win. Though antigay fliers attacking her sexual orientation were circulated late last month, they appear to have had little effect of the race.
"This is an important milestone for our country, but it's equally important to know voters in Houston chose Annise even after a flurry of antigay campaigns designed to divide and distract voters," Victory Fund president Chuck Wolfe wrote in an email immediately after Parker's win. "This time the extremists failed. Houstonians rejected their tactics and voted for the most experienced and competent candidate to lead this city forward."
Parker had previously said in interviews her sexual orientation had little to do with being mayor and is "just a piece of the package."