U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) Pens Op-Ed in Support of Marriage Equality in Rhode Island, Nation

Justin Ward, GLAAD's Media Field Strategist

“As the debate about same-sex marriage continues in Rhode Island and in Washington, I have taken time to reflect carefully on my own position.  Based on my own experiences and my firm belief that all Americans should be treated equally under the law, I am now convinced that affording full marriage equality rights to same-sex couples is the only fair and responsible approach for both Rhode Island and the nation.  If our nation expects to provide equal protection to all, then our civic institutions must reflect that noble goal.” -U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-Rhode Island)

With those words appearing in Saturday’s edition of The Providence Journal – Rhode Island’s highest-circulation newspaper, U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin made it very clear that he now fully supports marriage equality in his home state and the nation.

The blogosphere was quickly abuzz Saturday morning as Journal readers first learned that Langevin’s position has changed.  His remarks above even earned him the “Quote of the Day” from popular blogger Joe Jervis (of Joe. My. God.).

A devout Catholic who previously supported civil unions, Langevin wrote in the Journal that his position on marriage equality changed after attending the commitment ceremony of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years.  He wrote in the Journal:

“Before their friends and family, they professed their love, commitment and respect for each other.  Their sentiments were just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union would not be treated the same under the law.  That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens.  I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved.”

That commitment ceremony took place three years ago, and since then, Langevin says that he has taken the time to reflect carefully on his position.

This is not the first time Langevin has been vocal about his support of LGBT equality.  In previous years, he has opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation at both the state and federal level.  He has co-sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and hate crimes legislation.  He also supported efforts to repeal the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.

Langevin’s op-ed in Saturday’s edition of The Providence Journal is very much worthwhile reading in its entirety.  To do so, please click here.

Langevin concluded his op-ed by urging Rhode Island lawmakers to make 2011 the year that marriage equality becomes a reality in the state.

“As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state’s founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support marriage equality in our state.  It’s time to do the right thing.”

In a statement, the board of directors of Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) thanked Rep. Langevin for supporting the passage of marriage equality legislation in Rhode Island.

“Today is another clear indication that the marriage equality initiative in Rhode Island continues to build momentum. On behalf of MERI, I want to thank Congressman Langevin for exhibiting the courage and reason to allow his position to evolve on this critically important issue which has adversely affected thousands of Rhode Islanders for far too long,” said Martha Holt, MERI board member.

GLAAD also thanks Rep. Langevin for publicly supporting the passage of marriage equality legislation in Rhode Island.  To our readers, we also underscore the importance of sharing your lives and stories with friends, family and colleagues.  As Rep. Langevin demonstrates in his op-ed, it’s sharing our lives that often makes all the difference when it comes to changing hearts and minds.

In November 2010, GLAAD was on the ground in Providence to train couples, along with MERI staff and volunteers, on how to share their stories of love and commitment with the media.  We will continue to be supportive of MERI until the day when marriage equality becomes a reality in Rhode Island.

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UPDATE: Statewide Efforts to Achieve Relationship Recognition

by Justin Ward

GLAAD Media Field Strategists Adam Bass, Daryl Hannah and Justin Ward contributed to this report.

In Friday’s edition of The New York Times, writer Charlie Savage examines the pending legal challenges to the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” and whether these cases may force President Obama to “take a clear stand on politically explosive questions like whether gay men and lesbians have been unfairly stigmatized” because of the congressional act.  But while there has been little movement on the national stage, states are vigorously taking up the issue of marriage equality.

Colorado

Earlier this month, Colorado Sen. Pat Steadman reassured civil union supporters that he would be introducing legislation during this legislative session.  This past Sunday, nearly 100 supporters of civil unions gathered at the First Unitarian Society of Denver with signs that read “Love is Love.”

“This is something that I think is overdue, something that will protect families and will make our laws a little bit more fair, and a little bit more inclusive so that everyone has the same opportunity to have economic security and stability in their family relationship,” the senator said.

GLAAD worked on the ground with One Colorado to media train 107 individuals and campaign spokespersons to talk about love and commitment.

Hawaii

Last year the Hawaii state legislature approved civil unions, only to see the bill vetoed by then-Gov. Linda Lingle (R).  Neil Abercrombie (D) was elected governor in 2010 and has expressed support for civil union legislation.  The legislature has fast-tracked a bill that is nearly identical to the civil union bill passed last year, and it sailed through the Senate by a 19-6 vote in the first days of the legislative session.  The House is likely to pass the bill in the coming days, and the governor is expected to sign it shortly thereafter.

Illinois

On Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn will sign the historic legislation legalizing civil unions in Illinois and granting hundreds of  gay and lesbian couples  legal recognition from the state. Upon signage, gay and lesbian couples will be able to make medical decisions for ailing partners as well as inherit a deceased partner’s property rights.

When the bill cleared both the state’s House (61-52) and Senate (32-24) last month, Gov. Quinn told the Associated Press: “I think they [businesses and convention organizers] look for a state that is a welcoming, accepting, hospitable place and that’s what we are in Illinois.  We have everybody in and nobody left out.”

Last March, GLAAD, in partnership with Chicago’s Center on Halstead, conducted a media spokesperson training for over 70 LGBT and allied leaders.

Maryland

A Feb. 8 date has been set for the Maryland marriage equality bill hearing.  The bill, which would remove a provision in Maryland law limiting marriage to relationships between a man and a woman, is “one of the highest profile issues before the Maryland General Assembly,” according to The Washington Post.

New Hampshire

In a press release Friday, the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition announced that Rep. David Bates (R-Windham) has introduced a bill that would repeal the state’s one-year-old marriage equality law.  Bates’ introduction of the bill comes despite bicameral support for creating jobs, not repealing marriage equality.  Several of Bates’ colleagues in the legislature have said that a repeal of marriage equality isn’t on this year’s agenda.  Ultimately the House Judiciary Committee must make that decision.  Since marriage equality became the law of the land in New Hampshire in January 2010, nearly 900 committed gay and lesbian couples have legally married in the state.

New Mexico

State Representative David Chavez has introduced two pieces of legislation that would both seek to restrict marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.  The first piece of legislation would change a state law that allows out-of-state marriages to be recognized and would exclude gay and lesbian couples from such recognition.  The second piece of legislation introduced by Rep. Chavez would propose to voters a constitutional amendment to prohibit marriage equality for same-sex couples.  Both pieces of legislation are likely to be heard in the State House in the coming weeks.

Rhode Island

The House Judiciary Committee will hear arguments on marriage equality this Wednesday, Feb. 2, according to The Providence Journal.  With support from openly gay House Speaker Gordon Fox, a co-sponsor of this year’s marriage equality legislation, as well as new Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who called for marriage equality during his inaugural address, many observers contend that marriage equality stands its best chance for passage this year.  But there are a few challenges ahead.  Senate President M. Teresa Paiva-Weed has announced she will not support the bill.

As described in the agenda for Wednesday’s hearing, the proposed legislation would “broaden the definition of persons eligible to marry to include persons of the same gender.”  The bill also stipulates that clergy would not be required to perform any particular marriage ceremony.

In November, GLAAD worked on the ground with Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) to train staff, board members, volunteers and couples on how to talk about love and commitment in the media.

Wyoming

The Wyoming legislature is faced with a series of bills to consider, all dealing with how to recognize gay and lesbian couples in the state.  The state House narrowly passed a measure that would prohibit the recognition of out-of-state marriages and sent the measure to the Senate for consideration.  The state Senate passed a constitutional amendment prohibiting recognition of all marriages of gay and lesbian couples, but the amendment still faces a vote in the House of Representatives, before being sent to voters for ratification.  Additionally, a bill that would recognize marriage equality was introduced, though it was tabled without a vote.

A measure to recognize civil unions was narrowly defeated in the House Judiciary Committee, despite having bipartisan support.  Several legislators expressed interest in reconsidering the idea of civil unions if the bill was less cumbersome.  “When you love someone, you want to settle down together,” State Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R- Cheyenne) said.  “You want to have a life with them.  You want to go into that duty and obligation you have for another human being to care for them in sickness and health.  Civil unions provide that duty and obligation for them to be committed, to care for one another, and to have a life that they can build together.”

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Catholics Stand by Their Consciences on Marriage Equality

Ann Craig, GLAAD's Director of Religion Faith and Values

Elected officials who are Catholic are stepping up to support marriage equality—often despite heavy-handed tactics by the Catholic hierarchy.  Political figures know that Catholics in the electorate continue to grow in their acceptance of marriage equality for LGBT people. Recent Pew Research shows almost 50% of Catholics, regardless of how often they attend church, support full marriage equality.

In Rhode Island, a Catholic bishop recently lashed out at state officials for introducing a bill for marriage equality to the General Assembly.  Governor Lincoln Chafee responded, “Our foundation here in Rhode Island was built on tolerance and acceptance and this is an area I want to move our state forward on, by building on our strengths of centuries ago.”  Rhode Island would join Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C., if it passes. Rhode Island already recognizes marriages of same-sex couples from out of state.

In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said in his inauguration speech, “We believe in justice for all, then let’s pass marriage equality this year once and for all.” His next action was to go to mass and take communion.  When his father, Mario Cuomo, was governor, Cardinal O’Connor threatened him with excommunication because of his stand on abortion.  Current New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan is against marriage equality but has not yet pushed back against Cuomo’s plans to move forward toward equality.  A recent Siena College poll found that 56% of New Yorkers support marriage equality.

On the other side of the planet, Australian Cardinal George Pell weighed in on national legislation when he told the Sunday Telegraph that it was “incongruous for somebody to be a Captain Catholic one minute, saying they’re as good a Catholic as the Pope, then voting against the established Christian traditions”.  Regional Premier, Kristina Keneally, a Catholic, called Peli’s statements “condemnatory and threatening” and defended her colleagues’ faithfulness to their religion and their responsibilities as legislators.  Elected official, Tony Stewart said: “I found those comments from Pell bizarre and straight from the 1950s…Trying to get politicians to vote in accordance to the Catholic Church is really to the detriment of what parliamentary representation is all about in Australia.”  LGBT advocates have been asking for a meeting with Cardinal Pell about marriage equality for the last month, and despite meeting his requirements, he has yet to meet with them.

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NOM Targets Rhode Island

By Advocate.com Editors

The National Organization for Marriage's Rhode Island chapter has launched a six-figure media campaign to fight a new and promising legislative push for marriage equality in the state.

A new ad attacking pro–marriage equality governor Lincoln Chafee was scheduled to air Tuesday as part of a $100,000 television campaign, The Providence Journal reports. Last week lawmakers reintroduced bills that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.

"Lincoln Chaffee [sic] got just 36% of the vote in the recent election," NOM-Rhode Island executive director Christopher Plante said in a statement. "Our message is that getting 36% of the vote is no mandate to redefine the institution of marriage for all of Rhode Island society.

"If legislators in Rhode Island wish to redefine marriage, they should put this issue on the ballot where the people themselves can decide if they wish to abandon one of the most fundamental institutions of society,'' Plante said.

The first ad, posted to YouTube, has since been removed, however.

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Bills aimed at legalizing same-sex marriage introduced in Rhode Island House, Senate

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island may be poised to become the next state to legalize same-sex marriage as bills were introduced Thursday in the state’s House and Senate chambers aimed at doing just that.

The move comes just two days after Governor Lincoln Chafee, in his inaugural address, called on legislators to swiftly legalize same-sex marriage, so that Rhode Island could “catch up to her New England neighbors.’’

The two bills, reintroduced in the House by Rep. Arthur Handy, and in the Senate by Sen. Rhoda Perry, call for legalizing “civil marriage” between people of the same gender, while specifying that no religious institution would be required to marry same-sex couples if it goes against its teachings.

The House bill was co-signed by 29 lawmakers, including House Speaker Gordon D. Fox, who is openly gay. Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed (D) opposes gay marriage, but her spokesman said she won’t block a vote on the legislation.

Efforts to legalize gay marriage in Rhode Island have been introduced several times in recent years, but failed due to opposition from former Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, a Republican, and previous legislative leaders.

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Take Two for R.I. Marriage Equality

By Advocate.com Editors

Energized by the support of newly sworn in Gov. Lincoln Chafee (pictured), gay rights advocates will reintroduce a bill in Rhode Island’s House Thursday to legalize marriage equality.

Rep. Arthur Handy said in an interview Wednesday he has already lined up 27 co-sponsors and was hopeful he could get more. He said he would reintroduce the bill on Thursday regardless of the number of supporters he had in his corner.

Openly gay House Speaker Gordon D. Fox is the bill’s other lead sponsor. He said he hopes the House will vote early in the session before budget concerns take priority.

Handy says the bill is identical to legislation he introduced last year.

Chafee declared his support for marriage equality while being sworn in on Tuesday.

“When marriage equality is the law in Rhode Island, we honor our forefathers who risked their lives and fortune in the pursuit of human equality,” Chafee said during his speech.

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