DETROIT - The first gay couple to apply for a marriage license at the office of the Wayne County Clerk, Kevin Love and Darryl Lawson, were turned away after being told that state law prevented the Clerk from granting their request.
Love and Lawson, both of Detroit, were disappointed Wednesday, but vowed to continue their effort to have their relationship legally recognized by the State of Michigan. A total of six couples attempted to obtain marriage licenses Wednesday. All were denied but took the material supplied by the Clerk’s office, including a license application and a copy of the Michigan law cited by the Clerk as the basis for refusing to grant the applications.
“The Clerk’s office was very polite and respectful, but made it clear that their hands were tied,” said Jeffrey Montgomery, Executive Director of Triangle Foundation. “It was really moving to see these couples come forward, knowing they would be turned away, but making the statement of their hope to be treated equally and a strong public declaration of the value of their love and relationships. It’s a shame that the County is bound by a reactionary legislature to deny these people what any heterosexual couple takes so much for granted.”
Meanwhile, outside of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, about 100 gays, lesbians and supporters rallied to seek legal recognition of “same-sex” civil marriage. The occasion was also used as an opportunity to decry recent comments by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick that he is against “gay marriages.” The rally, and the six couples’ attempt to obtain licenses, comes at a time of amplified discussion of the issue at the local, state and national level. George Bush has injected his support of discrimination into the U.S. Presidential campaign by his endorsement of a Federal Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriage. In Michigan, as early as next week, the State House of Representatives may also vote on a similar amendment proposition for the state, and in Detroit, City Council is expected to take up the issue of Domestic Partnership Benefits in the near future.
“This is political pandering at its worst,” said Susan Horowitz, organizer of the rally and publisher of Between the Lines, Michigan’s leading GLBT newspaper. "It is clear President Bush and the Mayor are using our lives and relationships as political cannon fodder to galvanize his hard-right, conservative base in this election season."

Yesterday, Ulster County District Attorney Donald A. Williams filed 19 misdemeanor charges against New Paltz Mayor Jason West for solemnizing same-sex marriages. Today, Mayor West will appear in court and plead not guilty. If found guilty, the mayor faces a fine up to $500 per violation and up to two years in jail.
Statement by Matt Foreman, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director:
"New Yorkers should be outraged and embarrassed by Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams bringing criminal charges against New Paltz Mayor Jason West for solemnizing marriages for gay and lesbian couples. Legal experts believe that New York law permits Mayor West's actions. We believe the New York State Constitution compels them. The just and appropriate way to decide this issue is through civil court, not by bringing criminal charges. Clearly, DA Williams is abusing his powers and the criminal justice system by bringing charges purely as a publicity stunt. We are appalled by his attempt to justify this stunt by saying the state has a 'legitimate interest in requiring marriage licenses to ensure that incestuous marriages are not occurring or to insure a person is not already married.' This is a slap in the face of the committed gay and lesbian couples whom Mayor West has already married and to all gay people. We might expect such malevolence somewhere else in the country, but not in New York. The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is under attack across the nation by the religious and political right. It's a disgrace that a New York elected official has thrown his lot with them. History will judge District Attorney Williams and the judgment will not be kind."
Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force was the first national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization and remains the movement's leading voice for freedom, justice, and equality. We work to build the grassroots political strength of our community by training state and local activists and leaders and organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation. Our Policy Institute, the community's premiere think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a world that respects and makes visible the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. Headquartered in Washington, DC, we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Cambridge.

WASHINGTON - As the United States Senate begins hearings on a proposed Constitutional amendment, the Log Cabin Republicans urge the Senate to oppose any anti-family Constitutional amendment.
A Constitutional amendment on marriage is a misguided solution in search of a problem. The reality is no state has been forced to recognize any same-sex union celebrated in any other state. It is unthinkable to amend the Constitution solely on the basis of fear over what some unknown judge, at some unknown time, in some unknown case might or might not do.
The Constitution should not be used as a means of deciding important debates about public policy issues or as a way to gauge public opinion trends on contentious issues. Should we alter the Constitution every time public opinion changes? Such an approach did not work 80 years ago with prohibition, and it would not work here either.
American voters want the Senate focused on other issues. A recent poll conducted for the Liberty Education Forum shows voters concerned about homeland defense, jobs, the economy, taxes, healthcare, and education. A protracted and divisive debate on this issue will distract the Senate from tackling these problems. Our pollster, Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates - Senator Bob Dole’s pollster during the 1996 campaign - recently surveyed 1,000 likely voters nationwide, and only 3% of respondents rank this issue as most important. Nine other issues ranked higher. The bottom line is most voters have far more pressing issues they are concerned about and we urge the Senate to return to doing the business of the people and addressing these issues.

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign applauded the testimony of Hilary Shelton, director of the Washington, D.C., Bureau of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, today before a Senate subcommittee hearing. Shelton announced the group's strong opposition to a constitutional ban on marriage rights for same-sex couples.
"Our elected officials should heed the testimony of one of our nation's foremost civil rights organizations - denying rights to Americans has no place in our nation's Constitution," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques, who also submitted written testimony. "As Mr. Shelton spoke, a room full of families listened - families who would clearly be hurt by such an amendment. Denying those hard-working, tax-paying Americans equal rights under the law is wrong, and using the Constitution to single out those families for discrimination would be un-American."
"The NAACP is greatly disappointed that President George Bush and others have decided to enter this election cycle by endorsing an amendment that would forever write discrimination into the U.S. Constitution, rather than focusing on the crucial problems and challenges that affect the lives of all of us," testified Shelton. "At a time of record high unemployment, diminishing job prospects, a ballooning budget deficit that is choking our economy and crucial social service programs, a public school system that is in great need of attention and a health care system that is failing over 43 million Americans that remain uninsured over the past three years. This discriminatory constitutional amendment appears to be nothing more than a highly divisive political ploy to distract the country from focusing on our overabundance of real problems and our tremendous lack of creative and effective solutions." The hearing was held by the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights and property rights. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, presided over the hearing, along with ranking member Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc. Other minority members who attended were Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. Two other witnesses - Lea Brilmayer, Yale University Professor of Law, and Chuck Muth, founder of Citizen Outreach - also spoke in opposition to a discriminatory amendment.
"We applaud Senators Feingold, Durbin, Kennedy and Leahy for their leadership in the hearing today," said Jacques. "And we sincerely thank Senators Chafee and Dayton for showing bipartisan opposition to the amendment at a press conference earlier this morning."
Sens. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and Mark Dayton, D-Minn., joined a broad range of individuals speaking in opposition to amendment at a press conference before the hearing. Manuel Mirabel, chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, announced the group's opposition to the amendment, saying it is "divisive, discriminatory and seeks to treat one group of citizens differently from everybody else."
Heather McCabe and Staci Winters of Maryland, who have been together for 11 years and are mothers of 4-year-old triplets, also spoke at the press conference.
"Make no mistake, this amendment would not protect my children," said Winters. "There are more than 1 million children like Sam, Cole and Annabel - children being raised in loving homes headed by same-sex couples. Every respected child welfare group has said these parents are just as good as other parents. This amendment, though, would ensure that these parents are forever denied important legal protections that come with marriage."
"We will work to ensure that no child is left behind by our nation's Constitution," added Jacques.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), chair of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee weighing a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution discriminating against gay couples, sponsored a hearing today called, "Activist Judges vs. Democracy." At the hearing, Cornyn said, "Why is this amendment necessary? Two words - activist judges."
Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director of Lambda Legal who was present at today's hearing, said, "Today's hearing and this 'activist judge' rhetoric can be summed up in one word - sham. I was very disappointed at how little discussion addressed the real issue, and the real danger, of amending the Constitution."
Lambda Legal today launched a major nationwide campaign challenging distortions about so-called "activist judges" that are being used to fuel attempts to pass a discriminatory amendment to the federal Constitution. The campaign notes that many recent gay-rights victories were actually decided by conservative judges, and judges who decide civil rights cases based on principle rather than politics are fulfilling their traditional constitutional duty.

Lambda Legal today issued the following statement on the issuing of marriage license to same-sex couples in Portland, Oregon today.
"Multnomah County is squarely in line with a national trend toward treating same-sex couples equally under the law. Lesbian and gay couples cannot be treated equally if they cannot marry, since they need the protections and support that only marriage provides. The marriages in Multnomah County aren't just part of a national trend, they're part of a long- running tradition of fairness in Oregon. In our work on behalf of gay and lesbian couples in Oregon over the years, we've seen that the courts and the public believe in treating everyone equally and ending discrimination. Given the state's long commitment to equal civil rights for all Oregonians, it's a natural development to see local officials being responsible about fulfilling their constitutional duty and ending this type of discrimination."
Jennifer C. Pizer, Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal's Western Regional Office.
Pizer, who is part of the legal team defending married same-sex couples in San Francisco, participated in precedent-setting litigation in Oregon in the 1990s that said public employers in the state must extend equal benefits to same-sex couples.
Lambda Legal represents seven same-sex couples in a lawsuit seeking full marriage rights in New Jersey, is helping defend the City of San Francisco as it continues issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples (with the ACLU, NCLR and Equality California), and is working with many other lesbians and gay men who have been seriously harmed because they were not allowed to get married.

BOSTON, MA - On March 26-28, 2004, the Gay & Lesbian Athletics Foundation (GLAF) will present their second annual conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered enthusiasts. Last year they hosted their first conference called the National Gay & Lesbian Athletics Conference at MIT. They will be returning to MIT to host the conference, but have added "International" to the title of the conference and packed the schedule with three full days of events.
Last year's conference was well attended and sparked the cohesion of the LGBT athletic community. According to Mac Chinsomboon, Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Athletics Foundation, the conference was "vital in working to dispel the myth that gays and sports don't mix and to foster an understanding between people who share a love of the game that transcends sexual orientation." He feels that last year's conference was successful in "providing a place where athletes, educators and spectators alike had the opportunity to explore how to achieve this effectively through creating a network and a community."
This year, the focus of the conference is aptly summed up in it's title "Taking on the Challenge." Rob Jagnow, Content Director for the conference says, "Last year we had everyone that supports LGBT athletes involved in identifying and discussing the obstacles to eliminating homophobia in athletics. This year the content is focused on how to best address those issues and how to take action as a community."
This year's focus and intent in direction is shown in the increase in information and activities at the conference. Jagnow explained that, "last year we had several round table discussions on Friday evening for sport leaders, the majority of our panels occurred Saturday, and only one keynote and athletic event were held on Sunday. This year the round table congress will take up a full day on Friday, and the panels and keynotes will fill Saturday and Sunday." In addition, Outsports.com announced that they are hosting a sports game show at the conference. Chinsomboon believes the full schedule is what's attracting people to attend the conference; "We're expecting over 500 attendees from around the world."
The push for leadership, networking, and action will kick-off with the Friday Sports Leadership Congress, a sub-component of the conference, and the sporting groups represented will have meetings on the day prior, Thursday.
The Sports Leadership Congress last year was heavily attended. "There was standing room only; the discussion had an incredible energy" said Ross, a conference attendee. This year's full-day Congress will serve as a precursor for the Conference. The Congress is designed to be a support network and information session for those involved with running and starting a sport league; it serves as an effective forum for sports leaders to learn from each other.
The panels cover topics of interest for all the groups involved in the athletics community. One panel, sponsored by National Association for Girls & Women in Sport (NAGWS), a division of the American Alliance for Health and Physical Education Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), will cover the physical and sociological benefits to coming out. A similarly minded academia panel with a presentation of papers will be sponsored by the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (CLAGS). The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is co-sponsoring a panel on diversity in sport with the Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) is the content sponsor for a panel for those involved with collegiate athletics. High school athletes and their issues addressing homophobia in sports will be addressed on a similar panel. Appropriately enough, in the current political climate, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) will be sponsoring the panel on LGBT legal rights. Finally, GLAF themselves are bringing back last year's popular Olympics athletes panel that will feature several out, Olympic medalists and spokespeople from the US Olympic Committee. GLAF is also bringing back the popular Health and Wellness Expo. Doctors David Chen and Lee Wolfer, GLAF Medical Directors, are working to greatly expand the health, wellness, and sports clinics designed for everyone from 'weekend warriors' to athletic pros. Last year, GLAF offered complimentary massages and acupuncture. This year the Expo will be sponsored by Fenway Community Health and the Boston University Center for Athletics Enhancement. The Expo will run concurrently with the conference and feature sports clinics, professional demonstrations, and sponsor tables that still have a few openings.
The conference hopes to address the interests of all the different groups involved with athletics. "Homophobia in sports doesn't just affect athletes," states Chinsomboon, "It also affects coaches, administrators, trainers, parents, and doctors; governing sport groups, professional leagues and the media have a big part in directing those effects."
Chinsomboon goes on to add, "The conference is not just about fulfilling the needs of gay athletes. It's also about fostering leadership and positive role models for youth."
This year's conference follows on the heels of what was "universally hailed as a stunning success last year." The event was covered by a number of media groups, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, HBO Real Sports, Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and other notable LGBT and mainstream press. During the weekend of pending war with Iraq, the event still attracted over 300 attendees from the recreational, Olympic, international, professional, high school, and collegiate communities, with more than 20 colleges, over 27 states, and 5 countries represented. GLAF announced post-conference that, "We have received feedback from the attendees complimenting the professionalism and attention to detail, the content, the food, the committees, and the diversity."
Chinsomboon says that he hopes the conference will continue to attract a diverse group of attendees through the panel topics and noteworthy speakers. All of these components promise to add up to a lively conference with excellent discussions as well as progress in the issues that concern LGBT members of sport communities and impact society as a whole.

New York - The Attorney General of New York State said today that same-sex couples who validly married elsewhere are legally married throughout the state, and Lambda Legal vowed to take legal action if any local governments refuse to comply with the law.
Attorney General Elliott Spitzer issued an advisory to local officials saying they should not authorize or solemnize marriages of same-sex couples themselves, though he did not say whether it's constitutional to deny such marriages. But in the first statewide clarification of its kind in the nation, Spitzer made it clear that couples who have legally married in Canada, San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, or elsewhere are also married under New York law and must be given all of the rights and protections of marriage in the state.
"This is a tremendous breakthrough for lesbian and gay couples and their families," said David Buckel, Marriage Project Director at Lambda Legal. "The bottom line is that same-sex couples all over New York are married, and the state's top legal authority has made it clear that their marriages are no different than anyone else's." For months, Lambda Legal has been working with more than 100 couples - in every major city in the state - who married in Canada and need to be legally respected as married couples in New York. Along with other groups, Lambda Legal will now work with local governments in the state to make sure that they are complying with the Attorney General's directive.
"Lesbian and gay couples who married elsewhere are entitled to all of the protections and benefits that marriage provides," Buckel said. "If a city or county doesn't comply with this, they'll be on the wrong side of state law and we intend to take them to court so that couples are treated equally."
Buckel said city, county and state employees will be impacted by today's directive because they are entitled to employment benefits as married couples. Married lesbian and gay couples will also benefit from having their family ties with each other or their children fully respected, and from receiving equal treatment as married couples at hospitals and businesses.
"We'll be working with mayors and other officials around the state so that they make it clear to businesses in their community that these married couples need to be legally respected. Ithaca has already shown fantastic leadership on this with an announcement earlier this week," Buckel said. "We've always known that communities are stronger when gay couples are treated equally, and today we continue the work of putting that into action all across New York." One couple, Wayne Steinman and Sal Iacullo who live in Staten Island, NY, and have been together for more than 30 years, married in Canada a few months ago. "I am so thankful that Sal and I took the plunge and went to Canada to get married," Stenman said. "The Attorney General's action today will protect us for years to come and secures a safe future for our daughter, Hope. As always - but especially today - it's a great day to be a New Yorker."
Last summer, two Canadian provinces began marrying same-sex couples, and last month San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to lesbian and gay couples. Today, same-sex couples are lining up in Portland, Oregon, to receive marriage licenses from the county clerk's office. Lambda Legal is currently representing seven same-sex couples in a lawsuit in state court in New Jersey seeking marriage licenses under the New Jersey Constitution.

Congressman Barney Frank today expressed the strongest possible objection to the decision by Ulster County District Attorney Donald A. Williams to indict Mayor Jason West of New Paltz, New York for his role in gay marriages.
"I have expressed my disagreement with local officials who seek to advance the cause of same-sex marriage by this means, because I believe we are doing this in a better and more effective way in Massachusetts. And I fully respect the right of those who object to same-sex marriage to make their case in the courts. Indeed, the message we in Massachusetts have been stressing is that accepting court decisions even when one disagrees with them is an important element of the rule of law to which so many profess allegiance. But this is not remotely a justification for using the criminal process as a weapon in what is a legitimate political and philosophical debate.
"The courts are fully capable of deciding this issue in civil lawsuits. Bringing a criminal action against a mayor who has harmed no one and is fighting through the legal system for his point of view is an outrageous, mean-spirited assault that represents a greater misuse of the legal process than anything being done by the proponents of same-sex marriage. I am confident that ultimately the Mayor will be exonerated, because I do not believe that the New York criminal justice system is prepared to convict individuals of the new crime of 'conspiracy to commit commitment,' but it would be a shame if he had to undergo a criminal trial before that result was reached. I urge District Attorney Williams to join the rest of us who are seeking to debate this in a civil manner - in all senses of that word - and drop his wholly inappropriate effort to use the criminal law to vindicate his point of view."

WASHINGTON - National Stonewall Democrats today called on Senate Republicans to promote marriage equality for all Americans. This morning, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution convened a hearing titled "Judicial Activism vs. Democracy." Committee Republicans only called witnesses to testify who favor writing marriage discrimination into the U.S. Constitution. Such actions ignore how marriage can benefit thousands of children being raised in households headed by same-sex couples in these Senator's home states.
"This proposed constitutional amendment would harm real children in real families ," said Dave Noble, NSD Executive Director. "The honest way to protect marriage is to ensure that every American couple has access to federal protections that promote strong, healthy families."
According to U.S. Census data, children are being raised in thousands of households headed by same-sex couples in the home states of Republican committee members. These children currently do not have access to the public benefits of marriage, including 1,138 federal benefits granted to families with legally married spouses. Such benefits include equal access to health care and education, tax credits and child support in the case of a family breakup.
U.S. Census data from the year 2000 reveals that:
* In Subcommittee Chair John Cornyn's home state of Texas, children are being raised in 16,021 households headed by same- sex couples.
* In Senator Jon Kyl's home state of Arizona, children are being raised in 3,885 households headed by same-sex couples. * In Senator Saxby Chambliss' home state of Georgia, children are being raised in 6,000 households headed by same-sex couples.
* In Senator Larry Craig's home state of Idaho, children are being raised in 679 households headed by same-sex couples. * In Senator Lindsey Graham's home state of South Carolina, children are being raised in 2,844 households headed by same- sex couples.
Republican Senators Chambliss, Cornyn, Kyl and Graham have publicly indicated that they would support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would bar recognition of same-sex marriages. Furthermore, Senator Cornyn has also authored a letter to colleagues that urges them to support such an amendment.
Senate Joint Resolution 26, commonly referred to as the Federal Marriage Amendment, would force states to deny recognition of same-sex marital relationships, and would require any state that recognizes such relationships to no longer do so. The resolution currently has eight Republican sponsors in the U.S. Senate along with one Democrat. A similar resolution has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives with 110 Republican sponsors who have been joined by only six Democrats.
In order to add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a resolution must first be passed by two-thirds of each chamber of Congress. It must then be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, who have up to seven years to approve any such amendment.
National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, with more than 70 local chapters across the nation. NSD is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

CHICAGO - Shakespeare instructs, “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.” States and municipalities across the country are taking the bard’s advice about removing impediments for thousands of gay and lesbian couples. Allen Secher, founder of Good Company of Chicago, takes it a step further by using the quote on an artfully designed Gay/Lesbian Wedding Art Scroll document that sanctions gay unions in a manner similar to the Biblical tradition of a wedding contract or ketubah.
“Rather than just having a government issued certificate, couples can have a beautiful art scroll commemorating both their wedding ceremony and their commitment to one another,” Secher explained.
In 1993, Secher, a clergyman and international leader in performing interfaith and gay marriages and counseling interfaith families, created a Gay Marriage document that has been a valuable keepsake for gay couples. A full-color, 16”x 20” art piece, it integrates powerful symbolism with egalitarian language that enables couples to formally express their mutual commitment in this modern age.
The Biblical ritual of signing a marriage contract or ketubah between the families of a bride and groom was been adapted by Good Company to celebrate the union of any gay or lesbian couple. The language of that ancient document has been changed to permit all same-sex partners to feel comfortable about signing the wedding art scroll. The scroll represents before all the date, place and signatures of the couple pledging a “loving and binding commitment with one another.”

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign launched an online ad today that underscores the denial of hospital visitation rights for unmarried couples. Produced by Radish Creative Group Inc., "What if it was a gay world?" puts viewers in the shoes of a man barred from visiting his female partner in the hospital.
"No American should ever have to experience being blocked from visiting their partner at the hospital room door," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques. "But without the right to marry, all too many couples have been denied this right. Sadly, there are some gay survivors who have even been robbed of the ability to say their final goodbyes to their partner. This ad shows the pain of a man who - in a world where opposite-sex couples are unable to marry - is confronted with this painful inequality."
"In discussions I've had with family and friends about marriage equality, it became clear to me that many non-gay Americans take the legal protections of marriage for granted," said Amy Weber, writer, producer and director of the ad. "I hope that when people see this ad, they'll understand that being married is about the love and commitment, but it's also about important legal protections afforded by the state."
Created for HRC's MillionforMarriage.org campaign, the ad is being used to encourage viewers to sign onto HRC's petition for marriage equality. As of March 1, more than 354,000 people had signed the petition.
"This provides a great opportunity for us to broach the topic with our non-gay family, friends and co-workers," added Jacques. According to a recent HRC-commissioned poll by Harris Interactive(r), only 46 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender respondents discuss public policy issues - like marriage - with their brothers and sisters, and only 32 percent with parents.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as rights to married couples are concerned," added Jacques. "There are more than 1,100 federal rights, benefits and obligations afforded to married couples under federal law, and hundreds of state protections."
Opposite-sex couples who have just met each other will have this right when they marry, whereas same-sex couples who have been together for more than 20 years can still be denied this right. Same-sex couples should work with an attorney to have hospital visitation authorization forms drawn up; however, the paperwork can still be challenged by an unaware or hostile hospital staffer.