At The Complete Bear, we believe in supporting the LGBT community, as well as matters of importance to the gay community including marriage equality, the right to serve openly and the employment non-discrimination act. We also believe in supporting and funding HIV & AIDS resources, breast cancer research and supportive services for LGBT youth.

Separate is never equal. We believe all couples deserve the right to publicly declare their love for one another, and all the protections that marriage affords.   Click here to view the list of 1138 rights provided under marriage.

First gay weddings take place in Dublin
09 December 2007 By John Burke

Four gay Irishmen have married in Dublin this year, despite the lack of legislation permitting such unions here.

The Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, said last week that the heads of the Civil Partnership Bill would be published by the end of March, but the government had no plans to legislate for civil marriage for same sex couples.

‘‘The advice of successive Attorneys General is that same-sex marriage would not be constitutional,” said Lenihan.

‘‘In my view, a referendum on this issue at this time would be divisive and unsuccessful.”

The four gay men who married this year did so in civil ceremonies at the British Embassy in Ballsbridge. The embassy, which is regarded as British territory, has been hosting civil partnership ceremonies since August 2006. At least one of those seeking a civil partnership must be a British citizen.

16,000 gay couples wed in first year of UK gay marriage

More than 16,000 gay weddings took place in Britain last year, with a quarter of them held in London. A National Statistics study shows that in the first full year since civil partnerships were introduced, 16,106 same-sex marriages were registered.

Countries that Provide Civil Marriage Equality to Same-Sex Couples

• Netherlands (2001)

• Belgium (2003)

• Canada (2005)

• Spain (2005)

• South Africa (December 2006)*

• United Kingdom (2005)- UK Domestic partners can register under the Civil Partnership Act. This legislation took affect in December 5, 2005 giving registered same-sex couples rights similar to marriage in areas such as pensions, property, social security, and housing.

US States that Provide Civil Marriage Equality to Same-Sex Couples

• Massachusetts (2004)

Massachusetts State Supreme Court rules 4-3 that civil marriage is a constitutional right that same-sex couples should not be denied

"Marriage is a vital social institution," wrote Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall for the majority of the Justices. "The exclusive commitment of two individuals to each other nurtures love and mutual support; it brings stability to our society. For those who choose to marry, and for their children, marriage provides an abundance of legal, financial, and social benefits. In turn it imposes weighty legal, financial, and social obligations." The question before the court was "whether, consistent with the Massachusetts Constitution," the Commonwealth could deny those protections, benefits, and obligations to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry. In ruling that the Commonwealth could not do so, the court observed that the Massachusetts Constitution "affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals," and "forbids the creation of second-class citizens." It reaches its conclusion, the court said, giving "full deference to the arguments made by the Commonwealth." The Commonwealth, the court ruled, "has failed to identify any constitutionality adequate reason for denying civil marriage to same-sex couples."

Marriage Equality

Group solely committed to securing the right to civil marriage for same-sex couples. Related facts, membership information, and chapters.

http://www.marriageequality.org/

Family & Parenting

Ley de Sociedades de Convivencias se celebra en la Ciudad de México

El viernes pasado, 23 de marzo, sucedió algo sumamente histórico y conmovedor en la Ciudad de México: la unión de dos parejas lesbianas en la delegación de Iztacalco. Este acontecimiento es uno de muchos que se empiezan a realizar en el DF después de cinco años de organización, luchas políticas y manifestaciones por parte de la comunidad lésbica-gay quien consiguió la aprobación de la “Ley de Sociedades de Convivencias” por la legislatura capitalina en noviembre del 2006. Esta ley reconoce la unión de dos personas, tanto bugas como de ambiente, y les otorga algunos derechos y obligaciones semejantes a los que gozan los matrimonios, pero no todos. Los derechos de esta unión incluyen la herencia y/o transferencia de propiedad y pensiones, el acceso a seguros médicos de las parejas, la participación en decisiones de cuestiones medicas entre parejas, etc.

La primera unión de este tipo en el país ocurrió en febrero de este año en el Estado de Durango, donde dos mujeres legalizaron su unión. Sin embargo la importancia del acontecimiento en el DF sobresale por el simple hecho de que la ciudad es una de las más reconocidas mundialmente, al igual que una de las mas importantes de América. Las dos parejas en Iztacalco se veían sumamente felices y orgullosas y el publico presente les demostró su apoyo con entusiasmo al brindarles porras, arrojarles arroz y al portar rótulos con las palabras “iSí se pudo!”, lo cual también exclamaban en voz alta. Después de firmar los contratos de unión ambas parejas tuvieron la oportunidad de expresar sus sentimientos. Las cuatro mujeres agradecieron a los políticos la creación de la nueva ley, reconocieron la presencia de sus familiares y amigos, y a la vez retaron al gobierno y a la gente del DF a otorgarles todos los derechos que las parejas heterosexuales reciben al momento de casarse.

En cuanto a mis observaciones de este evento, quiero señalar las siguientes: en ningún momento hubo personas que protestaron el acontecimiento, lo cual me sorprendió porque esto ocurre hasta en San Francisco, California (una ciudad sumamente liberal); tanto el público como en el artículo en “La Prensa” el día siguiente usaron el verbo “casar” para describir lo que sucedía entre estas parejas, lo cual significa para mi que la sociedad mexicana empieza a aceptar este acontecimiento con mas naturaleza; y mas que nada este acontecimiento demuestra para mi que los humanos si estamos progresando en cuestiones de justicia, igualdad, y el respeto a los derechos humanos porque como exclamaba el publico, “iSí se pudo!”

Jorge Romero Lozano
(Ciudadano mexicano residente de San Francisco, California)