Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning, and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of LGBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Wednesday, September 24th. I’m Margot Rosen.
And I’m Brad Mayer. First up, news out of California.
It appears supporters of California’s Proposition 8, which would end marriage equality in California, are out-fundraising their opponents. Both supporters and opponents of the measure have raised a combined thirty million dollars. However, supporters have raised nearly eighteen million, in comparison to the over twelve million raised by people against the Proposition. The news has led to an outpouring of generosity from opponents of Proposition 8, including a one hundred thousand dollar donation from actor Brad Pitt last week.
Pitt’s donation has seized Hollywood heavy-hitters and led to an outpouring of support for the No on 8 campaign. Director Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, announced Tuesday that they were donating one hundred thousand dollars to efforts to defeat the Proposition. In a released statement, the couple said that restrictions on marriage equality do not belong in California’s constitution or the constitutions of any other state.
News out of Westchester County, New York, where county social workers and private adoption agencies will meet this week with same-sex couples and singles who would like to adopt. There are nine hundred children in the county in need of homes. The discussion will take place on Thursday and will be sponsored by Westchester’s own Lesbian and Gay Child Welfare Network.
According to new census estimates, thousands more same-sex couples and unmarried partners are heading up households in Utah, the standard-bearer for ultra-conservative values in the United States. The figures show a forty two percent jump in households headed by unmarried partners this decade. All told, estimates show a twenty three percent leap in lesbian partners and a twenty one point five percent increase in gay partners living together.
In other news, a clergyman in Wales has been reprimanded by the Archbishop for blessing a civil union between two women. Reverend Jim Cotter conducted the ceremony under the approval of the local church council but a complaint was still filed with church authorities. Cotter was told he had exceeded his authority and that there was no liturgy in the Church of Wales for same-sex civil unions.
And finally, an Oklahoma City man is headed to trial on charges that he kidnapped and murdered a gay man last year. Darrell Lynn Madden, a man described as a skinhead and white supremacist, is accused of abducting and killing sixty two year old Steven Domer (do-MER) as part of a gang initiation. Madden’s trial is expected to start next month.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Have a great day, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.
The fundraising battle for California’s Proposition 8 heats up, LGBT adoption is considered in Westchester County, New York, and more.