Yesterday Spain's Constitutional Court ruled 8-3 to dismiss the appeal of the conservative Popular Party filed shortly after Spain became the world's third country to approve gay marriage.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/06/spain-gay-marriage-law-upheld_n_2083080.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/spains-constitutional-court-to-rule-on-conservative-partys-appeal-of-2005-gay-marriage-law/2012/11/06/08eae90a-27f9-11e2-aaa5-ac786110c486_story.html

Maine passed Question 1!

Maryland passed Question 6!

Minnesota rejected Amendment 1!

http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/11/same-sex-marriage-wins-on-the-ballot-for-the-first-time-in-american-history/264704/

Washington still waiting to call results for Referendum 74 ...but it looks good for winning.

http://vote.wa.gov/results/current/Referendum-Measure-No-74-Concerns-marriage-for-same-sex-couples.html

In other LGBT news, Tammy Baldwin, elected first openly lesbian member of the Wisconsin Assembly (1992), first woman elected to United States Congress from the state of Wisconsin and first openly gay non-incumbent elected to the House of Representatives (1999), is now FIRST OPENLY LGBT MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Baldwin

OMG!!! Old Stan won the election.

/sarcasm and way to go for equality!

Four years ago, Obama took California, but the Gays lost the right to marry. This was because a significant number of blue color democrats and AMC church members broke with their party on the issue of Marriage Equality, while voting for Obama. That it has won in four states, despite high turnout on both sides of the aisle, of groups that have traditionally opposed gay marriage, is a good sign. It means that there has been a significant ground shift in how the average guy on the street feels about the issue. If the GOP hopes to stay competitive, they are going to have to start finding ways to sideline their Evangilical Wing on this and several other issues.

Then again, as the country becomes more skeptical of religion, even among Republicans, this may happen all by itself.

Agreed, FCD.

Without going into political analysis and getting the thread yanked, there are a lot of long-time Redcoats who want the Evangelicals outOutOUT of the Grand Old Party.

I thought we were doing well getting religion on the sidelines, until that asshole Pat Buchanan's 1992 Culture War speech. There has been a non-stop religious re-insertion into ever facet of American life ever since.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9gSWZxtN1g

Only a couple of years ago Maine defeated marriage equality in a popular vote. It took a very short time for the demographics to change enough to now approve gay marriage in Maine.

To all the anti-marriage equality people out there that harped on the 32 states had put marriage equality to a vote and every one voted against it, those days are gone.

To the anti-marriage equality crowed, this is what matters:

In 2002 no states had marriage equality, now 10 years later in 2012, 9 states plus the district of Columbia have gay marriage.

After that 2009 fiasco, Mainers were embarrassed to realize that they had been hoodwinked by the carpetbagger bigots who finance and run NOM. Many of them vowed to never let that happen again.

Agreed. These 4 states reflect the changing acceptance of gay members of our society as previously reflected in national opinion polls. The results of these votes are important because they are the first to officially recognize the equal rights of gays by a majority of Americans - even if it may be a small majority. I predict this will not be the last we will see of popular votes approving gay equality and predict that future votes concerning equality for gays will pass by greater margins than yesterday's elections.

Overall, this Election Day was a Good Day for gay Americans and for all Americans because the very American concept of individual rights is re-affirmed and this is a good thing for all Americans.

Where was the church on these votes- have they given up?

Mormons Inc. spent a lot of money ... >>>.A. L.O.T.<<< of money secretly funding the terror campaign activities of the National Organization of Marriage in those states.

But since 2009 most of the thinking public was wise to the machinations of NOM and their tactics, especially after the state of Maine dragged them into court and over hot coals about their sleazy operations and who supports them. They further lost credibility when the Maine case revealed that they were going to try to use and manipulate Black voters and Hispanic voters against the [perceived] whiteness of the LGBT community.

After the PR fiasco of Proposition 8 in California (2008) secret funding of hate groups is as close to direct involvement as Mormons Inc. dared get.

I am so glad it passed in Maine as well. The early results weren't looking good.

Also you forgot to mention that Kyrsten Sinema, a bi-sexual and an ex-mormon, is ahead in the race for Arizona's 9th Congressional District.

Thanks for that, I didn't know about Kyrsten Sinema. Hope she wins!

America voted for a publicly on the record pro-gay marriage President who even mentioned us in his acceptance speech. I never thought I would see the day. It made me dizzy.

If like me, you realized as a child in the late fifties that you were gay, and you were mormon on top of it, and if you have any idea what it was like for gay people back then, you will have some idea of the significance of this moment.

The kids today have it so damn easy, ya know? :)

Seriously, the suicide rate could drop a little --or hopefully a lot.

Agreed, blueorchid!

It has been a long road from there to here. I hope it continues well.

...when this state is finally forced to abandon its bigoted stand on the issue.

This is what burns this old dog up! You people have to set up a vote to NOT be bigoted? Oh, how the churchly people crowed about the ERA going down!

Why does my mama need some sorta vote that she is equal? Why do her gay friends? The whole thing reeks worse than Stinkmuffin's breath!

I almost teared up for a minute. My home, that I love so dear, whose turquoise bay waters I learned to swim in, whose safe harbors were where I learned to work hard and always give my all, whose green football and soccer fields were where I learned to struggle till the end and be part of a team, whose blue skies and cornfield grass runways were where I first learned my craft and made my dreams come true, whose crisp autumns bring the greatest colors and cedar-burning smells anyone could hope to encounter, whose Sunday noontime crab feasts make life as thoroughly delicious as possible... it doesn't matter who you choose to start your family with. You are welcome on these shores and in these mountains. These wooded trails and stunning historic sites are equally open to your family as they are to mine. A perfect Chesapeake Bay sunset will look as perfect no matter who you're cuddled up with watching.

As long as you love the Ravens, we're all one people ;) (Whatever) bless Maryland, my beloved home.

You guys didn't need a vote to be equal, but those of us who didn't think enough about people different from us enought to ensure your rights were protected did. Even country bumpkin Republicans from where I lived have texted me saying this is a good thing and times, they are a changing for the better.

If any of my friends are thinking about tying the knot in this beautiful place, it'd be my privilege to give you pointers and tips on where to look for a location that you'll love. I know this place like few do and it'd be an honor.

Today is a good, good day.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2012 12:29PM by flyboy21.

Thank you for that beautiful post, flyboy21. Today IS a good, good day.

Got a bit choked up by this, thanks flyboy:)

Congrats to both of ya :)

Thank you flyboy21. That was amazing and welcome.

Prick teaser! ;-)

Seriously, beautiful post, flyboy.

It really was a great night for equality and common sense. The most exciting part is that with this you can really start to see the walls coming down. Those who fight for gay rights have really already won, it's only a matter of time now. Sure there will be battles to come and hard work to come; but there's no question what the outcome will be now. Watching all 4 of those marriage bills break the right way was really awe inspiring.

It felt really good to vote for question 6 in Maryland.

Like many of you, I was taught things in the LDS Church about homosexuality that were completly wrong. It took me a long time to appreciate the struggles of so many good LGBT people, who were perplexed by their identity and society's inability to accept them as they are. Now I count some of these once supposedly "wicked" people as friends, who deserve the right to marry.

Hooray for Maryland, and all the others who affirmed the rights of all people to marry one person of their own choice.