Italy: Prime Minister wants a vote on civil union bill by October

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he hopes to get a long-stalled civil union bill through parliament in October. Renzi vowed early in his term to get make civil unions legal under Italian law before the start of 2014, but the bill stalled in the face of stiff opposition. Renzi was cautious with his new timeline in remarks quoted by ANSA.

Renzi outlined his new timeline as the bill’s lead author, Senator Monica Cirinnà announced a deal with conservative members of the Justice Committee to allow an amendment adding language designed to emphasize that civil unions were not considered equivalent with marriage between a man and a woman.

Opposition from Catholic leaders has helped keep the bill on ice despite the fact that 75% of Italians favored some form of partnership rights for same-sex couples and nearly half backed full marriage equality in a BuzzFeed News/Ipsos poll conducted earlier this year.   Read More via Buzzfeed

South Korea: Activist couple test gay rights barriers in conservative South Korea

Growing up as a gay man in South Korea in the 70s and 80s, film director Kim Jho Gwang-soo was warned that his homosexual “disease” would condemn him to a life of loveless, insatiable promiscuity. “From an early age, my dream was to become a director, but instead of making movies I was apparently going to waste all my time and energy looking for sexual partners,” Kim said.

Times have changed. The gay rights movement in South Korea is currently riding something of a mini-wave in terms of support. Last month’s gay pride parade had thousands marching through central Seoul despite vocal protests by conservative Christian groups. And earlier this month, Kim and his longtime partner, Kim Seung-hwan, went to court to demand legal status as a married couple.

The two Kims are the most high-profile gay couple in South Korea and the lawsuit they filed over their marriage license is the first of its kind. Their lawyer, Ryu Min-hee, said she is pushing for the recognition of precedent in existing rulings where courts have struck down discriminatory family law provisions using the constitution’s equal protection clause. 

“This case isn’t just about marriage rights,” Ryu said. “LGBT people in South Korea are discriminated against in law and life and we want to share this story with the Korean public,” she added. “That’s our goal.”  Read More 

Japan: Is same-sex marriage right for Japan?

Article 24 of the Japanese Constitution states, “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes.” Whether this is a regulation denying same-sex marriage is an issue on which the opinions of scholars are divided. In Japan this spring, a law took effect in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward that recognizes same-sex couples.

How will the world move on same-sex marriage, and how should we consider its domestic institutionalization? We posed these questions to two individuals. Deciding whether to recognize same-sex marriage is a sensitive topic that divides countries right down the middle.

Recently, major corporations have started popping up in Japan that recognize marriage leave for same-sex couples. Such cases show that the eyes of Japanese society have now begun to turn toward the pleas of sexual minorities. From that perspective, the fact that laws granting certificates to same-sex couples have been enacted by local governments, which are so interwoven with the citizenry, is symbolic. We must continue, carefully, to debate whether to change legal systems such as the Civil Code. Read More 

Philippines: 8 in 10 Pinoys oppose same-sex marriage

A poll cited that 8 in 10 Pinoys oppose same-sex marriage – something that LGBT activists say is not surprising because of the continuing effect of religion in the country. Most Filipinos are keen on preserving stereotypical “traditional marriage”, with 84% of Filipinos opposing passing a law allowing same-sex marriage in the Philippines, according to the Standard Poll.

Of the 1,500 respondents from all over the Philippines, 14% somewhat disagreed, and 70% strongly disagreed with passing a law allowing same-sex marriage in the Philippines. The opposition was strongest in Northern and Central Luzon at 92%; with more residents in rural areas rejecting same-sex marriage (87%) than those living in urban areas (80%). Also, more mature respondents reject same-sex marriage (85%) than the younger respondents (81%). Read More

This politician spoke directly to gay families, and her speech was incredible

The deputy leader of the opposition Labor Party, Tanya Plibersek, apologised to all the families who will continue to go without legal recognition because of politicians failing. She said: “I just want to take a moment to talk directly to gay and lesbian teenagers about the decision the Liberal and National Parties made last night. It made be that you feel very disappointed, and it may be that you feel very let down, and it may be that you feel you have been treated by this Parliament as second class citizens. I want to say to you today: That is not true."  Read more via PinkNews

Australia: This Politician’s Speech About His Gay Uncles Will Give You Chills

Federal Labor MP Tim Watts has given a powerful speech in favour of marriage equality following the coalition’s decision to deny a conscience vote on the issue. Watts was speaking this morning on another marriage equality bill, the one introduced by opposition leader Bill Shorten, when he addressed comments allegedly made by conservative senator Eric Abetz that gay men don’t really want to get married. 

A clearly emotional Watts told the story of his uncle Derek, who was in a long term same-sex relationship when he died of AIDS when Watts was a child. Read more

Australia: With no Coalition free vote, where to now for same-sex marriage?

The much-anticipated announcement of the government’s position on same-sex marriage raised more questions than it answered. By rejecting a free vote on same-sex marriage for Coalition MPs during this term of parliament, the government ensured that Australia will continue to be the only developed English-speaking country in the world where marriage is an exclusively heterosexual institution.

72% of Australians believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, according to a 2014 poll. The government’s position is out of step with the Australian population. So what is the way forward? Prime Minister Tony Abbott raised several possibilities: a referendum, a national vote, a court challenge, and parliament. Let’s consider each of them. Read More

Australia: Marriage rallies across the country

Thousands are turning out in Australia to call for same-sex marriage, as its Federal Parliament prepares to debate the reform next week. In Brisbane, more than 5,000 people attended a rally at Queens Garden. Lisa Origliasso from band The Veronicas spoke, saying “I hate to say it by Australia is still sadly standing behind the rest... Now is the time for us to get loud. Now is the time for us to kick and scream for human rights. The right to be you. The right to me. To put it simply, we stand hand in hand with our loved ones today, unified to send a message to this great nation, that we are here to make this country better.

In Hobart, 1,500 people packed Hobart City Hall, with the crowd so large it flowed out onto the street. They heard from Tasmanian celebrities, leaders and advocates, including Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey. The audience also heard from Nick Outterside, who spoke about being raised by two mothers and the death of one before they were able to marry.

Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman has also supported the Federal Government allowing federal MPs a free vote on the issue. "Ahead of the introduction of a cross-party bill this week, the rally sends a strong message to federal parliament that Tasmanians want marriage equality,” says Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome. Rallies were also held in Sydney and Perth. Melbourne and Adelaide rallies will happen next Saturday. Read More

France: First out gay MP gets married

Luc Carvounas has become the first gay French parliamentarian to tie the knot since same-sex marriage was legalized in May 2013. The Socialist Party senator said yes to his partner Stéphane Exposito to cheers and applause at the town hall in Alfortville, where he is also the mayor.

‘This is a great day for me and I’m happy to share it,’ Carvounas, 44, said. 'The people of Alfortville know who I am. For ten days, I have had nothing but positive feedback that counterbalances what is happening on social networks.’ Carvounas filed two complaints of homophobic threats to himself and his partner, which led to the arrest and conviction of a man on Friday.

The wedding was also an occasion that brought a divided left together. Prime Minister Manuel Valls, President of the National Assembly Claude Bartolone and First Secretary of the Socialist Party Jean-Christophe Cambadélis were among the nearly 300 guests.

‘This is both normal and symbolic. This is the implementation of a law, a breath of liberty and of tolerance,’ the PM said. Although more than 8,000 gay couples have married in France, gay marriage opponents – including former president Nicolas Sarkozy – are calling for the ‘marriage for all’ law to be repealed.  Read More

Germany: Angela Merkel says gay couples should not call their unions ‘marriage’

Angela Merkel has come out against gay marriage, revealing she agrees with civil partnerships but believes matrimony is just for men and women. The German Chancellor backed equal benefits for same-sex couples, such as tax breaks, and said discrimination should be ‘eliminated’.

But the committed Christian, who has been married twice, gave her personal definition of marriage as ‘a man and a woman living together’, in a YouTube interview. “We have come a long way; when I remember, 25 years ago, many people didn’t dare to say that they are gay or lesbian. Luckily we overcame this; you can enter a partnership, a civil partnership."

German interviewer Florian Mundt, pressed her: "So you could say: no to discrimination, but we’ll keep differentiating between the two." The Chancellor, whom US magazine Forbes has rated the most powerful woman in the world, replied: "No discrimination. Marriage is a man and a woman living together." Read More

Japan: LGBT group files human rights complaint in bid for same-sex marriages

Hundreds of members of the LGBT community filed an unprecedented request with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) in a bid to legalize same-sex marriages, saying Japan’s failure to recognize the practice constitutes a violation of human rights.

Coming on the heels of what lawyers behind the move called a gradual softening of traditional prejudice toward gays in Japan, the bid by 455 individuals is the first attempt to legalize same-sex marriages by appealing over human rights. The JFBA, the nation’s biggest bar association, will investigate the allegation and, if necessary, issue a warning to the central government to review its approach toward the matter.

“If issued, the warning will be quite comprehensive, formulated based on the bar association’s meticulous research and analysis,” lawyer Toshimasa Yamashita told a news conference in Tokyo. “It will likely be used as a reference in Diet sessions or trials whenever the topic of same-sex marriages arises.” Read More

Peru: Why Peru is a long way from same-sex marriage

Same-sex civil unions may have been rejected 7-4 in March by a Peruvian congressional committee, but it’s no longer uncommon to see same-sex couples holding hands in public. The latest legal loss has done little to dampen the resolve of those fighting for change. If anything, the massive, nationwide conversation it’s prompted is spurring them forward.

El Movimiento Homosexual de Lima (MHOL) calls itself Latin America’s oldest gay and lesbian organization. MHOL’s current executive director Giovanny Infante says it has grown to be a national force in the push for equality, especially protection, for Peru’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations.

Infante worries the international community is too fixated on Peru’s economic growth and its culture, less so on its human rights: “Latin America should be heading a different direction,” he says, referring to the direction taken by more and more gay-marriage proponents worldwide. “The urgency is that people are being murdered... We have to focus on conditions that allow people to live, such as access to health care, education, housing, work, protection against HIV and hate crimes.”  Read More