Fun Fast Facts:
Updated: 07 Jul 2015 (US Supreme Court decision legalising same-sex marriage)
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruling, granting same-sex couples a constitutional right to marry, means that the 14 states that as of the ruling didn’t allow gays and lesbians to wed, will now need to do so.
- The decision rests in part on the court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment, stating that limiting marriage only to heterosexual couples violates the amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law.
- Prior to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, same-sex marriage was legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In 19 of those states, including Florida, Pennsylvania and Utah, marriage equality was achieved (starting at the beginning of 2014) after federal courts struck down laws or state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions.
- In the United States, Native American tribes have jurisdiction over many of their own affairs. As part of this jurisdiction, Native Americans have the right to form their own laws governing marriage. There are 11 Native American tribes that recognise same-sex marriage.
- In the recent Pew Research survey, nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans – including half of those who oppose marriage equality – said they saw eventual legal recognition of same-sex marriages as “inevitable”.
- With the Supreme Court’s decision, the U.S. now joins 20 other countries that have legislated marriage equality in all of their jurisdictions.
- The first nation to legalise marriage equality was the Netherlands, which did so in 2000.
- Since then, several other European countries – including Spain, France, all of Scandinavia and, most recently, Ireland – have enacted laws sanctioning marriage equality.
- Outside of Europe, marriage equality is now recognised legally in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay, as well as in parts of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Pitcairn Island.
Updated: 2012 (Domestic woes for international LGBT champions)
- US embassies around the world have adopted President Obama’s directive, summed up by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that “Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights”.
- Policy differs from state to state. Six states and DC currently offer marriage to same-sex couples.
- Twenty-one states and DC outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.
- Hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity are punishable by federal law.
- On October 12, 2012 two men were beaten for being gay.
Broadcast: 15 Sep 2015
Straight white men having gay sex
W3JOY interviewed: Jane Ward, author of the book ‘Not Gay: Sex Between Straight White Men’
Listen to the podcast to discover:
- how an out and proud lesbian feminist came to study straight men having gay sex
- the role of university or college fraternities in driving same-sex behaviour
- how this behaviour is displayed on the internet and apps
- how straight white men rationalise their same-sex sexual activities
- is there a line between gay and straight?
- the idea that these homosexual experiences actually reinforce the individual’s heterosexuality
- how the experiences of straight white men having sex together differs from Black or Latino cultures doing the same thing
Listen to the podcast
Broadcast: 30 Jun 2015 and 07 Jul 2015
US Supreme Court decision legalising same-sex marriage
W3JOY interviewed: Robin Tyler – activist and comedian
Listen to the podcast to discover:
- Robin’s first experience as an activist in 1959
- Robin’s support for trans* rights from an early age
- how same-sex marriage got on the political agenda
- the difference between civil rights and assimilation
- the influence of Proposition 8 on progressing marriage equality
- the secret to effective advocacy for LGBTIQ rights
- Robin’s one woman show – Always a bridesmaid, never a groom
W3JOY interviewed: Rodney Croome of Australian Marriage Equality
Listen to the podcast to discover:
- the implications of the US Supreme Court ruling for Australia
- how the international focus has now shifted to Australia
- US group Human Rights Campaign’s push to support change in Australia
- the status of marriage equality support in the Australian Parliament and the risk of complacency
Listen to the podcast (part 1)
Listen to the podcast (part 2)
Domestic woes for international LGBT champions
LGBTIQ-friendly organisation: Equality North Carolina
Lobbies the North Carolina General Assembly to promote legislation which encompasses;
- marriage equality
- parental rights
- inclusive anti-bullying policies
- employment discrimination
- hate violence
- privacy rights
- sexuality education
- adoption
- domestic partnerships
- HIV/AIDS
W3JOY interviewed: US Consul-General in Melbourne, Frank Urbancic
Re: Obama directive to support LGBT rights
“First of all, violence against LGBT people isn’t allowed.”
“Fundamentally it’s a question of discrimination or not discrimination.”
“Our role and our goal and our instructions are to make sure that at least as far as the United States is concerned, people’s sexual orientation simply is not part of the equation.”
“History is history. We have a very imperfect history…what we can do is simply correct the errors of the past.”
“We have a real tension between Washington and the states.”
“We’re past the point where these kinds of laws can be changed [back]. Everybody has somebody who’s gay in their family…”
[Do you have somebody gay in your family?]
“Yes, I do.”
W3JOY interviewed: Ian Palmquist, former Executive Director of Equality NC
“We’ve had a problem with bullying and harassment for a long, long time here in North Carolina.”
“North Carolina has always been a really interesting state. It’s certainly not a Massachusetts or California.”
“At the federal level, there has been some good work by the Department of Education to encourage local schools across the country to adopt anti-bullying programs. But there really needs to be legislation by Congress.”
“It’s definitely an uphill climb in the House of Representatives right now.”