The Gay Marriage Headlines

-- First let's acknowledge that while the conservatives have won Duck Dynasty, the progressives won New Jersey, Rhode Island, Illinois, New Hampshire, Hawaii, New Mexico... and Utah.

I suppose we can live with that record.  So while there are many fronts across the country in the War on Marriage Traditional Family Values Bigotry, let's see what developed in Houston over the past week.

-- Annise Parker busted two moves: she filed to transfer the lawsuit against her decree to provide benefits to same-sex spouses of city employees out of that family court...

City Attorney David Feldman filed a “Notice of Removal” on Friday saying the lawsuit belongs in U.S. district court instead of state court because it raises federal questions, including the guarantees of equal protection and due process under the U.S. Constitution. The notice of removal says (GOP Judge Lisa) Millard, who presides over the 310th State District Family Court, failed to notify Parker and the city before holding a hearing at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17 — the same day the lawsuit was filed — and issuing an order halting the benefits.

... and she asked her partner, Kathy Hubbard, to marry her next month.

The source, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Parker and Hubbard plan to wed in Palm Springs, Calif., in January. "I heard it from her own lips," the source said.

The mayor's wedding plans were reported earlier Friday by the website CultureMap.

Congrats to the happy couple.

-- Texpate notes that city employees have already filed suit over benefits they are paying for that the family court judge blocked.

KPRC reports that a local couple has sued the City of Houston after their full spousal benefits have been revoked. As the astute may recall, last month Mayor Parker announced that all legally married couples (includes those of the same-sex) could provide full spousal benefits from the City if one member of the couple worked for the municipality. Only three couples initially signed up for these benefits, including Noel Freeman (a City employee) and Brad Pritchett. Many will probably remember Freeman, the President of the Houston GLBT Caucus and previous candidate for the City Council, and Pritchett, an official with the Harris County Democratic Party. Shortly thereafter, officials with the Harris County GOP sued the City of Houston in attempt to enjoin the offering of these benefits; they were successful in obtaining a temporary restraining order to this effect until mid-January.

Here's the News2Houston video.



Charles has more on lawsuits and such.

-- The 1993 Houston Oilers, subjects of an NFL documentary and some more recent extended play in the Chronic, had at least two gay players.  Their teammates knew, and it wasn't a big deal.

See, acceptance and tolerance isn't something new and progressive.  It also isn't 'in anybody's face' or 'crammed down their throat'.

Greg Abbott is soooo going to hate it when this becomes an issue in the 2014 governor's race.