Via JMG: New Book: Germans Invented Gay Rights

According to a coming book by historian Robert Beachy, the genesis of the modern gay rights movement came in 19th century Germany.

Modern conceptions of homosexuality began, ironically, with an anti-sodomy law. When the German empire was unified in 1871, the Imperial Criminal Code included a law prohibiting sexual penetration of one man by another. Questions about what types of activity should fall under the law spurred a sustained public inquiry into the nature of same-sex eroticism and sexuality in general. [snip] This new view of same-sex love was pioneered by German doctors who published early case studies of homosexuals in the 1850s. German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing released the first edition of his hugely influential Psychopathia Sexualis in 1886, which included multiple case studies of homosexuals that supported this new position. Through his work, Krafft-Ebing became a vocal opponent of the German anti-sodomy law, stating that homosexuality "should not be viewed as a psychic depravity or even sickness."

Beachy claims the world's first gay rights group, the Wissenschaftlich-humanitäres Komitee (Scientific-Humanitarian Committee) came into being at that time to gather petition signatures to repeal the anti-sodomy law. His book, The German Invention Of Homosexuality, is due out next year.

Labels: books, Germany, homosexuality, LGBT History

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Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Jim Burroway

"This [Westboro] ruling is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it preserves the primacy of free speech in America, which benefits us all. But from a parochial pro-LGBT narrative, it’s equally important to note that it proves the lie to the multiple instances when anti-gay activists falsely claimed that advances in LGBT equality and protections — whether they come in the form of marriage equality or hate crimes protections — will result in the infringement of religious and speech rights. They never have and, if this ruling is any indication, it reaffirms the fact that they never will. So the next time someone claims that marriage equality will result in pastors being prosecuted for hate speech, make a note of it: Snyder v Phelps." - Jim Burroway, writing for Box Turtle Bulletin.

Labels: Box Turtle Bulletin, First Amendment, HomoQuotable, Jim Burroway, LGBT rights, religion, Supreme Court, Westboro

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Via JMG: Gillibrand Launches RepealDOMA.com

Just launched by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Via Huffington Post:

We must repeal this discriminatory law. There is no reason same-sex couples should be denied the same rights that my husband and I and so many other straight Americans enjoy. For me it comes down to the very simple principles that every American should be able to marry the person they love, and that discrimination against LGBT Americans is unconstitutional and wrong. The law as it currently stands denies federal benefits to thousands of legally married couples -- more than 1,100 federal rights and privileges enjoyed by straight couples, including hospital visitation, inheritance and some health care benefits. It discourages states from recognizing these legal marriages and it denies millions more Americans the right to marry the person they love. This is wrong.

Gillibrand has also pledged to cosponsor Feinstein's coming repeal bill.

Labels: DOMA, Kirsten Gillibrand, LGBT rights, Senate

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SASSY GAY FRIEND: Great Expectations

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

"Dear Mr. Speaker, In a letter to you last week, the Attorney General advised that the Administration has concluded that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional and therefore will cease to defend the statute in pending litigation. It is in the best interests of taxpayers and the constitution for you to refrain from appointing special counsel to defend this law. A decision to appoint special counsel would be an unnecessary cost to taxpayers, and would detract from our shared goal of cutting wasteful spending and creating jobs.

"The executive branch’s responsibility to defend federal laws is not absolute, particularly in instances such as the present case, where the federal law is in direct conflict with the confines of the Constitution. At this critical economic juncture in our nation’s history, it is imperative that we as legislators do not devote resources to defending an antiquated and unconstitutional law."- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, in a letter sent today to House Speaker John Boehner.

Labels: DOMA, Kirsten Gillibrand, Quote Of The Day, Senate

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Via JMG: GOP House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Vows DOMA Defense Move By Friday

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said last night that a GOP plan to defend DOMA will be in place by the end of the week. Cantor's announcement came as the GOP completely ended unemployment and the nation's budget crisis, as promised.

“I stand by [Boehner’s] commitment to make that happen,” Cantor (R-Va.) said Monday afternoon at a press conference, promising to outline their plans in detail Friday. Cantor said the Justice Department’s refusal to defend the law is a problem separate from the substance of the law itself, which allows states to decide whether to recognize same-sex unions in other states. The Justice Department has called another provision, that bars same-sex couples from receiving federal-worker benefits, unconstitutional. “Again I do believe that this is a case that is distinguishable on its merits and to have the administration take the position, the president take the position, that he’s not defending the law of the land, is something very troubling I think to most members of the House,” Cantor said. When pressed on what House Republicans planned to do, he demurred. “I think you’ll see that on Friday,” Cantor said.

Yesterday House Speaker John Boehner told the Christian Broadcast Network that he may appoint a special House counsel to defend DOMA, a move suggested to him by former GOP Sen. Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum.

Labels: DOMA, Eric Cantor, marriage equality, U.S. House

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Via JMG: CALIFORNIA: Attorney General Kamala Harris Demands Lift In Prop 8 Stay

California Attorney General Kamala Harris today filed a request with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, demanding that they lift their stay on the overturn of Proposition 8 and immediately allow the resumption of same-sex marriages.

Attorney General Harris said it is unlikely that an appeal will succeed in overturning Judge Walker's ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. The appeal's likelihood of success has been substantially diminished, Attorney General Harris said, "both by the United States Attorney General's conclusion that classifications based on sexual orientation cannot survive constitutional scrutiny and by this Court's certification order to the California Supreme Court, which seriously questions the Court's jurisdiction to decide the merits of the case."

In addition, Attorney General Harris said, "there is no injury that the proponents of Proposition 8 will suffer if same-sex couples are permitted to enter into civil marriages in California." But as long as the stay on same-sex marriages remains in effect, Attorney General Harris said, the due process and equal protection rights of same-sex couples will continue to be violated, perpetuating unconstitutional discrimination and making a stay of Judge Walker's ruling legally inappropriate.

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also filed a brief today with the same request.

Labels: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California, marriage equality, Ninth Circuit Court., Proposition 8

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Via jMG: Sarah Palins Slams Obama On DOMA

"I have always believed that marriage is between one man and one woman. Like the majority of Americans, I support the Defense of Marriage Act and find it appalling that the Obama administration decided not to defend this federal law which was enacted with broad bipartisan support and signed into law by a Democrat president. It’s appalling, but not surprising that the President has flip-flopped on yet another issue from his stated position as a candidate to a seemingly opposite position once he was elected." - Sarah Palin, as triumphantly quoted today by Maggie Gallagher.

Labels: Barack Obama, bimbos, DOMA, LGBT rights, Maggie Gallagher, marriage equality, Sarah Palin

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SACBEE.COM BREAKING NEWS ALERT

California AG asks court to lift gay marriage stay

California's attorney general has asked a federal appeals court to allow gay marriages to resume while the court considers the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex unions.

Via American Foundation for Equal Rights:

Dear Daniel, Today, California’s largest newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, published a powerful editorial which argued that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry, starting immediately. Last week, AFER’s attorneys filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, urging it to lift the stay of the district court decision that ruled Prop. 8 unconstitutional, which would enable marriages to resume. Today’s editorial underscores the growing consensus that gay and lesbian couples should not have to wait to get married while the Prop. 8 case works its way through the legal system. “Enough already,” the Los Angeles Times editorial board wrote. “…Every day that the case drags on, gay and lesbian couples who would like to marry are being deprived of their civil rights. That's not our wording; the federal trial judge decided that issue, at least for now. The denial of constitutional rights, even temporarily, is a deplorable situation that must meet high legal standards to be allowed to continue. In our view, those conditions have not been met.” I encourage you to read the full editorial on the L.A. Times website, and to share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Help raise visibility for all the people who cannot wait to get married. Sincerely, Chad GriffinBoard President American Foundation for Equal Rights