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2008
June 17 : Congratulations California!
Gay couples across California inaugurated the state’s court-approved legalization of same-sex marriage yesterday at 5:01pm.
June 16
This afternoon in California, Phillis Lyon and Del Martin, will be the first lesbian couple to legally marry in that state. A couple for 55 years, they along with six other women, they founded a San Francisco social club for lesbians in 1955 called the Daughters of Bilitis. Under their leadership, it evolved into the nation's first lesbian advocacy organization.
June 5
In a Capitol Hill press conference yesterday, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) announced the formation of the House of Representatives LGBT Equality Caucus. Baldwin introduced the bipartisan caucus and its founding members saying, “We represent different races, different genders, different sexual orientations, different geographic regions, different generations, and different parties, but we share a common mission: to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality.”
June 5
Today the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a defamation suit brought by anti-gay activist Rev. Grant Storms against Action Wisconsin (now Fair Wisconsin) was frivolous. The lawsuit was filed in response to a press release that Action Wisconsin issued decrying a 2003 speech Storms made that could be interpreted as advocating the murder of gays. Continue reading...
June 4
Defying governmental wrath, the mayor of a remote Greek island performed the country’s first same-sex marriages today.
June 3A new analysis of public opinion polls by a University of Wisconsin professor suggests that despite the success of referenda banning gay marriage, public support for gay marriage has been increasing for more than two decades. UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin collected the polling data in light of the California Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow gay marriage. Franklin’s data goes back to 1985, which is the first time he found any record in a University of Connecticut database of any pollster asking the public whether they support same-sex marriage. Back then, only 11 percent of those polled supported it. On average, polls showed that support was up to 40 percent by 2006. Continue reading the June 2 story from Wisconsin Public Radio...
May 30
Today, Judge Neiss in Dane County Circuit Court ruled that the November 2006 civil unions and gay marriage ban referendum did NOT violate the single-subject rule of Article 12, Section 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution. At this point, it is unclear whether plaintiff Mr. McConkey will appeal this ruling.
While this decision is disappointing, the judge emphasized that this case concerned a narrow procedural question as to whether the two-sentence amendment should have been voted on separately by the voters. As he emphasized from the bench, the decision does not address: 1) Interpretation of the scope of the Amendment. That is, it does not answer the questions concerning whether the amendment prohibits civil unions, or domestic partnerships, or domestic partner benefits, or other rights available to married couples. and 2) Whether the Amendment violates either the Wisconsin or the US constitution's guarantees of equal protection.
May 27
Fair Wisconsin mourns the untimely death of Felicia Melton-Smyth, a prominent Madison LGBT and AIDS activist, and extends its sincere sympathy to her family and her many friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. A memorial service is planned for June 21 in Madison.
May 29, 2008
Marriages of gay and lesbian couples performed in other jurisdictions will now be legally recognized in New York. While gay marriage is currently not legal in New York, Gov. David A. Paterson has directed all state agencies to begin to revise their policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, like Massachusetts, California and Canada. New York is the only state that does not itself allow gay marriage but fully recognizes those entered into elsewhere.
May 28, 2008
The UW System announced they have accepted the nomination of Caroyln "Biddy" Martin to fill the UW-Madison chancellor position. Martin, a lesbian, has studied sexuality and gender and wrote a book, "Femininity Played Straight: The Significance of Being Lesbian." Martin says "diversity is the key" and is committed to making sure that the UW diversifies not only in student body, but also in faculty and staff. She notes that UW-Madison is the only Big Ten university that does not offer benefits to same-sex couples. Said Martin, "I think it's true across the country that domestic partner benefits have become increasingly important and it is the case that faculty do leave universities without them for universities that offer those benefits. So it's about competitiveness."
May 27, 2008
On May 15, in an historic decision, the California State Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry in that state. The court's decisions typically take effect 30 days after ruling, which means gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed on J
May 27, 2008
On May 15, in an historic decision, the California State Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry in that state. The court's decisions typically take effect 30 days after ruling, which means gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed on June 17. California is the second state after Massachusetts to allow gay marriage. Learn more about the national landscape on our Marriage Equality resource section.
May 12, 2008
Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court declared that its constitutional amendment banning gay marriage also prohibits Michigan's public employers from offering domestic partner health insurance. (Read the entire 54-page opinion of the Michigan Supreme Court.) Even though we know Wisconsin is not Michigan, this horrendous judicial decision highlights our need to continue the fight for full equality for LGBT Wisconsinites and their families. We will be working with our legislative allies on securing domestic partner protections and benefits, and we will be calling on the legislative proponents of the Wisconsin marriage amendment to reaffirm the assurances they made during the campaign. We are prepared, with your help, to identify and target any who refuse to stand by their earlier words.
April 25, 2008
The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) is a bill pending in the U.S. Congress that will grant equal rights to American citizens who are in committed same-sex relationships with foreign nationals. On May 6, 7, and 8, a group of gay and lesbian families will travel to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress on UAFA. Please visit Immigration Equality’s UAFA Action Center and take a few minutes to demand equal immigration rights for LGBT people. For same-sex couples affected by the immigration system, this legislation cannot come soon enough. UAFA will pass, but together we will pass it sooner. Take action now and help make it possible!
April 17, 2008
Equal access to healthcare should be a basic right afforded to all. Unfortunately, instead of helping Wisconsin's LGBT families to obtain healthcare, our laws make things worse. Find out how on in the third chapter of The Fairness Gap.
March 31, 2008
Late last Friday, the anti-gay group Wisconsin Family Action filed a complaint against Justice Louis Butler, running for retention on the Supreme Court on April 1, 2008. The basis for the complaint is that “Justice Butler took money from two board members of the pro-homosexual, pro-same-sex marriage organization Fair Wisconsin (formerly Action Wisconsin) while the high court is considering a case involving the group.”Read the rest of their complaint.
March 31, 2008
Tomorrow, April 1 is the general election for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. Recently, we sent each of the candidates a survey asking them questions ranging from why they wanted to be a Supreme Court Justice to if they had gay friends or if they had ever handled legal matters relating to LGBT issues.
Unfortunately only one candidate, Justice Louis Butler, responded to our questions. Read Bulter's response to our survey and please take a moment to vote in this extremely important election tomorrow.
March 28, 2008
Glenn Carlson, interim Executive Director of Fair Wisconsin since November, had the word "interim" removed from his title by the boards of directors of Fair Wisconsin and the Fair Wisconsin Education Fund, at their meetings held in Milwaukee on March 15. "Our goal is to end discrimination permanently," Carlson said. "Our group has the strategy, tools and passion to do that through education, political action and hard work." Continue reading about Fair Wisconsin's leadership team.
March 24, 2008
The Fond du Lac Reporter highlights the very important April 1 Supreme Court Race in Wisconsin. The outcome of next week's vote will likely impact a lawsuit seeking health insurance benefits for the gay and lesbian partners of public employees.
Feb 29, 2008
Judy Stock and Leigh Robert, a lesbian couple who plan to wed next week in Canada, filed a grievance with the Sheboygan Area School District over the district's refusal to grant two days of paid leave as they do for non-gay couples.
Feb 19, 2008
In an effort to boost turnout at our April elections, Fair Wisconsin is handing out absentee ballot applications to voters as they head to the polls today. April's Supreme Court race between Justice Louis Butler and challenger Michael Gableman is of particular importance to Wisconsin's LGBT citizens. The outcome could change the balance on the court between liberals and conservatives, and several cases important to Fair Wisconsin will likely make the docket in the next several years including a challenge to the 2006 amendment, and case involving six lesbian couples suing the state for domestic partner benefits.
Feb 14, 2008
Today we launched a new project called The Fairness Gap. Every few weeks we will highlight a different aspect of the current disparity in legal protection in our state for LGBT couples and their families. Check back often for updates, and help spread the word.
Feb 13, 2008
The Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter announced that Judy Stock and Leigh Robert, a lesbian couple from Kiel plan to wed in Canada followed by an April ceremony at a Sheboygan County church. The article, which offers a glimpse into the couples' lives, quotes Roberts, "When one of my co-workers got engaged, an announcement was sent to everyone. But they didn't do that for me. It's discrimination by omission."
Feb 7, 2008
The Wisconsin Supreme Court decided today that a number of municipalities had no right to interfere in a lawsuit brought by lesbian Wisconsin state employees seeking domestic partner health insurance for their partners from their state employers. In the Court's written decision, it appears that the dissenting opinion was predisposed against gay marriage or civil unions, even though that was not the issue at hand.
The six lesbian couples, who have had to go without adequate health insurance for their families while this issue has been litigated, will now have their chance to prove that it is unconstitutional for the state to bar them from receiving the same compensation as their straight colleagues. For more about the lawsuit and the ruling, check out this piece on the Journal Sentinel blog, the ACLU's press release, and the Associated Press article running in papers across the state.
Feb 6, 2008
Oshkosh established a local PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Gays and Lesbians) chapter of the national PFLAG organization. Bill McConkey will serve as the chapter's first president. Earlier this year, McConkey filed a lawsuit against Wisconsin's constitutional amendment banning marriage and civil unions for gay couples. You can visit PFLAG Oshkosh's website for more information.
2007
11-30-07 Fair Wisconsin is pleased to report some good news. A constitutional challenge to last year’s marriage and civil unions ban can proceed, following Wednesday afternoon's decision by Dane County Judge Rick Niess. Read more...
10-24-07 Fair Wisconsin is disappointed that domestic partner benefits for state and UW employees were not included in the budget package passed by the state legislature this week. The failure of our state and University system to offer these benefits puts Wisconsin at a disadvantage in the global economy and marketplace. Fair Wisconsin is now looking to the future and is working with legislative allies on pro-active legislation that works to guarantee equal rights for all families in Wisconsin.
10-11-07 Click here to read Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin's statement on ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act).
9-19-07 Fair Wisconsin is searching for a new State Field Director. Click here to learn more.
9-11-07 - Join the GEM Club (Give Every Month) and help add Wisconsin to the equality calendar. Click here to learn more!.
8-31-07 - Yesterday an Iowa court ruled that is is unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. (more)
4-10-07 - On Monday the La Crosse county board moved to provide domestic partnership benefits, including medical and dental insurance, to some of its employees. (more)
3-26-07 - A number of states' legislatures are moving forward with basic protections for same-sex couples. The Minnesota Senate voted to allow domestic partners of state employees to buy into the state's health insurance programs. An Illinois House Committee approved civil unions legislation last week. And this week, the New Hampshire House appears poised to approve civil unions.
3-21-07 - Last night, the City of Monona became the latest Wisconsin employer to offer domestic partner health insurance benefits. Ald. Doug Wood told today's Capital Times "with such coverage increasingly common in the private sector, it will help the city compete for workers. He also said it sends a message that Monona is 'open and inviting to all people.'" (more)
3-15-07 - We are conducting a search for a development director. Click here to view a PDF of the development director description.
3-14-07 - Yesterday, UW-Madison had a forum about domestic partner benefits. Bob Delaporte, an aide to Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, told The Badger Herald: "When you talk to real people, this is not a real benefit...It doesn't appeal for [sic] working families in Wisconsin." (more)
3-12-07 - The Joint Committee on Finance is the powerful committee that will examine the Governor's proposed budget, including his request to provide fair and equal benefits to all state employees. The Committee will hold six hearings across the state to get citizen input. They will be in Milwaukee, DeForest, Chippewa Falls, Prairie du Chien, Rhinelander, and Green Bay. Please consider attending to show your support for domestic partner benefits. Download time and location details here.
2-21-07 - In yesterday's primary election for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Annette Ziegler and Linda Clifford garnered the most votes of the three candidates and will proceed to the April 3rd general election. (more)
2-16-07 - The Wisconsin State Journal editorial board calls on state lawmakers to approve domestic partner benefits...(more)
2-13-07 - State lawmakers will soon consider Governor Doyle's budget, including his request to provide domestic partner benefits to state employees. Please take a moment today to contact your lawmakers. Our online action center makes it easy--just click here.
2-13-07 - Today Fair Wisconsin released an updated report on Wisconsin employers that offer domestic partner benefits. At least 130 employers in diverse sectors offer the benefits. Click here to view the complete list.
2-10-07 - According to today's Capital Times, Governor Jim Doyle will seek domestic partner benefits for all state employees in his new budget...(more)
1-23-07 - Did you know that 57% of voters in Stevens Point rejected the civil unions and marriage ban last November? Or that 54% of voters in the small, Iowa County town of Barneveld also rejected the ban? New data shows that a majority of voters in 99 communities across Wisconsin voted no...(more)
1-23-07 - In December, we told you about initial plans for the new year, and we recently accomplished one of our first objectives--securing the help of core staff leaders. We're now moving forward on several projects that are all part of the 100 Day Plan...(more)
1-16-07 - Fair Wisconsin is implementing a 100 Day Plan, which includes core leaders of the campaign stepping up to direct the effort...(more)
12-12-07 - We heard you. Thousands of you took the time to answer our survey about the direction of Fair Wisconsin, and we wanted to share the results with you. Once again, you used your voice to stand up for the values we all share and we thank you....(more)
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