Delaware Non-Discrimination Bill Dies

All my exes may live in Delaware, but they can't tell anyone we've been dating.

On the back of the rest of New England going wild for gays and their wacky marriages, a Delaware State Senate Committee voted down a bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in that state, thus killing it in committee. I feel a special sort of affinity for the hard-working LGBTQ community there (well, I don't think the "T" was covered here); they've been trying just as long to see equal protections put into law in their state, and met with just as many disappointments, as Ohio.

It's sad, really, and, despite our view of Delaware being far more progressive than us lowly Midwesterners, it's amazing to hear the opposition talk even there:

Those who testified against the bill claimed it would violate the First Amendment, facilitate the legalization of same-sex marriages and lead to homosexuality being taught in public schools.

Austin R. Nimocks, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, said the bill would conflict with the constitutionally protected right of religions freedom, and that such legislation opens the door for permitting gay marriage.

“It’s used as a legal sword to uphold same-sex marriage,” Nimocks told the committee.

Nicole Theis, head of the Delaware Family Policy Council, also spoke in opposition to the bill, but said her argument was not meant to disparage homosexuals.

“We believe all people are made in the image of god,” she said. “We do not believe House Bill 5 is about human worth. We do believe it is a matter of public policy that will impact education.

“It’s a matter of deep concern that an eight-year-old child will be taught that a homosexual lifestyle is just as acceptable as a heterosexual lifestyle.”

See? Fear tactics work just about everywhere.

However, there is hope. After the Senate Committee pulled this same bit last year, supporters rallied to make changes to the rules of the legislative body that would spring bills out of committee if a petition were signed by a majority of Senators (they would need 11). One of the supporters of the bill, Sen. David P. Sokola (D-Newark), is circulating this petition, now.

Equal Marriage Update

A lot of news has come out in the last few days about equal marriage, so let's just do a quick round-up:

• New York: Both Sen. Charles Schumer and Mayor Bloomberg (and NYC City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn) have come out in support of gay marriage, despite the NY State Democrats block in the current session. Simultaneously, Governor Patterson both required all agencies to acknowledge out of state gay marriages and NYC gay couples are now allowed to list same-sex parents on birth certificates.
• New Hampshire: Even though there was a blockade in the NH State Senate against the equal marriage bill, the NH State House has passed the bill. It was a squeaker -- 186-179, and then only after a brief recess to discuss the issue. But still... it's on its way!
• Hawai'i: After a civil unions bill passed the State House with flying colors (33-17), it got deadlocked in the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now dead, even after a valiant attempt to save it.
• Maine: Seems like the gays are taking on the family/children argument -- something I always said that we would never win. We'll see.
• Vermont: Gay rights proponents are not giving up after Gov. Douglas stated that he would veto an equal marriage bill. Rather, they are counting heads and seeing if they have the requisite 2/3 of both houses to overturn a veto. I think we do, it seems, in at least one house.
• Delaware: Meanwhile, Delaware is fighting a double-whammy: a bill that would protect LGBT folks in all things wonderful, and one that would ban same-sex discrimination. Great. 

That's about all I got for the day.