Marriage Protest At Buckingham Palace

Yesterday noted British activist Peter Tatchell led a marriage equality protest in the middle of the royal wedding media storm outside of Buckingham Palace.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell delivered a gigantic wedding card to Buckingham Palace which, according to the website of Chicago Gay Pride, read: "Congratulations William and Kate on your Wedding Day. We wish you a happy life together. You can get married, gay people can't. We are banned by law. We ask you to support marriage equality. Equal=Love." Gay marriage supporters have put together a waved pink Union Jack flags as the giant card, part of the so-called Equal Love campaign, was unveiled. Tatchell said he hoped the royal couple would "find a way" to back the protest.

Tatchell: "I'm sure Kate and William have gay and lesbian friends. I'm sure they wouldn't wish to see them discriminated against."

MARYLAND: Hate Crimes Vigil To Be Held Tonight At Baltimore McDonald's

Via Metro Weekly:

A candlelight vigil is scheduled to take place at the McDonald's at 6315 Kenwood Ave. in Rosedale, Baltimore, at 7 p.m. on Monday night where on April 18 a transgender woman was physically attacked, before appearing to have a seizure, in an incident recorded on a portable phone by a McDonald's employee.

The victim says she plans to sue McDonald's. Hate crime charges have not yet been filed against her attackers.

LONDON: Gays To Protest For Marriage Equality At Buckingham Palace

As the entire world becomes enveloped in royal wedding fever, tomorrow LGBT activists led by Peter Tatchell will stage a marriage equality protest at Buckingham Palace. Tatchell:

We plan to deliver a giant wedding card to William and Kate. As well as wishing the royal couple every happiness, we will highlight the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples can’t. Our event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation. Kate and William had a choice. They could get married, or not. Same-sex couples don’t have this choice. We are banned from marriage by law. All welcome. Bring your friends for a party in front of Buckingham Palace. Come with flowers, rainbow flags and pink jack flags.

Facebook event page here.

IRELAND: Marriage Campaign Launches

The Irish LGBT rights group Noise has launched a new marriage campaign with ads appearing on Dublin's public transit.

A controversial poster claiming “Jesus had two Dads” will appear on Dublin transport today to highlight the continuing campaign for gay marriage. The gay rights group Noise, a group campaigning for marriage equality for same-sex couples, is launching the new poster campaign on Dublin city public transport this Monday. The posters highlight the difference between Civil Partnership and Civil Marriage, pointing out that Civil Partnership, which was recently legalized in Ireland is not equality. The group also unveiled its new-look website to coincide with the launch.

Ireland's civil partnerships law went into effect earlier this month.

NEW YORK: Log Cabin Republicans To Join Coalition For Marriage Equality

Yesterday I reported that Freedom To Marry, Marriage Equality New York, the Empire State Pride Agenda, and the Human Rights Campaign were joining in an unprecedented coalition to bring marriage equality to New York. You can now add the Log Cabin Republicans to that list. Via press release:

With the addition of the Log Cabin Republicans, the coalition now includes all five leading LGBT rights organizations operating in New York State. The announcement by the Log Cabin Republicans of New York–representing Republicans who support fairness, freedom and equality for gay and lesbian Americans–reflects the bipartisan support in New York State for allowing all loving and committed couples to marry. Support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will be needed for passage. “Marriage is not a progressive or conservative issue. It’s an issue of equal rights for taxpaying citizens of this state,” said Gregory T. Angelo, Chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans of New York State. “For the first time, we are truly united in our fight to ensure every single New Yorker has the right to marry the person he or she loves.”

NEW YORK: Gay Rights Group Unite On Concentrated Push For Marriage

A coalition of LGBT rights group has formed to make a concentrated push for marriage equality in New York state. Via press release:

New Yorkers United for Marriage, an unprecedented alliance that includes Empire State Pride Agenda, Freedom to M arry, Human Rights Campaign and Marriage Equality New York will build on the growing momentum for marriage and groundwork already laid across the state - with the goal of enacting a bill before the end of the current legislative session. "Today, we stand closer than ever to allowing all loving, committed couples to legally marry here in New York," said Ross Levi, Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. "We've sent a loud and clear message during the last two years that supporting the LGBT community isn't just the right thing to do, but it's also good politics, and this unprecedented coalition will amplify that message.”

The New York Times reports that the coalition is being led by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Under the supervision of the governor’s staff, the groups intend to raise more than $1 million for a media blitz, hire a powerful political consultant close to the Cuomo administration and deploy field organizers to the districts of more than a dozen key lawmakers to drum up support, according to interviews with those involved in the effort. In contrast to their failed drive for a marriage bill two years ago, the advocates envision a short, disciplined and intense run-up to a vote in the State Legislature, raising the prospect that gay couples may be allowed to wed in New York by early summer. Their overriding aim: avoid the mistakes and miscommunications of 2009, when those lobbying for same-sex marriage sent conflicting messages, misjudged the opposition and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate, 38 to 24.

Queer Rising To Protest Easter Parade

Queer Rising will protest the Catholic Church at this weekend's NYC Easter Parade, which as evidenced by the above photo typically draws a fair amount of gay men, drag queens, and fashionistas. Queer Rising cites a recent anti-gay marriage lobbying trip to Albany by Archbishop Timothy Dolan as prompting the protest. Via press release:

"It is good to see members of the LGBT community stand up to the prejudice and hatred of the Catholic Church. The Church's hatred of members of the LGBT community and their opposition to a women's right to choose must be confronted where ever possible. The blood of LGBT people victimized by violence belongs on the door steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral," said Allen Roskoff, an LGBT activist and the President of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.

Queer Rising will be joined at the protest by Connecting Rainbows. In recent weeks Queer Rising has staged traffic blockades around midtown Manhattan.

At London's "Snog-A-Thon"

Although London's John Snow Pub locked their doors rather than allow gay protesters inside, the planned "snog-a-thon" went on in the street outside.

GetEQUAL Vs. Maggie Gallagher

As I reported earlier today, GetEQUAL ambushed Maggie Gallagher outside of this morning's DOMA hearing to give her their "Anita Bryant Award" for bigotry. Watch Gallagher tangle with a GetEQUAL member after he denounces her hatred.

London Pub Locks Out "Snog-A-Thon"

The Soho pub that was to be the location of a "massive snog-a-thon" this afternoon has locked their doors rather than allow gay protesters inside. On Wednesday night two gay men were ejected from the pub after its landlady objected to their kissing. Hundreds of would-be snoggers had responded to a Facebook call for action. From the Guardian's live-blog of the protest:

It's become clear that the John Snow pub has closed its doors, presumably fearful of the avalanche of snogging that was about to descend upon it. One Twitter user, who works opposite, reports that a TV crew has arrived and is "filming the locked door whilst bar staff peer from upstairs window". The Press Association has managed to get a few words with Thomas Paget, the licence holder of the pub. He again refused to comment on the row. Asked whether the pub had been the victim of a "misunderstanding", he told PA: "I don't have anything to say."

(Via - Towleroad)

Freedom To Marry's Roadmap To Victory

NEW YORK CITY: Five Queer Rising Activists Arrested In Traffic Blockade

Despite New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's vehement support for marriage equality and his recent promise for a "full court press" on the issue in the state Senate, activists from Queer Rising today stopped traffic outside of Cuomo's Manhattan office. Via press release:

Five people have been arrested for blocking rush-hour traffic just outside Governor Cuomo's Manhattan office, at East 41 Street and 3rd Avenue. The Queer Rising members unfurled a 75-foot banner that reads, “Marriage Equality NOW! Call Cuomo: 518-474-8390!!!” Five members of Queer Rising members handcuffed and chained themselves in the middle of the street and refused to leave the demonstration. Those arrested were: Natasha Dillon (26, lesbian activist); Kevin Donohue (51, gay Jewish activist); Melissa Kleckner (31, straight ally); Ali Lozano (20, lesbian student activist); Robert Moore (30, gay Mormon activist).

A separate action was staged simultaneously at Grand Central Terminal in which ten drag queens officiated mock same-sex weddings.