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Saturday, December 10, 2016

Why Arkansas same-sex parents won't be listed on a child's birth certificate

5:00 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

Arkansas same-sex parents will not be listed on their childrenâ€™s birth certificates, the stateâ€™s highest court ruled on Thursday. The decision has raised questions about equal protection, and the state may still change its approach.

The ruling by a four-member majority of the Arkansas Supreme Court determined that only biological parents can be listed on a childâ€™s birth certificate. It overturns last yearâ€™s decision by a lower court that married same-sex couples could automatically have both spouses listed as parents.Â

For the state Supreme Court, itâ€™s simply a question of biology. At the same time, marriage allows different-sex couples to be listed as parents, and the US Supreme Courtâ€™s ruling on gay marriage may mean that now applies to same-sex couples too. And the debate is complicated by state laws that require parentage to be tracked.

â€œIt is clear that including both married spousesâ€™ names â€" regardless of whether they are same-sex or opposite sex â€" on a childâ€™s birth certificate is exactly the kind of benefit of marriage that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled should be extended to same-sex couples,â€ Kate Oakley, senior legislative counsel for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a press release.

That was the approach taken by Little Rock Circuit Judge Tim Fox in December 2015. Three same-sex couples brought a case arguing that the legalization of same-sex marriage gave same-sex parents the same rights to be identified as parents on their childrenâ€™s birth certificates that different-sex parents already enjoyed.Â

For parents, being named on a childâ€™s birth certificate is important for all kinds of reasons, as LGBT news source The Advocate described. Without this legitimization, parents may struggle to put children on their health insurance or even pick them up from school.

When they won their suit, the three couples were granted the right to list the names of both partners on the birth certificates. But the state appealed the decision on the grounds that it was causing legal and logistical problems. Several days after the initial ruling, the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed the decision, preventing it from being extended to other couples.

One possible reason for the issues: birth certificates are woven into legislation and Health Board protocol in the state of Arkansas. Identifying biological parents is an â€œimportant governmental objective,â€ wrote Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Josephine Linker Hart in the majority opinion, explaining that knowing who parents are allows the state to track public health trends and give children genetic information that they might need for medical reasons later on.

But different-sex Arkansas parents arenâ€™t required to prove that they are the biological parents of the child, perhaps limiting the value of state tracking â€" and raising questions about unequal treatment of same-sex parents.

"There's no requirement that DNA be given or that there be a biological relationship to a child to get on a birth certificate for a father, for the non-birth parent," said Cheryl Maples, who sued on behalf of the three couples, the Associated Press reported.

â€œThe inclusion of a parent's name on a child's birth certificate is a benefit associated with and flowing from marriage," wrote Arkansas Associate Justice Paul Danielson in the dissenting opinion.

The decision may have provided an impetus for the state to make some changes to the law.

â€œIt is time to heed the callâ€ to make changes heralded by decisions like Obergefell v. Hodges, which established the right to same-sex marriage, said Arkansas Chief Justice Howard Brill, according to NBC.

And though some state officials pronounced the state â€œgratifiedâ€ that the court had chosen to uphold state law, they suggested that lawmakers might be willing to consider changes. Arkansas has so far been reluctant to amend its laws.

â€œIf any changes are appropriate, it is the job of legislators to do so, not the circuit court,â€ said Judd Deere, a spokesman for Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, AP reported.

As it stands, the ruling would require same-sex parents to obtain a court order if they want both spouses to be listed on a childâ€™s birth certificate. Ms. Maples told AP that she has not yet decided whether to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

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X Factor's Matt Terry uses same sex couples for dance routine - is he up to something?

5:00 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

X Factor's Matt Terry made a lot of fans happy by using same sex dance couples this evening.

As he took to the stage to perform his take on Jess Glynne's Take Me Home, men were dancing with one another and so were women.

Those tuning in at home were delighted and quick to take to Twitter afterwards.

One wrote: "Love how they used same sex dancers on X factor."

X Factor's Matt Terry made a lot of fans happy by using same sex dance couples this evening (Photo: Splash)

Another then posted: "Same sex dancing couples. How delightful. #xfactor #mattterry.'

Moments later, a different viewer tweeted: "Big up to the same sex dance couples though #XFactor."

Shortly afterwards, another posted: "Living for these same sex dancers. #XFactor."

However, some viewers were suspicious as to why Matt decided to use same sex couples in his final perfomance.

Matt Terry's dancers on the X Factor (Photo: ITV)

One fan claimed: "NOPE! As if Matt just tried, so blatantly, to get the gay vote with same sex dancers! As if the gays won't all be voting for Saara #XFactor."

This year's X Factor king or queen will be crowned in tomorrow's live final.

Matt Terry's dancers on the X Factor (Photo: ITV)

Matt faces tough competition from Saara Alto and 5AM and one of the three remaining acts will be leaving the competition tonight.

*X factor returns to ITV tomorrow at 8pm

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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Israel to ease citizenship process for same-sex couples - Israel News

9:30 AM Bilal Muazin No comments

The naturalization process for foreign same-sex partners in Israel will be the same as that of their heterosexual counterparts, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit reported Thursday to the High Court of Justice.

According to Mandelblit's guidelines, couples of the same sex who present foreign marriage documents will be able to undergo the same procedure to receive citizenship for the foreign partner as do heterosexual couples.

The move by Mandelblit's was made in response to a petition presented by the The Israeli Gay Fathers Association, which claimed gay couples have been discriminated against for years in the immigration process. The group complained that same sex couples were forced to go through a seven-year waiting period before the state would give its recognition.

For heterosexual couples, the transition period lasts four years, resulting in the foreign partner receiving full citizenship.

The organization's petition also claimed that the state forced LGBT partners of foreign nationality to give up non-Israeli citizenship, as opposed to heterosexual partners who were permitted to retain their foreign citizenship.

Mandelblit issued his decision to the court following lobbying efforts by Jonathan Berman from the State Attorney's Office.

"The mere presentation of foreign marriage documents and the couple's intention to receive legal validity, is a significant indicator in relations to the seriousness of the relationship and to justify shortening the process," Mandelblit said.

The Israeli Gay Fathers Association later said Mandelblit's announcement was "a huge victory against discrimination for same sex couples."

"The decision will ease the process for many couples with mixed citizenship that have suffered until today, which many times does not end with Israeli citizenship," the group added.

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LGBTQ Activists Take Fight for Same-Sex Marriage in Taiwan Overseas

10:00 AM Bilal Muazin No comments

Image: Same-sex marriage protests in Taiwan

A young man waves a rainbow flag during a protest outside the Parliament, in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 November 2016. Reports state protesters gathered outside the parliament, both for and against a draft bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Taiwan. If Taiwan Parliament passes the same-sex marriage bill, it will become the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. DAVID CHANG / EPA

In Taiwan's LGBTQ community, many oppose a special partnership law since it would apply only to gays rather than open up marriage for all, Liu said.

"Having more liberal LGBTQ rights will be a good way not only to benefit the LGBTQ population in Taiwan, but also to just let the world know that Taiwan is a country for social democracy and [has] a lot of the liberal values that progressives in the U.S. also hold," she said.

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LGBTQ Activists Take Fight for Same-Sex Marriage in Taiwan Overseas

3:00 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

In Taiwan's LGBTQ community, many oppose a special partnership law since it would apply only to gays rather than open up marriage for all, Liu said.

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LGBTQ Activists Take Fight for Same-Sex Marriage in Taiwan Overseas

1:30 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

In Taiwan's LGBTQ community, many oppose a special partnership law since it would apply only to gays rather than open up marriage for all, Liu said.

Follow NBC Asian America on

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LGBTQ Activists Take Fight for Same-Sex Marriage in Taiwan Overseas

12:30 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

In Taiwan's LGBTQ community, many oppose a special partnership law since it would apply only to gays rather than open up marriage for all, Liu said.

Follow NBC Asian America on

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. "

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Friday, December 9, 2016

Cherokee Nation Will Now Recognize Same-Sex Marriage

3:00 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

The Cherokee Nation will now recognize same-sex marriage, according to an opinion issued Friday by the tribeâ€™s attorney general.

Todd Hembree, the tribeâ€™s attorney general, wrote in his opinion:

The right to marry without the freedom to marry the person of oneâ€™s choice is no right at all. The history of perpetual partnerships and marriage among Cherokees supports the conclusion that Cherokee citizens have a fundamental right not only to choose a spouse but also, with mutual consent, to join together and form a household irrespective of sexual orientation.

The decision followed a request made by the tribeâ€™s tax commissioner for an official opinion on the issue a few weeks ago.

â€œWe were increasingly being contacted by departments in the Cherokee Nation on how to handle certain issues with same-sex marriage,â€ Chrissi Nimmo, assistant attorney general of the Cherokee Nation, told The Huffington Post on Friday.

Native American nations are governed by Congress, not the federal courts. So the 2015 Supreme Court decision to recognize gay marriage in all 50 states did not legally affect the Cherokee Nation, but Nimmo said the bulk of Fridayâ€™s decision was indeed informed by it.

Hembreeâ€™s decision was also influenced by historical Cherokee Nation sexuality narratives. He wrote in Fridayâ€™s decision:

Our oral history teaches us also that the Cherokee and Euro-American worldviews differed dramatically regarding appropriate gender roles, marriage, sexuality, and spiritual beliefs. Indeed, while the majority of Cherokees subscribed to the traditional gender roles, evidence suggests a tradition of homosexuality or alternative sexuality among a minority of Cherokees.

â€œIt think itâ€™s a really interesting part of the decision,â€ Nimmo told HuffPost. â€œThrough historical research, we were able to identify research sources that indicate there was some type of historical recognition of homosexuality.â€

Hembreeâ€™s opinion nullifies a law the tribe passed 12 years ago called the Cherokee Nation and Family Protection Act, which banned same-sex marriage among tribe members.Â

Though same-sex marriage is still illegal in some Native American tribes, like the Navajo Nation, Nimmo believes most tribes donâ€™t take a stance on it either way.Â

â€œI think you will see a mixed reaction [to Fridayâ€™s decision] like you do in the American public at large,â€ Nimmo told HuffPost. â€œWithout a doubt, there will be tribal members and officials who support this and are proud of this, and there will be others ... who donâ€™t like it.â€

The Cherokee Nationâ€™s legal recognition of same-sex marriage will take effect immediately. Nimmo said Hembreeâ€™s decision is â€œbinding and considered legally valid,â€ though it can be challenged by other Cherokee officials at any time.

â€œI donâ€™t really know who would challenge it,â€ Nimmo added.

Supporters of the decision shared their excitement on social media:

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Saturday, December 10, 2016

Cherokee Nation OKs same-sex marriage

5:00 PM Bilal Muazin No comments

Story highlights

Brittany Nunley and Kelli King were surprised and pleased with the opinion
Cherokee Nation law enacted in 2004 has banned same-sex marriage

A ban on same-sex marriage involving members of the Cherokee Nation was overturned by the tribe's attorney general in an opinion issued Friday.

King called her girlfriend, Brittany Nunley, who is Cherokee and shared the good news.

"I think its awesome," Nunley told CNN. "I have been really proud of my Cherokee heritage and to be able to get a marriage license is just awesome."

King, who said the couple met at a church softball game about four and half years ago, said she was excited to hear about the ruling.

"This is just another way we can incorporate her heritage into our lives and are thankful for opportunity," King said.

Attorney General Todd Hembree's opinion specifically says two sections of the 2004 Cherokee Nation Marriage and Family Act are unconstitutional.

He said the tribe's constitution protects certain fundamental rights, among them the right to marry.

"The constitution affords these rights to all Cherokee citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and the Cherokee Nation, or any subdivision, must recognize validly issued civil unions, same-sex marriages, and same-sex domestic partnerships from other jurisdictions," the opinion says.

The US Supreme Court ruled by a 5-4 vote in June 2015 that states cannot ban same-sex marriage.

Nunley said after it became legal in Oklahoma in 2014 and then nationwide through the landmark Supreme Court decision, she wondered whether the Cherokee Nation would also reverse itself.

"I was really excited and really proud to be a Cherokee. Like my nation is doing something for all its people," she said from her home in Locust Grove, about 20 minutes from the tribe's headquarters in Tahlequah.

Marriage is definitely in their future, King said. It's been discussed in the past but they wanted to wait for it to be legal.

"It's probably not too far off now," she said.

Nunley said she's just waiting for someone to pop the question.

The man who was chief in 2004 told the Tulsa World newspaper that he supported Hembree's opinion.

"It was adhering to past Cherokee law," Chad Smith said, explaining why he signed the law 12 years ago. "But our constitution incorporates the provisions of the US Constitution, and the Supreme Court (of the United States) has since made its ruling."

A member of the tribal council disagreed with the decision and told the newspaper that he expected the council would still support the 2004 law.

"We'll have to get together and talk about it," Don Garvin told the newspaper.

The Cherokee Nation website says that with more than 317,000 citizens, it is the largest sovereign tribal nation in the United States.

CNN's Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report.

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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Hormonal contraceptives linked to more sex in committed relationships

1:57 AM Bilal Muazin No comments

Sex is quite wonderful when the goal is to have children. But sex can also serve as a "glue" in a committed relationship.

Most animals have periods when they come into heat, and outside these periods they don't find sex interesting at all. Humans, however, are constantly interested in sex. This sex interest can seem like a waste of energy, but an evolutionary perspective may explain why we function this way.

MORE SEX WITH PROGESTERONE AND COMMITMENT

A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of New Mexico confirm that sex is important for pair-bonding between men and women in relationships. The researchers also found a correlation between the type of oral contraceptive women use and how often couples have sex. The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Evolution & Human Behavior.

"The function of sex in humans outside ovulation is an evolutionary mystery. But we believe that it has to do with binding the parties in the relationship together," says Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, a professor of psychology at NTNU.

Kennair worked with Trond Viggo GrÃ¸ntvedt, Nick Grebe and University of New Mexico Professor Steve Gangestad to ask hundreds of Norwegian heterosexual women about contraception, sex and relationships.

Their results show that of women in long-term relationships and who are using hormonal contraception, those who are more committed to their relationships have more sex with partners, as one might expect.

"But this association was especially true when the contraceptive that women used had potent levels of synthetic hormones that mimic the effects of the natural hormone progesterone, and lower levels of the hormone estrogen," Gangestad said.

"We're talking about intercourse here, not other types of sex like oral sex, masturbation and such. This strengthens the idea that sex outside the ovulation phase has a function besides just pleasure," says GrÃ¸ntvedt.

BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TYPES OF CONTRACEPTIVES

Hormonal contraceptives, like birth control pills, implantable rods and patches, contain two types of hormones: estrogen, which naturally peaks just before ovulation when naturally cycling women can conceive offspring, and hormones that have the same effect as progesterone, which naturally peaks during the extended sexual phase, a time when offspring cannot be conceived. The levels of each hormone type vary in different contraceptives. Hence, some contraceptives mimic hormones that are more characteristic of ovulation, whereas others mimic hormones when women can't conceive. The women who used contraception with more estrogen were most sexually active when they were in a less committed relationship. On the other hand, women who used contraception with more progesterone were the most sexually active when they were faithful and loyal to their partners.

"Before we did this study, we didn't know how much difference there was between the two types of hormonal contraceptives," says GrÃ¸ntvedt.

A CREDIBLE HOLISTIC PICTURE

The researchers surveyed two groups of women. All the women were using hormonal contraception and were in committed, heterosexual relationships. One group consisted of 112 women that researchers followed over a 12-week period. The women were asked how often and when in their cycle they had sex.

The second sample group consisted of 275 women in long-term relationships who used hormonal contraception. This group was not followed over time, but the researchers asked them how many times they had had sex in the past week. This type of study - using data collected at a specific point in time - is called a cross-sectional study. Both groups were asked to indicate the type of contraception they were using, and if a pill, which brand it was.

"Since we examined these two groups using different methods - a snapshot for the one group and a longitudinal study for the other - we can be confident that the results provide a reliable overall picture," says Dr GrÃ¸ntvedt.

NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC HORMONES APPEARED TO BE THE SAME

The basis for the NTNU study was a 2013 American study, where 50 women and their partners answered a series of questions about their relationships, menstrual cycles and frequency of sex. None of these women were using any kind of hormonal contraception, so only their natural hormones were involved. The study showed that women initiated sex more in the extended sexual phase - when they were not ovulating and progesterone was the dominant hormone - if they were invested in the relationship.

NTNU researchers wanted to verify the American results in their study, but with participants who were using a hormonal contraceptive that simulates a natural cycle. Their results were the same as in the US study, in which women were not using any hormonal birth control.

The researchers were thus able to show that how often women have sex is linked to how committed they feel towards their partner and the type of hormone they are governed by, whether natural or synthetic.

"A lot of social psychology studies that have led to cool discoveries through the ages have lost status, because it hasn't been possible to copy them and verify the results. We are extremely pleased to have been able to verify the results of the study by Grebe and his colleagues, and we are equally pleased that we have also made new discoveries," Kennair says.

Source:

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

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