Zhoosh Magazine - February 2009 - (Page 4)

authorities at US immigration control on arrival in the country, I could be put on a flight home, and that there was no option for me to emigrate to the USA as her partner, even though we legally married in Canada in 2004, a marriage that UK recognises as a civil partnership. The only option for us to live together was for Tammy to move to the UK, which she did in 2005. She left behind two daughters and her first grandchild is due in January. When we travel to the USA in January to see the new grandbaby, I still will have to pretend that we are just friends. The USA does not recognise our Canadian marriage, or our UK civil partnership. After the inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20th, what is he promising to do for the LGBT community? He has just issued his pledges on LBGT rights on his transition website. They include: He wants to expand the Employment NonDiscrimination Act to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. It is still legal in most states to fire someone for simply being gay. He wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would make over 1,100 federal legal rights and benefits currently based on marital status available to all. Even though Obama opposes same-sex marriage, he supports full civil unions giving same-sex couples equal rights to married couples. He supports adoption rights for same sex couples. He wants to develop a national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS in order to reduce infections and increase access to care. He believes in repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, where LGBT people in the military have to hide their sexual identity. He supports the Uniting American Families Act, which would allow bi-national same-sex couples the same rights as married couples with regards to immigration rules. Recognised in some regions Argentina- Buenos Aires, Rio Negro Province, Villa Carlos Paz Australia – Tasmania, Australia Capital Territory, Victoria Brazil – Rio Grande Do Sul Canada – Nova Scotia, Quebec Mexico – Coahuila, Mexico City In some USA states – California (even if Prop 8 is upheld), Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, (Above Sally and Tammy) For those of us with American partners, or going on holiday to the USA, the current situation for the LGBT community affects us personally. For the rest of us, we should be proud of what has been achieved in the UK and stand together hoping that Barack Obama will bring the changes that he has promised and make the USA a fairer and more equal country that its citizens can be proud of. Countries that recognise same-sex relationships Same-sex marriage Belgium, Canada, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain In some USA states – California (unless Prop 8 is upheld), Connecticut, Massachusetts Foreign marriages recognised Aruba (Netherlands only), Israel, France, Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands only), In one USA state – New York Civil Unions and Registered Partnerships Andorra, Iceland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand, Ecuador, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Uruguay, Oregon, Vermont, Washington Page 4

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Zhoosh Magazine - February 2009

Zhoosh Magazine - February 2009 Contents Features LGBT America What are You Reading? New Goth on the Block The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill Congestion, the Debate Continues... Sugar and Spice Genesis Wherefore ART Thou? LGBT History Month

Zhoosh Magazine - February 2009

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