OUTLOOKjune2014.pg61-62-63.qxp_OUTLOOK OHIO TEMPLATE 5/23/14 4:11 AM Page 1
feature: pride 2014
pride coast to coast
American Pride
There’s Something Worth Cheering in Every State We’ve got a lot to celebrate this year, don’t we? Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act and a California marriage ban last June, change has come more quickly than most of us could have imagined. Marriage equality has come to six more states, and federal court rulings are on hold pending appeal in eight more, (including Ohio). Judges have ordered states to either allow marriages or recognize them. We’ve made progress on other fronts, too. States and cities passed legislation upholding the rights of LGBT workers and kids. Big businesses expanded policies to LGBT spouses and families. LGBT candidates won public office. We still have a long way to go, to be sure. But along with this year’s rundown of Pride parades and festivals around the country, we thought it would be nice to share something that’s happened in each state since last June that we think is worth celebrating: ALABAMA: Birmingham (June 7-8),
Huntsville (June 22), Mobile (April 2015). Retired Bishop Melvin G Talbert risked disciplinary action from the United Methodist Church and performed a wedding service in October for a Birmingham couple who married in Washington, DC. ALASKA: Anchorage (June 14). The State
Personnel Board voted in September to expand state government’s family-leave policies to workers with same-sex partners.
ARKANSAS: Conway (June 1), Bentonville (June 14), Eureka Springs (Aug 1-3), Little Rock (TBD). Marriage equality! Maybe? A judge in Pulaski County struck down the state’s marriage ban in May although the ruling has been appealed. CALIFORNIA: Long Beach (May 17-18),
Santa Cruz (June 1), Sonoma County (June 1), Los Angeles (June 6-8), Fresno (June 7), San Mateo (June 14), Sacramento (June 15), San Francisco (June 28-29), LA Black Pride (July 3-6), Santa Barbara (July 12), San Luis Obispo (July 13-14), San Diego (July 16-20), Santa Ana (Aug 9), San Jose (Aug 16), Chico (Aug 22-24), Ventura (Aug 22-24), Stockton (Aug 23), Oakland, (Aug 31), Chula Vista (Sept 13), Humboldt (Sept 13), Pasadena (Sept 27), Anaheim (Oct 3-5), Oceanside (Oct 11), San Bernardino (Oct 24-26), Palm Springs (Nov 8-9). A law that took effect Jan 1 ensures the right of transgender children to participate in activities and use facilities that match their gender identity. COLORADO: Aspen (June 12-19), Denver
(June 21-22), Fort Collins (June 21-22), Colorado Springs (July 19-20), Pueblo (Aug 1517), Boulder (Sept 14). Colorado HealthOP and Kaiser Permanente announced in September that they would ensure the coverage of health services for transgender people. CONNECTICUT: Norwalk (June 14), New
London (Aug 2). Members of the NCAAchampion University of Connecticut women’s basketball team spoke out for lesbian and bisexual athletes in an October video for Br{ache (Break) the Silence, a national campaign. DELAWARE: Dover (Aug 2). State Sen.
ARIZONA: Bisbee (June 13-15), Flagstaff
(June 28-29), Sedona (Sept 25-28), Tucson (Oct 18), Phoenix (April 2015). Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill in February that would have allowed people to cite religious beliefs as a defense for discriminating against LGBT people. outlookohio.com
Karen Peterson and Vikki Bandy, both 63, were the first couple to legally wed in the state on July 1. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Black Pride (May 23-25), DC Latino Pride (June 5), Washington (June 6-8). City government is-
sued new rules in February that require locally regulated insurance plans to cover gender-confirmation surgery and other care for transgender residents. FLORIDA: Pensacola (May 22-26), Mel-
bourne (May 25-June 1), Orlando Black Pride (June 3-9), Tallahassee (June 5-12), Key West (June 11-15), Wilton Manors (June 21-22), St. Petersburg (June 27-29), Jacksonville Black Pride (Aug 8-10), Jacksonville (Oct 4-5), Orlando (Oct 6-12), Ocala (Oct 18), Sarasota (Oct 18), Gainesville (Oct 25), Fort Lauderdale (Feb 28-March 1, 2015), Lake Worth (March 2015), Miami Beach (April 2015). Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway, who once declared, “I hate gay people,” was the first to sign a marriage-equality petition in July. He’s now an LGBT ally who is involved with the Trevor Project. GEORGIA: Columbus (June 21), Augusta
(June 27-29), Marietta (July 31-Aug 2), Atlanta Black Pride (Aug 26-Sept 2), Savannah (Sept 13), Valdosta (Sept 20), Atlanta (Oct 11-12). Lambda Legal filed a federal lawsuit in April on behalf of three couples and a widow who are challenging the state’s samesex marriage ban.
ville (June 7), Spencer (June 7), Fort Wayne (July 25-26), Lafayette (Aug 2), Indianapolis Black Pride (Aug 8-10). A federal judge ruled in April that the state must recognize the marriage of a terminally ill woman and her wife. IOWA: Cedar Rapids (May 31), Quad Cities (June 6-8), Des Moines (June 13-15), Iowa City (June 21), Council Bluffs (June 26-28), Waterloo (Aug 23). Five years after the state Supreme Court brought marriage equality to the state, 78 percent said in a March poll that it has had either a positive effect or no effect at all on their lives. KANSAS: Kansas City (May 31-June 1), Wichita (September). The Topeka City Council voted in September to include education about anti-LGBT discrimination in the mission of the local Human Relations Commission. KENTUCKY: Louisville (June 20-21), Lex-
ington (June 28), Louisville Black Pride (Aug 7-10), Lexington Black Pride (Sept 18-21). A federal judge ruled in February (it’s on hold pending an appeal) that Kentucky must recognize legal, out-of-state same-sex marriages.
HAWAII: Honolulu (June 7). Marriage equal-
ity! Weddings began Dec 2 after state lawmakers and Gov. Neil Abercrombie extended marriage rights to same-sex couples. IDAHO: Pocatello (June 28). Marriage
equality! Closer, anyway. A federal judge ruled for marriage equality in May although the decision is on hold pending appeal. ILLINOIS: Springfield (May 17), Chicago Latino Pride (June 1-7), Chicago (June 2122), Chicago Black Pride (July 4-6). Marriage equality! Weddings began March 1 in some counties after state lawmakers and Gov. Pat Quinn extended marriage rights to same-sex couples. INDIANA: Indianapolis (June 6-14), Evans-
Use this as your Pride bucket list.
LOUISIANA: New Orleans (June 20-22),
Baton Rouge (June 28). Viewership for Duck Dynasty’s January season premiere on A&E was down 28 percent after racist and antigay remarks by patriarch Phil Robertson. MAINE: Portland (June 14-15), Bangor
(June 25-29). US Rep. and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud came out in November. He’d be the first openly gay candidate elected as a governor in the United States. MARYLAND: Baltimore (June 13-23), Frederick (June 28), Annapolis (Aug 2), Baltimore Black Pride (Oct 10-14). State lawmakers and Gov. Martin O’Malley added gender identity to anti-discrimination laws in May. june 2014
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