In Australia, a Green’s motion calling upon all Members of Parliament to canvass community support for same sex marriage has been passed by the House of Representatives, Bloomberg reports. The final vote was 73-72. Currently, Australia’s Marriage Act defines marriage as that only existing between one man and one woman. Greens MP Adam Bandt, who introduced the motion, said “The Australian parliament has just taken an important step to recognising that love is equal. It’s the first time the House of Representatives has recognised marriage equality.” The Greens are also pushing for an amendment to the Marriage Act in the upper House Senate, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who introduced the motion, saying “The bill is waiting in the Senate for a free and open debate on amending that legislation, bringing forward true equality, adding that Prime Minister Julia Gillard needs “to stop ignoring the call in the community for love to recognised as equal.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Wednesday that he will call for a vote on the repeal of the American military policy prohibiting openly gay service members, the Washington Post reporting Reid ask that the vote be taken after Thanksgiving, fulfilling a pre-election promise to resurrect legislation to reverse “don’t ask, don’t tell” during the lame-duck session. Reid said that “We need to repeal this discriminatory policy so that any American who wants to defend our country can do so.” Several Republicans, specifically Arizona Senator John McCain, say they are opposed to lifting the ban, McCain on record as intending to filibuster the repeal.
Harvard President Drew Faust said Wednesday that the military can restore its training program at the college if and when the policy prohibiting openly gay service members is repealed, Reuters reporting that she welcomed Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff Mike Mullen, who was speaking, saying that “A ROTC program, open to all, ought to be fully and formally present on our campus." Harvard ended an earlier version of the program in 1969 over objections to the Vietnam War, but has since refused the military access because of its sanctioned anti-gay discrimination.
Openly gay 14 year old Pioneer High School student Graeme Taylor, the Michigan native whose moving speech supported suspended Howell teacher Jay McDowell was nothing less than heroic, will appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show Monday reports Ann Arbor News. McDowell was suspended for a classroom incident October 20th, when he told a female student to remove a Confederate flag belt buckle. She did so, but another student, a male, questioned who the flag differed from the rainbow flag. McDowell said “I explained the difference between the flags, and he said, ‘I don’t accept gays,” McDowell wearing a shirt with message about anti-gay bullying. The student was told he could not remain in the class, and he, according to McDowell, said, ‘Why? I don’t accept gays. It’s against my religion.” McDowell sent the student out of the classroom. He was subsequently suspended by the board for two days – one with pay, one without – and Taylor spoke at public forum, saying he was supporting a teacher who ‘finally stood up and did something.”
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