The New York State Health Department today released a new marriage license for the state to recognize same-sex couples, changing the form to have two columns for "bride/groom/spouse,” The Poughkeepsie Journal reporting that the new marriage licenses (which add the term spouse) will be distributed to town and city clerk offices across the state in advance of the same-sex marriage law taking effect July 24. Clerks have been awaiting the new forms so they will be ready to process them when the law starts. Some clerk offices - including in Rochester, Ithaca, Binghamton and New York City - plan to open on July 24, a Sunday, to begin accepting the forms. The Health Department offered new details today about the marriage license process, explaining the 24-hour waiting period to receive a license in New York. If a couple gets a license on July 24, they'd have to wait 24 hours to be officially married. However, the agency notes that the waiting period may be waived by an order of a Supreme or County Court judge. But there is no waiting period for a "second or subsequent ceremony" if a couple is already married and wants to renew their vows. The state says the waiting period is lifted for "valid marriages between same-sex couples that have already occurred in other jurisdictions." Some same-sex couples in New York have been married in neighbouring Massachusetts or Canada, for example. The state in 2008 began recognizing same-sex couples married in other jurisdictions. New York State must apply in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in the state outside of New York City," the Health Department said. "The application for a license must be signed by both applicants in the presence of the town or city clerk. A representative cannot apply for the license on behalf of either applicant." New York City has its own licensing program.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation submitted a letter Wednesday to the Federal Communications Commission to withdraw its support for the pending AT&T merger with T-Mobile and to return the organization to a neutral position with respect to the deal. GLAAD also submitted to the FCC, in the same letter, a statement strongly supporting the tenets of net neutrality. Today's letter was filed by Mike Thompson, GLAAD's Acting President, following the resignation of Jarrett Barrios, arrives after extensive discussion among GLAAD leadership and supporters. "A rigorous review process considered GLAAD's unique mission and concluded that while AT&T has a strong record of support for the LGBT community, the explanation used to support this particular merger was not sufficiently consistent with GLAAD's work to advocate for positive and culture-changing LGBT stories and images in the media," said Thompson. In affirming GLAAD's support for the principle of net neutrality, Thompson wrote in the FCC letter: "GLAAD is a strong supporter of the general principle of net neutrality. Although this letter is not specific to any proposed or existing regulatory or legislative standards, we acknowledge that net neutrality is one of the principles most responsible for the Internet's emergence as the dominant platform for free expression. A non-discriminatory and neutral Internet has allowed new digital media initiatives and the blogosphere itself to flourish online. Net neutrality has cultivated the plethora of online resources available to otherwise isolated LGBT Americans seeking help with coming out, coping with and countering discrimination, suicide and HIV/AIDS prevention resources, community building and political organizing tools, and general self-expression. GLAAD's own work has been effective thanks in large part to net neutrality."
Ryan Vieth, the son of Tamra Barney from The Real Housewives of Orange County, is apparently taken a respite from being arrested to posting pictures of himself naked, trying to, um, work things out as it were. (NSFW)
Some of the last photographs of a shirtless Trevor Donovan on the set of 90210.
A dapper, dashing Patrick Schwarzenegger spotted on day one of his summer internship – mall management at the fabulous Grove in Los Angeles.
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