The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics today rejected a petition to hold a referendum on the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia. The petition was filed by an anti-same-sex marriage coalition led by Bishop Harry Jackson.

In an opinion released today, the Board made much the same argument that it did in a previous decision that barred a ballot initiative on the matter of recognizing same-sex marriages that are performed legally in other jurisdictions. In both decisions, the Board held that such initiatives do ‘not present a proper subject of initiative because it would authorize discrimination prohibited under the Human Rights Act (“HRA”).’ You can download the entire decision here.

The Board’s reasoning in today’s decision also turns on the existing law established by the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act of 2009, the one that allows the District to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. The relevant passage:

Under current law, the District recognizes same-sex marriages validly performed in other jurisdictions. The proposed Initiative seeks to prohibit the District from continuing to recognize these same-sex marriages. The Initiative instructs that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia.” If passed, the Initiative would, in contravention of the HRA, strip same-sex couples of the rights and responsibilities of marriages currently recognized in the District.

In other words, Jackson’s petition would both violate the HRA in the same way that his previous petition would have, as well as it would violate the HRA specifically in its relation to the existing marriage recognition law.

More at The DCist!

The openly gay lawmaker revealed his plans during a speech to 150 gay activists at the Call for Action Convocation for Marriage Equality, a discussion on how to secure the right to marry for gay and lesbian couples in the District.

“We are going to do it now,” Catania told the crowd, The Washington Post reported. “We are going to do it now, not for ourselves, but for the young people who are 20-years-old, 16-years-old, 13-years-old.”

The bill, titled the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Amendment Act of 2009, would change the definition of marriage to say that “marriage is the legally recognized union of two people” and “any person who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements … may marry any other eligible person regardless of gender.”

Read more at: OnTopMagazine!

My mental malaise started when I was looking at anti-gay Stand for Marriage site emanating from Washington, D.C.

African-American pastor Harry Jackson and a coalition of other black pastors are trying to put to put marriage equality on the ballot in DC:

Jackson sent out a statement Monday stating that he and other opponents of same-sex marriage would file an initiative request with the elections board Tuesday.

Read more at: Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters!

It makes one feel, well, important.

From a media perspective, there is also nothing like being swept into the tidal wave of presidential politics. Last year, I made national news by slamming candidate Barack Obama for sponsoring a South Carolina gospel tour featuring “ex-gay” singer Donnie McClurkin. My second foray into the spotlight involved Sarah Palin’s church promotion of an “ex-gay” conference in Anchorage.

Getting thrust into the national storyline means hundreds of news stories that feature your name and the bright lights of television. Of course, such massive media hits are important and serve a larger purpose. But, the downside is our movement can become intoxicated with Washington at the expense of broader issues.

Let me be clear, it is crucial that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement have a strong voice in Washington. It is vital that we support our national lobby groups. Solutions at the federal level are often preferable because they apply to conservative states where it may take decades to achieve equality.

Read more at Truth Wins Out!

DC Activist Brian Watson hasn’t slept much lately.  He has been busy preparing for the opening of The Wanda Alston House, a groundbreaking housing program for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) youth in Washington, DC. It is the first transitional living program dedicated to preparing GLBT youth for independent living and adulthood in the District of Columbia. Wanda Alston was a prominent leader in the GLBT community and was the first appointee to direct the Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs. According to Brian,”The Wanda Alston House is for these youths, to be able to have a home to go to that’s safe from hurt, harm and danger, where people don’t judge them and where they can develop into successful adults. It’s an environment where they don’t have to worry about surviving. A lot of GLBT youth turn to suicide or substance abuse, or even to prostitution as a way to survive. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they have nowhere to go. The housing program is trying to help those youths by providing a safe place to go.

Read more about Brian and his work on this project at washblade.com. Thank you Brian!