-------------------------------------

MarriageWatch Update

July 20, 2001

-------------------------------------

**No Choice But to Protect Marriage: MO Gets Their DOMA**

**Canadians View of Homosexuality and Same-sex "Marriage"**

**Maryland Referendum on "Sexual Orientation" Law**

-------------------------------------

NO CHOICE BUT TO PROTECT MARRIAGE: MO GETS THEIR DOMA

The only state to pass Defense of Marriage Act legislation in the 2000-2001 legislation session, Missouri's HB 157 was signed into law last Friday by Missouri Governor Jim Holden. The law provides that only marriage "between a man and a woman" is valid or recognized in the state and states that "marriage between persons of the same sex will not be recognized for any purpose in this state even when valid where contracted."

After signing the law behind closed doors, Holden told reporters that he had little choice but to sign the bill into law. Holden had openly courted homosexual activists' votes and funding during his 2000 gubernatorial campaign. "My personal desires don't matter. It's now the law of the state of Missouri," Holden said. A veto would likely have been overridden as the marriage protection bill passed unanimously in the Senate and only 20 out of 163 House members voted against it.

One Missourian who has lived with his homosexual partner for 20 years called the law a "slap in the face," stating that he does not have the same rights with his partner as married couples do, such as inheritance rights or shared medical decision making. However, these same rights are available to any individual by making a will or designating another person as their medical decision maker through power of attorney.

Senator David Klarich (R-Ballwin), sponsor of the bill, said that Holden "recogniz[ed] what the majority of Missourians want by law. The overwhelming majority don't want to recognize alternative lifestyles."

Source: Holden Signs Ban on Same-sex Marriages, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 14, 2001.

-------------------------------------

CANADIANS VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND SAME-SEX "MARRIAGE"

As a British Columbia court begins trial over the issue of same-sex "marriage" July 23-24, a survey of Canadians' perspectives on homosexuality has been released. Conducted by Leger Marketing in Canada, the anonymous survey polled 1,507 English- or French-speaking Canadians aged 18 years or older.

65.4% of Canadians thought that homosexuals "should be given access to same-sex marriages" while 53.1% of thought that they should have the right to adopt children, as opposed to 18.6% who did not agree that homosexuals should marry or adopt children. Alberta had the lowest percentage of agreement with these statements, 54.6% as to same-sex "marriage" and 46.7% as to adoption. Alberta was also the only province in which no individuals reported ever having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex.

While a large percentage of Canadians are in favor of same-sex "marriage" and same-sex adoptions, theses major changes in the law would impact very few Canadians. Only 4.6% stated that they had been attracted to a person of the same sex while 94.2% of Canadians disagreed with this statement, and only 2.6% of Canadians had ever had a sexual relationship with a person of the same sex, with 95.8% stating that they had not.

Canadian law already grants same-sex couples the same legal rights as are given to "common law" heterosexual couples, which include alimony and other marriage-like benefits. Nova Scotia's Supreme Court recently required that the law allow unmarried couples, same- or opposite-sex, to adopt children, and the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Newfoundland have already amended their adoption statutes to allow same-sex couples to adopt.

-------------------------------------

MARYLAND REFERENDUM ON "SEXUAL ORIENTATION" LAW

The Maryland Board of Elections has certified voter signatures calling for a referendum to place Maryland's "sexual orientation" anti-discrimination act on the November 2002 ballot. The law giving special protections based on sexual preference, which was to go into effect October 1, was signed into law May 15 after a 10-year campaign by the pro-homosexual lobby and support from Governor Glendening.

The "Antidiscrimination Act" would prohibit public and private employers, places of public accommodation and property owners from making distinctions in employment and land use based on "identification of an individual as to male or female homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality." Religious individuals and organizations, and others have been concerned about threats to free speech, free association, freedom of religion, and use of private property that such laws pose. Passage of the act in May also encouraged Maryland's State School Board to include "sexual orientation" to its "Education that is Multicultural" program, prompting concern that children will be exposed to homosexuality in school curriculum.

Pro-family groups gathered 56,557 signatures to see that the people of Maryland get to vote on the law. Enforcement of the act will be delayed until the November 2002 vote determines its fate.

**************************

***The "MarriageWatch Update" is a weekly e-mail newsletter reporting current events in the field of marriage law. If you would like to subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to <update@marriagewatch.org> from the account to which you would like the updates sent, clearly indicating SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send an e-mail containing UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line, and your request will be processed promptly. The contents of this message may be freely duplicated in their entirety. Please share with a friend.***