Faith Groups Supporting Marriage Equality

The United Church of Christ recently filed a lawsuit against North Carolina’s ban on same-sex marriage, claiming that the ban criminalizes churches that perform and recognize same-sex marriages.

In addition to the United Church of Christ, many other religious groups, including branches of Judaism, are starting to support marriage equality. The Presbyterian Church is working its way to supporting marriage equality and become the second largest protestant denomination in the United States to embrace the movement. At the latest assembly, 71 percent of the Presbyterian delegates voted to change the language in the church’s current marriage definition. More voting is required before the new definition can be a church wide policy.

The church now allows for same-sex marriages to be performed in states that have laws that allow it.

Denmark Passes Gender “Self-Determination” Law

Last week Denmark became the first country to allow a legal gender change without medical statement.

Before the new law passed, transgendered men and women had to be sterilized before they could legally change their gender. The new law allows people over the age of eighteen to change their gender on identifying documents, such as passports, birth certificates, and social security cards after going through a six month long reflection period.

Though this is a step in the right direction for transgender men and women, some advocacy groups are speaking out about the reflection period and minimum age requirements, claiming that forcing a waiting or reflection period insinuates that those identifying as transgender are confused about their gender.

2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade to Include LGBT Group

An LGBT organization was approved to march in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade next year in hopes of ending the parade’s ban on LGBT groups.

According to the “Irish Voice,” NBC was contemplating removing their coverage of the yearly event if they didn’t start allowing LGBT groups to enter the parade. NBC’s very own group, Out@NBCUniversal, which is a LGBT group for members of NBC, will be the first LGBT group to openly march in the parade.

For the last 20 years, the parade hasn’t allowed LGBT organizations to march in the parade because of the parade’s affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church. Out@NBCUniversal is the only openly LGBT group to be allowed in the parade next year.

In previous years, Heineken and Guinness dropped their sponsorship of the event, and even the mayor refused to march in the parade until LGBT organizations were granted acceptance.