Thanks for checking out our Blog!  We're the team of RainbowWeddingNetwork (Marianne, Cindy, Kendra & Ira) - Enjoy the posts, and always feel free to message us with any feedback through Facebook or email us directly. If you do reach out, be sure to request a copy of our latest e-newsletter! ...and remember to check your spam filter for any reply from us, if you don't see a response in your inbox.

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And Yes, It Still Matters... -Early November, 2023

When SCOTUS overturned Roe v Wade, the LGBTQ+ community and our broad circle of allies became well aware that the overturn of Obergefell was likely. And if not the overturn, outright, then the undermining of its intended scope.

Now, as of the Fall of 2023, we are beginning to hear news about the bubbling of several lawsuits in the lower courts aimed at becoming the vehicle to do just that: reach SCOTUS and provide the means for the Supreme Court justices to lean in to a ruling that undermines national marriage equality for same-gender couples.

That is playing out in real time, in states like Texas... and all across America.

And of course, these are not the only headlines that are disturbing. Whether regarding LGBTQ+ rights, or an array of other important issues, scrolling through daily news features can be in itself an act of sincere courage: it's easy to lose heart when witnessing the seemingly endless barrage of efforts to stoke divisiveness, propel false claims for political gain, spew rhetoric, promote violence.

So... how can we, as average citizens, take real action?? In what ways can we truly empower ourselves?

*Remember how far LGBTQ+ equality has progressed: Recalling important milestones like the Goodridge Decision (Massachusetts, 2004) reminds us that the journey toward marriage equality, and broader rights for our community, is not an easy road... nor one unmarked by detours, fits and starts. It's natural for important issues to take time to come in to the realm of mainstream. Taking a moment to review the history and lean on those accomplishments can be uplifting: and staying enthused and motivated is vital to pursuing further traction.

*"Look for the Helpers..." Act on the wisdom of influencers like Mr. Rogers! ...It's truly empowering to witness others as they take action toward making the world a better place. Seek out helpers in all circles, from FreeMomHugs.org, to your local elected official who is standing up for LGBTQ+ rights. Notice who they are and what they do, and allow their energy to fuel your own.

*Reach out to Your Community - It's not a time for complacency. Dig deep and find ways to research online or even take time to visit in person with local LGBTQ+ community groups. Political advocacy organizations, local community centers, LGBTQ+ youth alliances, even social groups such as the local 'Drag Bingo Night' or Gay Men's Chorus need your support! Whether it's a monetary donation, a gift of your time (perhaps you can help out with social media posts or designing graphics), volunteering in person at an upcoming event, or participating yourself in group activities: they all make a difference!

*Research & Invest - At our ongoing tour of LGBTQ+ Wedding Expos, we remind couples that there are many, many roles in progressing the issue of Equality. And one that they can easily take on is that of investing their wedding budget with vendors who actively support a policy of non-discrimination. By hiring exhibitors at our expos, they can rest assured they are supporting business professionals who support our community. Win-Win! This of course can be extrapolated: invest your money, beyond the wedding & honeymoon, with businesses you are sure are supportive of equality. Research phone companies, utiltity companies, clothing and merchandise vendors, restaurants, etc. The more cash we spend with businesses that actively promote non-discrimination, the further our efforts toward lasting Equal Rights for our minority... and others!

*Vote, Participate - Our rights are at stake in every election, whether local, state or federal. Not everyone can run for office, or attend each and every local planning, zoning or school board meeting... but all of that matters. Voting of course matters too. Even in elections that seem less than vital, do your best to research candidates thoroughly, as well as ballot initiatives and other issues, and vote with the mindset that you are in fact actively wielding the power of information and intention. Prior to election day, do your best also to have conversations with your neighbors, colleagues, friends and family about their plans for voting. Offer to carpool if necessary, or to help fill out the form necessary to secure an absentee ballot for someone in your circle who needs it.

*Out & Proud - Don't minimize the fact that just by living your life, and being who you are, you are making a difference in the world. As we tell our couples, planning the wedding of your dreams, in which you marry the love of your life... for LGBTQ+ partners this in and of itself is a moment of activism. It may not make front-page news, but it does help others' perceptions evolve, transform and grow toward a broader acceptance of diversity. Never underestimate that power you carry, simply by being who you are.

*Further Ways to Make Your Wedding Count - Read more from one of RWN's founders about ways to incorporate a sense of activism in your own Wedding Plans
https://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/wedding-trends/easy-ways-to-make-your-wedding-count

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In just 12 short months, our citizens will vote for our next president.  In the meantime, there is still much important work to be done.  THANK YOU for doing your part:  It matters.  And efforts both large and small WILL make an impact.

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The New House Speaker... Late October 2023

Mike Johnson's anti-LGBTQ+ record speaks loud... and makes many voters further question the willingness of the conservative factions in America to barter rights and justice for political gain.  Consequences regarding the future of LGBTQ+ marriage rights are still in question.  As ever, we urge voters in the community, and allies, to continue to gather facts and stay informed... either as you look ahead to your choices at the ballot box, or with regard to your choices in terms of volunteering, serving or helping to inform others.

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/mike-johnson-house-speaker-lgbtq-views-scrutiny-rcna122317

 

 

June 30, 2023 - Re: SCOTUS Decision

RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, National Tour of LGBTQ+ Wedding Expos, Sees Immediate Surge in RSVPS
Couples & LGBTQ+ friendly Wedding Professionals Motivated to Take Substantive Action in Response to Today’s SCOTUS Ruling


Vermont – Today's SCOTUS ruling marks a decision that many in the LGBTQ+ community have foreseen since Obergefell, but hoped would not come to pass.

“It’s not so much the fact that certain business professionals are now able to openly discriminate, protected by what has been very strongly worded as 'First Amendment' rights… it’s the precedent this sets.  To write discrimination into law is a dangerous thing, and the LGBTQ+ minority is wise to what kind of backlash such politics might create.  So they are continuing to find substantive ways to take action, and claim a place in this nation," says RainbowWeddingNetwork.com co-founder Marianne Puechl.

In September 2000, nearly a quarter of a century ago, Puechl and her partner Cindy Sproul founded an online wedding resource committed to the LGBTQ+ community, serving as a bridge between those couples and businesses that uphold a policy of non-discrimination.  Since that time, their company has continued to grow the services of their website and also has produced over 300 signature LGBTQ+ Wedding Expos in 37 states all across the United States.  Their event calendar for this year features 24 events.

"We've met hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ people who are planning weddings, and we've met with an even higher number of small business professionals who are allies of the community, simply wishing to serve ALL couples with respectfulness and civility.  Treat all couples the same.  It has been heartening this past 23 years to see the enthusiasm of heterosexual allies with regard to this very important issue, and I believe rulings like the SCOTUS decision today will only serve to motivate these advocates to come forward with even more rigorous support."

Couples too are continuing to take action.  From RainbowWeddingNetwork.com's vantage point, the company's team can point to an uptick in RSVPs for all their LGBTQ+ Wedding Expos since the recent swell regarding anti-LGBTQ+ policies and proposed legislation, such as the 'Don't Say Gay' laws in Florida, attempts to ban drag performances, and unrelenting anti-trans rulings.  "The Respect for Marriage Act late last year was a positive and bipartisan moment," Puechl goes on to say, "but couples knew even then that it was simply a placeholder.  They are more committed than we've ever before seen this past quarter century to move ahead with their wedding plans and their married lives together, and to do it with pride and fearlessness.

"As a collective of LGBTQ+ individuals, and advocates of equality," Puechl continues, "we must use decisions like 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis to energize our resolve.  Our community’s rights for fair treatment under the law also matter:  I don't think there's any doubt anymore that it's our own responsibility to stand up for those rights and make sure they too are counted."

For Further Information:  Marianne Puechl or Cindy Sproul, co-founders

O: 828-672-6377
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com / www.SameLoveSameRights.com

 

VP Harris Visits Stonewall - June 2023

DID YOU KNOW...??
Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at New York City’s historic Stonewall Inn this past Monday to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Harris’ appearance marked the first time that a sitting vice president visited the space, the site of the 1969 June uprising that is largely credited as a turning point in the modern gay rights movement.

READ FULL NBC Article...

Press Release from Equality Florida - April 12, 2023

For Immediate Release: April 12, 2023

Media Contact:

Brandon Wolf ; Press Secretary

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Equality Florida Issues Advisory Warning For Travel

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Today, Equality Florida took the extraordinary step of issuing a travel advisory, warning of the risks posed to the health, safety, and freedom of those considering short or long term travel, or relocation to the state. The move comes in response to a wave of safety inquiries Equality Florida has received following the passage of laws that are hostile to the LGBTQ community, restrict access to reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws, foment racial prejudice, and attack public education by banning books and censoring curriculum. The full travel advisory can be found here.

“As an organization that has spent decades working to improve Florida’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live work and visit, it is with great sadness that we must respond to those asking if it is safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as the laws strip away basic rights and freedoms,” said Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director. “While losing conferences, and top students who have written off Florida threatens lasting damage to our state, it is most heartbreaking to hear from parents who are selling their homes and moving because school censorship, book bans and health care restrictions have made their home state less safe for their children. We understand everyone must weigh the risks and decide what is best for their safety, but whether you stay away, leave or remain we ask that you join us in countering these relentless attacks. Help reimagine and build a Florida that is truly safe for and open to all, and where freedom is a reality, not a hollow campaign slogan.”

Governor Ron DeSantis, who has made the extremist policies the centerpiece of his presidential campaign strategy, has weaponized state agencies to silence critics and impose sanctions on large and small  companies that dissent with his culture war agenda or disagree with his attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Already, the adopted and proposed policies detailed in the travel advisory have led Florida parents to consider relocating, prospective students to cross Florida colleges and universities off their lists, events and conferences to cancel future gatherings, and the United States military to offer redeployment for service members whose families are now unsafe in the state. Businesses have spoken out against the governor’s abuse of state power to punish dissent, with Disney CEO Bob Iger calling DeSantis “anti-business and anti-Florida.” The worsening attacks, especially those targeting transgender youth, have also led to the proposal of policies around the country to provide refuge for those fleeing states like Florida. 

The Florida Immigrant Coalition, a statewide immigrant rights coalition of 65 member organizations and over 100 allies, also issued a travel advisory today, urging reconsideration of travel to Florida and providing critical information about where immigrant travelers can learn more about their constitutional rights. And just weeks ago, Florida chapters of the NAACP voted unanimously to request similar warnings to the Black community about the risk of traveling or relocating to the state.

Equality Florida's full travel advisory can be found here.

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Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Through education, grassroots organizing, coalition building, and lobbying, we are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

 

Press Release from HRC July 18 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 18, 2022

Delphine Luneau | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 202-573-6006

Human Rights Campaign Urges Federal Lawmakers to Pass Bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act

Legislation Would Repeal 1990s-Era ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ That Was Later Rendered Unenforceable By Supreme Court, Affirms Obergefell v. Hodges

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — today marked the introduction and urged the passage of the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act in Congress. This legislation would guarantee the federal rights, benefits, and obligations of marriage s in the federal code, repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and affirms that public acts, records and proceedings should be recognized by all states. HRC is urging federal lawmakers to move forward with passage of this important legislation.

In response to the introduction of the bill, HRC Interim President Joni Madison issued the following statement:

“The Defense of Marriage Act — which excluded legally married same-sex couples from accessing the federal rights, benefits, and obligations of marriage — is a stain upon our nation and deserves to be relegated to the trash bin of History. With the Respect for Marriage Act, Congress has the opportunity to right this wrong by creating an inclusive law that also standardizes the mechanism for evaluating when a marriage should be given federal recognition and affirms that public acts, records, and judicial proceedings should be honored across this country.”

Key Provisions of the Bill

The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure that marriage equality is protected nationally through several provisions:

  • Repealing the 1990s era Defense of Marriage Act. Passed in 1996, it discriminated in two important ways. First, Section 2 of DOMA purports to allow states to refuse to recognize valid civil marriages of same-sex couples. Second, Section 3 of the law carves all same-sex couples, regardless of their marital status, out of all federal statutes, regulations and rulings applicable to all other married people—thereby denying them over 1,100 federal benefits and protections. DOMA was rendered unenforceable, in two stages, by the Supreme Court’s 2013 Windsor v. United States ruling and the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
  • Establishing that “place of celebration” is the standard of recognition for federal benefits of a same-sex marriage. Under this provision, if marriage equality was ever to cease to be recognized in a given state, same-sex couples who travel to get married in another state – one where same-sex marriages are still recognized – would still retain federal marriage benefits.
  • Affirming that public acts, records and proceedings should be recognized by all states. Adoption orders, divorce decrees, and other public acts must be honored by all states consistent with the Full Faith and Credit clause of the US Constitution.
  • Codifying the federal protections conferred by the Obergefell and Windsor rulings. The landmark ruling stated that bans on marriage equality are unconstitutional.

More Than Two-Thirds of People Support Marriage Equality

The latest survey from PRRI this year on support for LGBTQ+ rights showed nearly seven in ten Americans (68%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. Support has increased by 14 percentage points since 2014 (54%). Republicans are now nearly evenly divided over same-sex marriage (48% support, 50% oppose), while 81% of Democrats and 73% of independents favor marriage equality. Today, majorities of most religious groups favor marriage equality. White evangelical Protestants (35%) and Latter-day Saints (46%) remain the only major religious groups with less than majority support for same-sex marriage. 

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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