Gay marriage is sweeping the globe! On the heels of
Uruguay and
New Zealand, France is poised to become the 14th nation to legalize same-sex marriage as the National Assembly is expected to pass the bill later today. On the home front, Delaware and Rhode Island’s legislatures will also decide on their respective marriage equality bills.
In a matter of hours, France’s National Assembly is expected to pass the so-called “marriage for all” bill, which will give same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt. The impending law has been a great source of division in the country, with
bizarreand
vaguely homoerotic protests and
escalating violence.
Yesterday, Claude Bartolone, the speaker of France’s National Assembly,
received an envelope containing ammunition powder with a threatening letter warning him to delay today’s vote. As a result, authorities have
stepped up protective measures, with water cannons and legions of police stationed outside the National Assembly.
Things have been a little less incendiary as Delaware’s House of Representatives gets ready to vote on its gay marriage bill after a bipartisan committee
advanced it last week. Governor Jack Markell has promised to sign the bill if and when it reaches his desk, which will likely be some time this week.
“I’m confident that we have a majority of Delaware representatives — so over 21 out of the 41 — that will do the right thing and vote to support equality in Delaware,”
saidState Rep. Melanie George Smith, who introduced the bill earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island is a step or two behind as its bill has to pass a legislative committee today before it goes on to the full Senate for a final vote.
The AP reportsthat the entire Senate could take up the bill by week’s end if the Senate Judiciary Committee votes in favor, making Rhode Island the last New England state to recognize same-sex marriages.
“We’re not there yet, but I do believe a majority of senators support granting civil rights to gay people,” said openly gay Sen. Donna Nesselbush, D-Pawtucket, who is lead sponsor of the bill. All five Republicans in the RI Senate
have also announcedtheir support for the bill.
Stay tuned to Queerty as news from this historic day rolls in and down the aisle.
