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First Numbers in for Same Sex Marriages in Hawaii

Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL

Marriage Equality in Hawaii is here!

Read More about what Penny Palmer of Penny Palmer Photography & Darci Palmer of Aloha Maui Dream Weddings have to say.

Their Blog!

By: Huffington Post

HONOLULU, HAWAII — The Hawaii Senate passed a House-amended bill legalizing same-sex marriage on Tuesday.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is expected to sign the bill into law quickly, perhaps as soon as Wednesday, which would allowHawaii to beat out Illinois as the 15th state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The Hawaii law allows same-sex couples to marry in the Aloha State beginning Dec. 2, just in time for destination wedding season.

While the final Senate vote was pretty uneventful (19-4), the bill was not without opposition. The Hawaii House passed the special session measure 30-19 after a tumultuous five-day public hearing, which featured heated testimonies and spirited protesters.

The House amendments were largely aimed at expanding religious exemptions for clergy and religious organizations that oppose same-sex marriage, including “for-profit” organizations that can opt out of marriage ceremonies. The Hawaii bill follows the example of Connecticut’s same-sex marriage law.

The debate over same-sex marriage in Hawaii dates back more than 20 years, when, in 1990, Ninia Baehr and Genora Dancel, two women, applied for a marriage license in Honolulu. Their bravery prompted ground-breaking court cases and led to a national discussion on gay marriage.

Abercrombie, a first-term Democrat, called for the special session to address same-sex marriage when, earlier this year, part of the Defense of Marriage Act was struck downby the U.S. Supreme Court. Hawaii’s same-sex couples were then missing out on 1,100 federal benefits because the state did not allow them to be legally married.

A recent poll shows that Hawaii voters are split on same-sex marriage, but public support is growing rapidly. This is similar to national trends — just one year ago, only six states and the District of Columbia recognized same-sex marriage. Today, that number has more than doubled: 14 states and the District of Columbia currently allow same-sex marriage, with Hawaii and Illinois poised to become the 15th and 16th states respectively before the end of the month.

September 9, 2013

Moments ago, Governor Neil Abercrombie announced that he will convene a special legislative session beginning on October 28, 2013 to pass marriage equality!

Today’s announcement is a HUGE step forward, but now, we have to get the bill passed. Lawmakers will vote in the coming days/weeks/months, and we need all hands on deck to ensure that they vote “YES” on marriage equality.

Even though we got the session called, our work is not yet complete. Several lawmakers still haven’t decided which way they’ll vote.  If we’re going to win their support, it’s going to take the most rigorous lobbying and grassroots organizing program we’ve ever run. We have to mobilize tens of thousands of supporters to take action in key districts across the state.

It is crucial for us to act now. CLICK HERE to tell your legislators to support the freedom to marry for all committed couples in Hawaii.

This is our only chance to pass marriage equality in Hawaii this year. Don’t wait, urge your representatives that the time for the freedom to marry in Hawaii in NOW.

The film and the actual Fagbug will be seen in its 49^th State in early May, 2013, en route to its 50^th!

Kihei, Hawaii, May 1, 2013

Documentary filmmaker, Erin Davies, created a chronicle of her trip across the country after her VW Bug was tagged by someone who spray-painted ‘fag’ and ‘u r gay’ because she had a rainbow sticker in the back window.  As an effort to stand up to the ‘bullying’, Erin left the graffiti on the car and toured the US & Canada, filming the experience.  The result is an award winning documentary that has been seen by hundreds of students and adults in the 48 contiguous states, entitled ‘Fagbug’.

Erin, in conjunction with the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort and the Maui Pride Organization, is now bringing the movie and the car to the 49^th, non-contiguous state, Hawaii, as part of an effort to carry this powerful message to all 50 US states.

The ‘fagbug’ will arrive on Maui in early May, 2013 and will be parked in front of the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort, 551 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI from May 9-14^th for photo opportunities for hotel guests, students, visitors and interested members of the community.

The ‘fagbug’ will also be parked in front of the Historic Iao Theater, 68 North Market St, Wailuku, HI, while the documentary airs inside at 6:30 pm on Friday, May 10^th, 2013. The screening will be a fundraiser that benefits the Maui Pride Organization.  Erin Davies will also speak at the screening and will be present for a short Q&A afterward.

For more information or tickets to the screening, please visit mauipride.org

About Fagbug Documentary (83 minutes), Erin Davies and the Fagbug

The mission of Fagbug is to raise awareness about hate crimes and homophobia, to give a voice for those who are silent, to inspire others to take a stand against bullies and to be an example of how to overcome obstacles in bringing creative projects to life.
On the 11th Annual National Day of Silence, Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, New York. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin’s car was vandalized, left with the words “fag” and “u r gay” placed on the driver’s side window and hood of her car. Despite initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened by leaving the graffiti on her car. She took her car, now known worldwide as the “fagbug,” on a 58-day trip around the United States and Canada. Along the way, Erin discovered other, more serious hate crimes, had people attempt to remove the graffiti, and experimented with having a male drive her car. After driving the fagbug for one year, Erin decided to give her car a makeover with a new coat that even more prominently displays the rainbow flag colors on the vehicle.

For more information about the car, the documentary or Erin Davies, please visit Fagbug.com

About Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort

The Maui Sunseeker welcomes all, but caters primarily to the LGBT clientele.  This landmark property is easily identified on the shore of North Kihei by the rainbow flag, which has come to represent the LGBT community, flying prominently in the front lawn.  While the current business model of the Maui Sunseeker has been in existence since 2004, the hotel has a rich history steeped in a constant battle for equality and community pride as well as a strong symbol of non-discrimination and firm support of diversity.

The current owner, Chuck Spence, has grown the resort to 26 guest rooms on a one acre complex located right on Kihei’s north shore.  The last of 5 buildings involved in the expansion is about to undergo renovation construction with plans to include a café, scheduled to open in 2014.

The hotel and its staff and owner have all been recently featured in an episode of the reality TV show, Hotel Impossible, which premiered in December of 2012.

The Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort is located at 551 South Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753.  For more information, please visit MauiSunseeker.com

About Maui Pride Organization

The Maui Pride Organization mission is to encourage, celebrate, and educate all people of the positive diversity of the LGBTQ community on Maui, while respecting and working with the local Hawaiian people and cultures.  Maui Pride does host an LGBTQ Pride event every year on the first weekend in October, but does not just focus on pride weekend itself.  Maui Pride also supports the community and organizations that share its same goals. Maui Pride also raises money for and administers college scholarship funds which support and educate our community.

For more information about the Maui Pride Organization, please visit MauiPride.org

Contacts:

Chuck Spence, Owner, Maui Sunseeker Resort

Email: chuck@mauisunseeker.com

Cell: 1-917-825-4205

Bob Kincaid, Chair, Maui Pride Organization

Email: mauiprideorg@gmail.com

Cell: 1-808-446-0549

Erin Davies, Documentary Filmmaker, Fagbug

(As Erin is en route to Maui and currently driving cross country, it is easiest to contact Erin through Chuck Spence at the above contact information)

by Joseph Patrick McCormick