Story Archives of 'Same-Sex Marriage'

The unofficial wedding season has begun. The month of June will certainly see its fair share of handsome grooms and blushing brides. Tonight on the Front Porch, we're going to take a closer look at American wedding culture. Tradition is nice, but it can also be overwhelming. We'll find out how couples can take control of their nuptials and keep the wedding industry from calling too many of the shots. We'll talk with Kamy Wicoff, author of I Do But I Don't: Why they Way We Marry Matters. Kamy also sits on the board of the I Do Foundation.

We'll also get a quick primer on New Hampshire's new law that will allow civil unions for gay couples. We'll find out what couples considering a civil union might need to know. We'll talk with Michele Granda, staff attorney at GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders). The group recently released its guide to New Hampshire Civil Unions. You can download it here.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has issued a ruling that is a set back to same sex couples in New Hamphire who wanted to get married in the Bay State,

Same sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, but the court upheld a state law that dates back to 1913.

That law says that Massachusetts may not marry an out-of-state couple if their marriage would not be legal in their home state.

NHPR's Mark Bevis has more.

From the beginning the state commission was sharply divided and its final report reflects that--a majority of members call for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, while the minority accuses the entire process of being biased and flawed. We’ll look at these diverging, deeply emotional opinions and the future of the commission’s work. Laura will be joined by Raymond Buckley, a member of the Gay Marriage Commission and Vice Chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party and Scott Earnshaw, Vice Chairman of the Gay Marriage Commission.

The Commission to Study Same Sex Marriage is recommending that lawmakers pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

The move generated strong reaction from opponents and supporters alike.

But to both sides, the decision came as a bit of a surprise.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein reports.

A calculated Senate Bill, an inevitable presidential hot button issue, and in New Hampshire, two controversial full page newspaper ads. Since a Massachusetts Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the state, the issue has been debated throughout the nation from city forums to state bills to federal legislature. Questions come up as to how marriage should be defined and who should have the power to do it... the courts? the state? or the nation? Today on the Exchange, we?ll see how gay marriage is playing politically in an election year. Laura's guests are Jim Splaine, State Representative living in Portsmouth. Michael Craven, Vice President of Cultural Affairs for the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families. Jeff Newman, Vice Chair and Concord City Chair for the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and Scott Earnshaw, a lawyer and head of the New Hampshire Traditional Marriage and Family Institute who was involved in the House and Senate hearings for SB427.