Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Kudos to Rev. Schwalenberg
from the Milwaulkee Journal-Sentinel:
“Society obviously benefits from healthy relationships. But healthy relationships are not limited to marriage,” said the Rev. Craig Schwalenberg, assistant minister at First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, which recognizes civil unions by same-sex partners.
“Attaching a stigma to those who choose not to marry or to divorce for good reason is not something I’d be interested in promoting,” he said.
Whoa, what a month!
To all you long-term members, allies and newbies:
April has been so eventful!
Nicky was in the process of helping AtMP move a NEW office in Brooklyn. We are very excited about that! But, our mailing address and phone number are still the same.
We’ve also been hit with the Travel Bug. Jessica (AtMP intern) was in Boston for Spring Break, Nicky heads to DC this Friday and Albany this Tuesday. AtMP is trying to pass a new bill that would provide greater hospital rights for New Yorkers.
We are now back and in the process of updating our blog, so sit tight everyone! New info will be posted on the blog within the next few days, if not hours!
Keep track of our blog. We will not disappoint!
Thank you!
Blogs We Like
A great way to start the new year is to read informative, interesting and up-to-date blogs! AtMP has compiled two lists of noteworthy blogs that cover issues and topics we care about. Enjoy!
Blogs that are frequently updated and invaluable:
Beyond (Straight And Gay) Marriage: Nancy Polikoff’s blog is a great addition to her book (same title). It covers all of today’s major legislation and court cases that affect both straight and LGBT unmarried people.
Living Single: Bella DePaulo’s blog on Psychology Today is a great resource for information about being single in today’s society. Her posts also help debunk many of the myths about singlism. Also be sure to read her wonderful book, Singled Out.
Onely: This blog also tackles singlism while pointing out that being single does not equal loneliness.
Rachel’s Musings: Rachel Buddeberg is a member of AtMP’s board of directors. Her blog reflects some of her core values: the abandoning of matrimania and the recognition of ALL families, both married and unmarried.
Single File: This advice column by Susan Deitz helps answer individuals’ questions about being single; a very helpful resource!
Blogs that are new and/or less frequently updated, worth keeping an eye on:
Bella DePaulo: This is DePaulo’s other blog available on the Huffington Post website. This blog is yet another worthwhile read.
Kay Trimberger’s Blog: This is a link to Kay’s website which contains a list of blogs she has contributed to these past two years. Her articles also focus on being single.
Kidfree Forum: This international forum is available on KidFree & Lovin’ It. It addresses various elements of being “childfree.”
Open Fidelity: Open Fidelity is a website and blog about non-monogamous relationships. The creator, Ann Sharman, writes various articles about the subject and how to remain faithful while polyamorous.
Singletude: A Positive Blog for Singles: Its contributors truly are proud of being single and discuss topics like family, friends, careers, hobbies and of course, singlism.
The Unmarried Estate :This new blog by a young lawyer promises discusses issues that affect unmarried Americans in regards to estate planning.
Do you have blogs you’d recommend? Let us know so we can add them to this list !
Eye on the Courts
Despite all the hype about the power of the courts to change the course of American law and culture, and all the hype about ‘activist judges,’ many legal experts see the courts as ‘lagging indicators’ of cultural change. In other words, judges (especially the Supreme Court) generally won’t rule in favor of a cultural shift unless they believe the culture has already shifted that direction.
So, one way to guess how close we are getting to fairness and equality for unmarried people is to keep an eye on the courts. Recently, state courts offered us two small steps forward and one step back:
Yesterday, AtMP sent boxes of chocolates to two Iowa judges who ruled that it is “arbitrary and irrational” to assume that an unmarried sex offender is a greater threat than a married sex offender. They wrote the dissenting opinion, so this is only a small step forward.
Despite the new adoption ban, an Arkansas judge has given temporary custody of a child to the child’s unmarried grandmother, who lives with her same-sex partner of nine years and is the only relative able and willing to adopt her grandchild. This is a small step too.
But a Minnesota court ruled that it’s ok for gyms to charge married and unmarried people different membership fees. While not as life-changing as child custody, these fee differentials really bug lots of people.
