BU Now » Defense of Marriage Act

Hawaii legislature okays civil unions

Dick Taffe — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:10:46 +0000

The Hawaii legislature approved a civil-unions bill and sent it to Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, who has 45 days to either sign it or send it back to lawmakers for a possible override vote. Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and policy, says it’s significant this bill emerged through the democratic process in that the federal Defense of Marriage Act arose out of a supposed fear that Hawaii’s supreme court would approve same-sex marriage back in 1993.

“The passage of this bill is very significant because Hawaii was the first state that seemed poised to allow same-sex marriage, before the people of Hawaii approved a constitutional amendment reserving to itself the power to define marriage. It would be a notable postscript on this history if Hawaii now, through the democratic process, allowed civil unions.”

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu

White House targets DOMA

Dick Taffe — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:17:39 +0000

Even as government lawyers keep defending the law, the Obama administration today filed court papers claiming the federal Defense of Marriage Act discriminates against gays and the law should be repealed. School of Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and gay rights, can talk about where this may be headed.

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu

Mass. challenges federal DOMA

Dick Taffe — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:37:12 +0000

With a filing in U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts becomes the first state to challenge the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. School of Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and gay rights, can discuss the legal ramifications.

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu

Obama and the DOMA

Dick Taffe — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:40:01 +0000

While the White House says President Obama is committed to signing a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, his Justice Department is committed to fighting any challenges to the DOMA until Congress changes the law. The Human Rights Campaign, a prominent gay-rights organization, protests the administration’s legal straddling. School of Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on gender law, can discuss the ongoing legal wrangling.

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu