Portland, Maine to Open Early for Midnight Gay Marriages on December 29

Portland, Maine is set to allow same-sex couples in the state to marry at the earliest possible moment, opening at midnight on December 29 for three hours, the Press Herald reports:

The city announced Thursday that it will open its municipal offices from 12:01 to 3:01 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29 – the day the state law allowing same-sex marriage takes effect – to issue marriage licenses and perform weddings.

The announcement came a day after Augusta said it would open its offices for the same purpose on that Saturday, during more traditional morning hours.

Portland decided to go a little further and open the minute the law takes effect.

"There was a lot of discussion about logistics, and the feedback from staff and others was that this would work," said city spokeswoman Nicole Clegg.

Maine municipal offices are closed on Saturdays.

Get To Know Justin Chenette, The Nation's Youngest Openly Gay Lawmaker: VIDEO

Congratulations to Justin Chenette, one of the newest members of Maine's State House. And, at the age of 21, he's also the nation's youngest openly gay lawmaker.

NECN provides more information:

“I think it's important that young people have a seat at the table and that's what I am trying to accomplish here," says Chenette, who won the November election by a huge margin.  

Surprisingly, Chenette went into the campaign with strong name recognition. As a high school student, he hosted a political show on public access television and if a candidate wanted to get elected in Saco, they found their way to his show.

...

There were skeptics [when he announced his candidacy], but Chenette wasn't deterred. "If you believe in something you have to go for it, you can't let other people tell you know when you believe yes, that has been a theme in anything I have taken on."

Chenette took a leave of absence from his position as an assistant producer at Maine Fox 23's Good Day morning show to run for office. Obviously that decision paid off.

AFTER THE JUMP, NECN's interview with Chenette.

Maine's Marriage Equality Law Becomes Effective December 29

Maine's marriage equality law is effective December 29, according to a notice from Equality Maine:

According to the Office of the Secretary of State, the certified election results for the state were signed off on by Gov. Paul LePage on Thursday, Nov. 29. The new law becomes effective 30 days from that date.

"The long wait for marriage for same-sex couples in Maine is almost over," said Betsy Smith, the executive director of EqualityMaine. "Before the end of this year, all loving and committed couples in Maine will be able to stand before their friends, family and community and make a lasting vow to be there for one another."

On Nov. 6, Maine became the first state to allow committed same-sex couples to receive a marriage license through a popular vote of the people.

While the law allows for same-sex couples to marry, there are a number of questions remaining concerning the implementation of law and the implications of potential action in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning federal marriage law.

It's unclear when Maine couples will be able to marry:

EqualityMaine spokesman David Farmer said it's unclear exactly when couples will actually be able to exchange vows in Maine, since Dec. 29 falls on a Saturday and it's unknown if any municipal offices will be open that day to issue marriage licenses.

Said Lee Swislow, the executive director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders: "There is much to celebrate as we move closer to marriage for same-sex couples in Maine. We will continue to work closely with state officials and with couples who want to get married to answer as many questions as we can about Maine's new law."

Maine's Question 1 was approved by the voters 53 to 47 percent in the November election.

Maine Judge Tosses Transgender Student's Bathroom Suit

Saying he's "not unsympathetic" to the discrimination transgender people face in today's society, Maine Justice William Anderson this week threw out a transgender student's lawsuit claiming Maine's Orono School District broke the law by forbidding the unnamed student from using the girl's bathroom.

“The court is not unsympathetic to [the girl’s] plight, or that of her parents,” said Justice Anderson, according to the Bangor Daily News. "It is no doubt a difficult thing to grow up transgender in today’s society. This is a sad truth, which cannot be completely prevented by the law alone."

More from his remarks:

The law casts a broad stroke where one more delicate and refined is needed. Although others mistreated [the girl] because she is transgender, our Maine Human Rights Act only holds a school accountable for deliberate indifference to known, severe and pervasive student-on-student harassment. It does no more.

In this case, the school acted within the bounds of its authority in prohibiting [the girl] from using the girls’ restroom; it did not itself harass [the girl] by its actions, and it was not deliberately indifferent to the harassment that [she] experienced from others.

The court finds that there is no evidence of deliberate indifference with respect to plaintiff’s claims of education discrimination, and it finds that defendants acted within the law under the public accommodation discrimination claim. Therefore, the court grants summary judgment to [the school district].

The lawsuit, stemming from a 2007 incident, was first filed in 2009.

Roman Catholic Church Gave $2 Million To Stop Marriage Equality

With the dust settling from this month's national elections, Human Rights Campaign has had an opportunity to look over donations to anti-gay marriage initiatives and found that the Roman Catholic Church gave $2 million to the conservative efforts in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine and Washington State.

From HRC:

Taking up where the Mormons left off in 2008, the Catholic Church – and its affiliate, the Knights of Columbus – have made considerable investments in the marriage fights in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine this election cycle – spending nearly $2 million. In addition, a close ally of the Church and past co-conspirator, the National Organization for Marriage, spent more than $5.2 million this cycle. Final campaign figures for Maryland and Maine will be available by the end of the month.

Marriage equality opponents across the four states raised $11.3 million. The Catholic Church’s contributions make up 17 percent of that total figure. When you add in the contributions of Church ally NOM, the reality of the coordinated effort becomes clear: the Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and NOM are responsible for funding nearly 65 percent of all anti-equality efforts in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine.

All this despite poll numbers showing that almost 60% of American Catholics support marriage equality and with poverty, something the Catholic Church claims to oppose, steadily climbing, particularly among Latinos, a largely Catholic demographic. #priorities.

'Gay Couple From Maine' Discuss Election On 'SNL:' VIDEO

Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" segment covered the historic marriage equality wins in Maryland, Washington and Maine last night by inviting a "gay couple from Maine" — played by Bill Hader and Fred Armisen — to discuss how they met, the differences between Maine and glitzy New Hampshire and their romantic engagement. Well, romantic for a gay couple from Maine.

Check it out AFTER THE JUMP.

In other SNL news, hostess with the mostest Anne Hathaway's monologue evolved into a spoof on "One Day," a track from her forthcoming film adaptation of Les Misérables, and the actress also had a pretty genius turn doing "the Sloppy Swish" in a bizarre yet oddly addictive digital short called "The Legend of Mokiki."

And she made great "roach warehouse" in the "Girlfriends" sketch, while getting deep in fictional CIA agent Carrie Mathison's insanity during a send-up of Homeland. But it may be Hathaway's revival of her Katie Holmes impression alongside Kate McKinnon as Ellen DeGeneres.

Check out clips of those sketches, save for the Holmes impression, which isn't yet online, as well as two performances by musical guest Rihanna, AFTER THE JUMP. Oh, I've also included the cold open in which Jason Sudeikis plays a sad Mitt Romney.