Arkansas

Will Phillips will serve as Grand Marshal for the Northwest Arkansas Gay Pride parade in Fayetteville this weekend. Phillips made headlines last year for refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance at his school until all Americans had full equality. Last October he asked his parents whether it was against the law not to stand for the pledge. On Monday, Oct. 5, when the other kids in his class stood up to recite the Pledge, he remained sitting down. He did it again the next day, and the next day.

A Pulaski County circuit judge has overturned Arkansas’ law banning unmarried couples living together from adopting or fostering children.

Circuit Judge Chris Piazza said Initiated Act One, passed by voters in 2008, constituted an unwarranted invasion of privacy. The law effectively banned gays from adopting or fostering children because they are unable to legally marry in Arkansas.

From Arkansas Online:

The AP reports that an Arkansas judge has ruled that a challenge to ban on unmarried adoption, fostering can proceed.

The voter-approved ban went into effect Jan. 1. It prohibits unmarried couples who live together from adopting or fostering children. Its authors acknowledge it was aimed at gay people.

The Fairness Campaign is opposing Kentucky Senate Bill 68 [sponsored by state Sen. Gary Tapp, R-Shelbyville] that would bar gay and lesbian couples from adopting children.

The AP reports that the measure would allow children to be placed only in adoptive or foster homes with people who "are not cohabiting outside of a marriage that is legally valid in Kentucky."

Family Equality Council is responding to the disappointing losses in Arizona [Prop 102], Florida [Amendment 2], Arkansas [Act 1], and California [Prop 8] with a new campaign - called DECLARE YOUR FAMILY EQUAL.

The Associated Press reports that exit polls - conducted for the gay parenting ban in Arkansas - showed it passed because of the support of evangelical or born-again Christians.

According to the AP, rural and evangelical voters propelled Arkansas to adopt one of the nation's few bans against unmarried couples becoming foster or adoptive parents.

Arkansas voters have approved a measure banning unmarried couples who are living together being adoptive or foster parents.

The AP reports that more than 56 percent of voters supported the ban, said by its proponents to be aimed primarily at keeping gays from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The measure's sponsor, the Arkansas Family Council, tried to paint its as a battle against a "gay agenda."