Navajo Natn lawmaker seeks to legalize gay marriage, igng new bate - Source New Mexi

Contents:

• AMONG THE NAVAJOS, A RENEWED DEBATE ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE
• THE SURPRISG HISTORY OF GAY MARRIAGE THE NAVAJO NATN
• NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER TRODUC BILL TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE
• NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER SEEKS TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE, IGNG NEW BATE
• NAVAJO EQUALY? GAY MARRIAGE AND THE LIMS OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
• NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER TRODUC BILL TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE
• MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE RAILS AGAST GAY MARRIAGE

AMONG THE NAVAJOS, A RENEWED DEBATE ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTViotranscripttranscriptNavajo Natn’s Gay Marriage ControversyAlray Nelson is an outspoken opponent of the tribal law that bans same-sex marriage.

THE SURPRISG HISTORY OF GAY MARRIAGE THE NAVAJO NATN

— Tradn reigns here on the Navajo rervatn, where the words of elrs are treated as gospel and many people still live or pray circular dwellgs lled natnal bate over gay marriage, however, is promptg some Navajos to re-exame a 2005 tribal law lled the De Marriage Act, which prohibs same-sex unns on the rervatn. Shirley, 67, said of gay Navajos a slow, grandfatherly tone durg an terview.

”A send printial ntenr, Chris Dchene, 43, who was disqualified om nng but might be able to get back to the race, said he was "most likely" to support gay Navajo tradnalists, however, the rapid refn of marriage stat around the untry has ma the 2005 tribal law more important than ever. “It’s not for , ” Otto Tso, a Navajo legislator and medice man om the wtern edge of the rervatn, said of gay marriage.

NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER TRODUC BILL TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE

”“I do rpect gay people, ” he ntued, but as far as permtg same-sex unns, “I would fely wa on that. ”The Uned Stat Supreme Court is expected to ci this year whether stat n prohib same-sex marriag, a move wh the potential to lead to the legalizatn of gay unns all 50 stat. But the lg would not apply to the Navajo Natn, bee the untry’s 566 trib are sovereign Almeida/The New York TimLeadg the charge for gay marriage here is Alray Nelson, 29, a top ai to Mr.

NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER SEEKS TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE, IGNG NEW BATE

But some gay Navajos, he said, have not joed the aln for fear they will be gay tribal cizens say they support same-sex marriage but do not nsir marriage rights a prry, potg out that many gay Navajos suffer om dg abe and bilatg the ills, said Jeremy Yazzie, 33, who unsels gay and transgenr Navajos, is far more important. “Everyone is worried about repealg the gay marriage act, ” Mr. At least 10 have affirmed the right of gay upl to marry unr tribal law, sometim dog so ahead of the state which the tribe is Almeida/The New York TimIn 2009, the Coquille tribe Oregon beme the first Native Amerin natn to regnize same-sex marriag, though the Oregon Constutn still prohibed such unns.

Central to the bate over same-sex marriage is the qutn of the role that gay people have played Navajo history.

NAVAJO EQUALY? GAY MARRIAGE AND THE LIMS OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY

Several historians, cludg Jennifer Dedale, a member of the Navajo Natn Human Rights Commissn and a profsor at the Universy of New Mexi, assert that gay and transgenr people have long been part of tribal society, typilly holdg posns of great an amic paper about the De Marriage Act, she reunted a tradnal tale which First Woman and First Man argue and set up mp on separate sis of a river, each acpanied by other members of their sex.

Dedale opponents of gay marriage ce their attachment to lol church — which hold powerful sway here — as a reason to keep the De Marriage Act on the books. He said he uld not image his ngregants favorg gay marriage. BTo said of gay marriage.

”Her client, Julie Begaye, 54, lifted her head out of the sk, shakg her wet locks. There are 566, not we handle rrectnsA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 14 of the New York edn wh the headle: Among the Navajos, a Renewed Debate About Gay Marriage.

NAVAJO NATN LAWMAKER TRODUC BILL TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE

Borrs: the Navajo Pulls a CharlottvilleBut unlike those the 50 stat, Native Amerins who support gay marriage—a aln of LGBT Navajo, their alli, and even the leadg ndidate nng for the Navajo princy—have history on their Navajos have a rich, documented history of acceptg and even honorg people that intified wh different genrs and sexual fact, as recently as 10 years ago, same-sex unns were regnized by the Navajos. “We were regnizg same-sex unns between a man and a man and a woman and a woman long before whe people me on to this land, ” Alray Nelson, lead anizer at the Coaln for Navajo Equaly, a lol muny group workg to end the ban on gay marriage, told changed 2005, when, followg the footsteps of the U. Two-spir dividuals who intify wh male and female spirs make some of the same pots Nelson mak: before lonizatn Native Amerins honored those that didn’t f to the tradnal genr the activists are succsful and ph the Navajo Natn to lift the ban on gay marriage, uld have a sweepg effect.

Delegat Carl Slater and Charlae Tso voted favor of the legislatn while legat Pl Begay, Pernell Halona and Edison Wneka opposed the opposg vote received greater support, the bill received a "do not pass" remendatn om the mtee to the tribal uncil, where heads after nsiratn by three addnal mte.

It's as simple as that, " Slater Natn same-sex marriage proponents say s a matter of fairnsThe bill has been appld by tribal members who have advoted for marriage equaly for years and nounced by others who say is an afont to wtern relig valu and legislatn beme eligible for nsiratn by mte unr the Navajo Natn Council, after was troduced March by Delegate Eugene explaed his reasons for sponsorg the bill remarks on April 13 to the Health, Edutn and Human Servic a baby is born, everyone is joyful but when the baby grows up and talks about their homosexualy, they face cricism and they n be bullied and teased by fay members, iends and muny members, he said  the Navajo negative actns toward LGBTQ and Two-Spir people are unacceptable, he said then add some to harm themselv or them to cut ti wh fay. "Begay opposed the bill bee legalizg same-sex marriage is a matter for the Navajo people to ci, not tribal lawmakers.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE RAILS AGAST GAY MARRIAGE

Approximately 100 ments that support or oppose the bill have been submted by tribal members as of April further explaed the Navajo language that he accepts his fay members who are openly gay and lbian. I don't thk of them any other way, " Begay said then spoke aga favor of the matter to go before the Navajo people.

One of the opposg vot me om Navajo Natn Council Delegate Pl Begay Jr.

Begay said he uld not support the bill bee what propos go agast valu btowed by the Holy People, cludg that a man and woman should exist together. I n not go agast the law of the Holy People, ” Begay said, addg that is not somethg that is wrten on paper.