Gay Marriage Laws in Kansas

[RKP5637]

Last edited Fri May 18, 2012, 10:20 PM - Edit history (1)

See >>> http://marriage.laws.com/gay/state-laws/kansas

Also, it's a criminal offense to be gay in Kansas, but is overridden by the "Lawrence vs. Texas" decision. Lovely place, NOT.

In Kansas, gay rights do not appear to be a priority for the state. While many supporters of gay marriage and gay rights, try to enact change, the general population has remained unsupportive. In fact, the laws are clear in opposing gay marriage in Kansas. Gay marriage is not likely to be an option in Kansas any time soon. It takes a long time to have amendment's overturned by the courts.

In Kansas, gay marriage is explicitly banned by state laws and no same sex relationship is allowed to be legally recognized. Although Kansas currently has the Defense of Marriage Act as state law, the state also has constitutional amendments banning gay marriage and other same sex relationships in Kansas. Marriage is defined by DOMA as a union between an opposite sex couple. In Kansas, gay marriage is explicitly forbidden by the state's constitution and by statutes. In fact, the state will not recognize same sex relationships in any way.

The Kansas Constitution clearly states that no same sex relationship is to be legally recognized in Kansas. Marriages shall only be recognized if they conform to state laws, which indicate that the union must be between opposite sex individuals. In fact, no same sex relationship is entitled to any legal rights or benefits that are afforded to marriage. In essence, couples in a same sex relationship, are not entitled to any legal rights regarding their relationship. For instance, couples cannot seek to share health insurance or purchase property jointly.

In fact, same sex couples may find that encounter many difficulties simply because they are not legally related to one another. For instance, a partner would be unable to visit their partner in the ICU because they are not related. In addition, they would be unable to make any health care decisions effecting their partner. This can be one of those most difficult situations. Usually, partners are the ones that are most aware of how their partner feels regarding certain medical situations. I can be heartbreaking when they are unable to make those wishes clear to medical professionals.

Statutes in Kansas dictate that same sex relationships are contrary to public policy. In Kansas, marriages performed in other states, will only be recognized if they conform to Kansas marriage laws. In essence, gay marriages performed legally in other states, will not be recognized in the state of Kansas. Marriages performed in other states will not be entitled to any of the rights and responsibilities associated with marriage, unless that marriage was performed according to the laws in Kansas. Gay marriage does not appear to be a legally recognized option in Kansas in the immediate future.

See >>> http://marriage.laws.com/gay/state-laws/kansas

[longship]

1. Kansas, I lived there for 18 years

A time when KS had Dem governors, and for a time, a Dem legislature. I was a proud activist and, eventually, an officer in my county's party. It was a time when one was proud to be a Democrat in KS because we were able to do so much good.

Sadly, it looks like those times are gone. The lunatics have taken over the asylum. Where are the good people of Kansas now? Gone, I suspect.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Excuse you

There are still lots of "good people" left in Kansas.

How insulting.

[longship]

7. I sincerely apologize!

I did not intend to malign. I think Kansas is a beautiful place. I lived in Wichita for 18 years. I met people from all over and they are all good people.

Rather, I was speaking of Kansas politics, which has turned into an authoritarian mess, controlled by the Republicans. That is something you cannot deny.

We saw it coming in the 1990's when the Sedgwick County Republican party's monthly newsletter started reading like a Jack Chick religious tract and they hosted a daily call in message line called the "Godarchy Line" which openly advocated a US theocracy.

Again, I love Kansas. It is a beautiful state. But I certainly hope that Dems can do something to oppose the lunacy that's been happening there, just like I am fighting similar rubbish here in MI.

I certainly did not mean to offend. Forgive me. I'm just sad and a bit angry about what has happened since I left there.

[RKP5637]

3. For sometime Kansas has been losing residents. Brownback thinks it's

all about taxes, but people leave for a lot of other reasons. Many do not like the creeping authoritarian theocratic KS government. I guess some people love it, or they don't pay attention and vote blindly for R. It's too bad, parts of the state are beautiful and many people are quite nice. In many ways it's a very peaceful state.

[RC]

4. I'm not Gay, but I knew there had to be a good reason for leaving Kansas 53 years ago.

This is only another one. What is wrong with those people in Kansas?

[RKP5637]

6. It's a mystery. Many people are very nice, it's how some of them think,

I guess. Someone once said, maybe it was on DU, that many Kansans still think they're voting for Eisenhower. Bill Maher once did a movie on just KS and religion, it was very very revealing and to me a bit scary.

After Kathleen Sebelius left and the with the election of Brownback, it really went downhill for civil rights IMO. It's like every few weeks something else happens that is very much against civil rights.

[obamanut2012]

5. Neither being gay nor "gay sex" can be illegal

As per the USSC's decision on "Lawrence vs. Texas." Thank goodness.

[RKP5637]

8. Yes, fortunately it overrides the state law. Purposely keeping laws on

the books like the one in KS is quite intimidating and bellicose. Some have said sometimes cops act ignorant to "Lawrence vs. Texas" and harasses gays ... I don't know how valid that is, just that I've heard it mentioned.

[MuseRider]

10. It is valid and it does happen. n/t

[MuseRider]

9. We are fighting this as hard as we can.

The Kansas Equality Coalition is a constant presence. We are very politically active. Our organization has a lobbyist that lives with us during session and he is doing everything in his power to stop the creeping madness against the LGBT citizens. He has been in our home since the 3rd of January and is still here. It is a battle that never ends but we continue.

It is simply because nobody knows about what is going on in the government so they continue to vote the way they always have. Polls here show that in every area the citizens are for protections for LGBT Kansans, every area except marriage. <-----We are working on that.

The sodomy law is still in place. We had the changes made and ready to go except for the DEMOCRATS who stopped the progress and actively voted to keep it there. Got that, DEMOCRATS.

I could go on and on but it is rarely appreciated here. It seems Kansas only gets attention when it is for things like this. The hard work will continue with or without support from those who should be helping but with the Teabaggers and this Governor we will be lucky if anything good in this state survives. It is that bad. Women are actually getting the brunt of it this session, women and children and the poorest and sickest among us. LGBT will either get clobbered as an add on to one of these last bills, they are meeting tomorrow to try to finish up, or it will reappear next year and we will have to start all over again.

It would be really nice to have help from the Democrats. Sadly when we lose the moderate Republicans we will loose a lot of the people who actually do help us. It is rather depressing to see this here as well.

[RKP5637]

11. It's really like a Twilight Zone episode. 'The day KS stood still.' n/t

[MuseRider]

12. If only we could stand still.

We are running backwards as fast as we can. You have no idea what kind of crap, I mean total crap waste of time just to be mean, is going on in the legislature. They brought the Capital Police in just to stand around it was so bad. Mean, nasty, angry hours and hours of just shitting on everyone. That is what they are getting done. Meanwhile the Gov just says OK I will sign the budget I want, the redistricting I want and they just let it go. We are projected to be in deep debt in 2 years with his budget but before that happens there will be thousands in the street, not protesting they will be too weak and battered to do that, they will be the women and children and disabled and poor and most likely by then also the LGBT who will no longer be able to be protected in their jobs.

Theocracy, wanna see what it looks like? We will show you. Sam wants this state to be the model for all other states and by DOG he is going to make it happen. Now, where is my long dress with the long sleeves and high collar?

I am not being facetious about this. It is that bad. I am in a foul mood, my friend comes home at night depressed and worried and sad. It is really getting to me to know all the in and out of all of this. Just wait until the moderate republicans are gone. It is a nightmare waiting to happen. Hell, I am going to throw a fundraising party for a republican. Never thought I would see the day but her opponent is despicable but he will win.

[RKP5637]

13. I can't imagine anyone now making Kansas a destination for

employment and living unless they really want a RW authoritative state heading toward a theocratic dystopia, and I think significant financial problems. It is going to be a deplorable place to live for many people IMO.

I came here some years ago to buy a company, hired employees and was a good contributor. I am also well educated. Over the past several years I have seen/felt Kansas eroding significantly. I don't want to bad mouth Kansas too much, because there are many nice people in Kansas and IMO some wonderful places to live and work.

However ...

It's the politics that gets to us, and it's not just about LGBT. It's become a very hostile bellicose state under the new political regime imposing more and more on civil rights and liberties.

We are getting out of Kansas as soon as we can. Too bad, we made a major investment here, but the political climate is not tolerable. Also, if you travel about the country people in many other states do not think very highly of Kansas.

We just do not feel comfortable living in Kansas anymore and really question the future of Kansas. It's just spinning backward in time to some very bad times in the US.

[MuseRider]

14. You do not

have to post this but if you don't care about that where are you in Kansas?

I can't leave and actually will not leave. Every thing I am is here. I will not leave and will continue to do what little I can to talk sense into people. I know it is like banging your head against a brick wall but I think anymore that is what I do best. Then I come back to my little farm where I can do what I want and rest (?). Just now posting this I saw a huge shadow go by the window, heard a shriek and a bald eagle flew right past the window to cruise the pond. Another joined and they circled up into the sky and are now gone, but they will be back. I know there are many places like this where I could be happy this but my family helped start this state as a free state and I will not leave it. Face it, it is a great place to vacation from both because of location and political thinking.

It is very very distressing. The RW smear machine works so well here with so much rural space where people are so spread apart. I know this is not unique but when you let the RW get the hold that they did and then do nothing this is what happens. We are left working ourselves overtime just trying to keep our heads above water politically and losing in spite of all the work. You can't make headway when there is no representation, no talking about liberal ideas except how bad they are and no one even caring what actually happens to this state.

I would not stay here if I had a business, that would be the one thing that would cause me to leave. It will be beneficial tax wise but the oppressive laws in the state will surely make it difficult to get hires to come here and if I had a business I could no more ask someone to move here now than I could tell them I owned them.

We will be so far in the hole in a couple of years. Brownback is going to sign his new tax bill down in Wichita. I wonder if it will be at a lovely Koch party? It should be. Those bandits will be making out with all the money and the people will sink more and more. How low can it go before they actually start to think for themselves or think about making a change since what they have always done has never worked for them and never will? How can liberals even begin to show them it can be better when they are so limited and scared and few? How can new ideas be presented when nobody gives a shit about this state except Republicans?

[RKP5637]

15. We've been here 12 years in eastern KS, and moved here as a

destination after having lived on both coasts. So, we are transplants without roots in KS. I certainly understand those with roots in Kansas and a great country location wanting to stay. It's so sad, there are many good things about Kansas, but the RW spin machine is relentless.

We have republican friends and they're OK as long as you stay away from politics and religion. It's just pointless to discuss anything about politics with them. They seem to get all of their information from Fox News and Glenn Beck. It's just unreal. Not being from Kansas, we've just had it with this new regime, the Koch brothers and all the rest of it ... and we also do not see how eliminating income tax and pretty much all corporate tax is going to allow the state to survive.

Many people IMO are going to be down and out, but yet they won't listen to alternatives. I just find it all a really really weird state of affairs. I get so frustrated with it all it's not good for my health. We don't even sleep well anymore. It's like there is hostility in the air, mostly perpetuated by a hostile attitude at the state level. I've never experienced anything like this and have lived in several states over the years. Sadly, I think it's only going to get worse.

[MuseRider]

20. Your description is exactly the way it feels.

Where I am I can stay away from it in my private life. I am certain that there are mostly R's and L's living around me. There are a few D's that I know of. We all get along, help each other if there is a need but like you said, we stay away from politics and religion.

It feels nasty, it is nasty. It will get worse, much much worse with this new budget. They are setting us up, I know they are. Brownback isn't even coy about it. I see a lot of defectors but he will get re-elected if the Democrats don't do something major to shake things up but on one hand there are not enough of them and on the other hand they are all cowards.

My biggest frustration with the whole thing is the total lack of caring from the national party that could really help us out. It almost seems like they need several states to go totally off the deep end so they can say, "See? See what happens if you continue to vote like that?" Nothing from them at all, we can't even get support to run a D against Brownback. That says a lot to me. A lot. For a state to be so totally written off is disgraceful and honestly it made the decision to drop my registration as a Democrat even easier than it was after the Alito crap. I will be a Republican in a few weeks to vote in the primary, if they ever get redistricting done, then back to my non affiliated status.

It is frightening what is going to happen and this budget is a done deal no matter how many times he was told that it was going to bankrupt the state in what, two years I think. Perhaps it is part of his bringing his people to Jesus strategy, easier when they are hungry I suppose. When you look at everything that was accomplished this year it is all about his agenda, every last stinking bit of it and that agenda is theocracy.

Maybe we need to start a new Free State movement, in a few years it will most likely be the very deal!

[kaiden]

16. I was born and grew up in Independence, Kansas.

One of my high school classmates was Jean Kurtis, now Jean Schodorff. I know that she ran in a Republican primary against -- Tiarht? Polumbo (is that the guy's name?) and lost. She must be a "moderate" Republican, because I cannot for the life of me think that she has slipped that far to the right. I moved from Wichita to Denver in 1984. I did a lot of theatre in Wichita and still have dear friends there in that city who try to fight the good fight. Me? I just can't bring myself to go back because it hurts so much to see what Brownback is doing.

[MuseRider]

17. Jean is a friendly moderate

and we have been able to count on her a number of times. I don't know her but have always been in Topeka and now in a community South of Topeka and remember he brother Bill well the night of the 1966 tornado. Skyrocketed him to his current status, he saved a lot of people.

Being that often friendly moderate that she is, she has a target on her back that is large. Here, the way it is now in Kansas, we are supporting the moderate Republicans as much as we can, at least the friendly incumbents. Often they are the only help we have for LGBT work. Most of the Democrats will not even let us in the doors of their offices, exactly like the RWers.

[kaiden]

18. Are the Democrats pussies, then? I just can't understand it.

[MuseRider]

21. Well I hate the term but

the answer would be a very huge yes.

[RKP5637]

22. I never liked him as a senator and certainly not as a

governor. He's trying to take KS IMO back to some very dark times in history. It's horrible what he's doing to KS, but I wonder how many Kansans are following him that closely. Also, if it were just him, one could hope for change, but he seems to have a lot of company.

[loyalsister]

19. Kansas was instrumental to the Union during the Civil War

The were on the side of the Union and made a huge sacrifice. They have a history of being on the right side of history and hopefully will come around again.

[kaiden]

23. Bleeding Kansas. The reason there WAS a Civil War.

I used to be so proud of the early Kansans. They sacrificed their lives to bring the Kansas territory into the Union as a free state. Kansans were true populists -- and even though John Brown was kind of religious-nutty, it was a good kind of religious-nutty, unlike the current day Talibornagains in the Legislature.

[loyalsister]

24. No reason to totally reject them now

I'm in MO, so I feel where you're coming from. The state that produced Thomas Hart Benton can't be all bad.