Little Traverse Bay Bands continue same-sex marriage debate

Tuesday, July 10, 2012  

Leaders of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Michigan are keeping the tribe's same-sex marriage policy on the table.

Tribal council members voted 5-4 against changing existing law to recognize same-sex marriage. But they voted 5-4 to review the law and potentially put it to a referendum.

"(T)o me it's not the same-sex issue at all, it's about equal rights for everyone in every way," tribal council member John Bott told The Petoskey News-Review. Bott voted for amending the existing law.

In Indian Country, the Coquille Tribe of Oregon and the Suquamish Tribe also recognize same-sex marriage. The Navajo Nation and the Cherokee Nation, the two largest tribes, do not recognize same sex-marriage.

President Barack Obama supports same-sex marriage while Republican rival Mitt Romney does not.

Get the Story:
Single vote denies Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians same-sex marriage amendment (The Petoskey News-Review 7/10)

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Obama backs same-sex marriage while Romney still opposed (05/10)
Little Traverse Bay Bands consider same-sex marriage law (03/21)
Leonard Forsman: Marriage law shows Suquamish tribal values (09/15)
NPR: Suquamish Tribe passes resolution for same-sex marriage (8/23)
Same-sex marriage not controversial for small Suquamish Tribe (8/12)
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