Marriage

The Rhode Island Senate voted on Tuesday to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, moving it closer to becoming the 10th U.S. state to make such a change to the definition of marriage.

The New York Times noted that the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of including gay and lesbian couples in the definition of marriage by a seven to four vote. The bill, however, seeks to protect religious leaders who oppose such unions from being forced to officiate ceremonies. A secondary Senate vote is to follow on Wednesday, but gay rights supporters are confident that Rhode Island will be the latest New England state to make the switch.

"We think that when the vote is called, we can win," said Ray Sullivan, campaign director of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage. more >>

Meagan Good, the 31-year-old Christian actress who has been vocal about her faith with husband, Hollywood executive and minister DeVon Franklin, is letting her fans know the importance of the process before exchanging vows.

Good recently answered some fans on Instagram who inquired about the amount of time it took between her devoting her life to Jesus Christ and walking down the aisle last summer.

"@msgood How long after u received the Lord as ur Savior did u meet and then marry ur husband," one fan questioned the actress. "*I hope u respond. I need 2 be encouraged in this area." more >>

France is set to become the 14th country in the world to officially legalize same-sex marriage, after the Socialist-majority Assembly voted 331-225 in favor of a bill to allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.

As France was getting ready for the vote on Tuesday, a heavy police force with water cannons was set up around France's National Assembly in preparation for protests against the bill.

The gay marriage bill had moved through parliament successfully, and the final vote on Tuesday decided conclusively that gay marriage and gay adoption will become a reality in what has traditionally been a prominent Roman Catholic country. more >>

Will Smith, the 44-year-old actor who shares two famous children with 41-year-old actress Jada Pinkett Smith, does not believe in punishing his children.

Smith and his 14-year-old son Jaden are currently promoting their joint movie "After Earth." After the father and son duo were questioned about when Jaden was last punished, the Smith patriarch admitted that his family does not utilize punishment methods in their home.

"We don't do punishment. The way that we deal with our kids is, they are responsible for their lives," Smith told Metro New York recently. "Our concept is, as young as possible, give them as much control over their lives as possible and the concept of punishment, our experience has been- it has a little too much of a negative quality. So when they do things- and you know, Jaden, he's done things- you can do anything you want as long as you can explain to me why that was the right thing to do for your life." more >>

Chad Johnson, 35, seems to be ready to move on from his ex-wife and reality television star Evelyn Lozada.

Johnson, the free agent NFL wide receiver who was dropped from the Miami Dolphins after physically assaulting Lozada, 37, last August, no longer seems interested in mentioning his ex-wife in the media. While Johnson was insisting that he would fight for his marriage following the pair's separation one month after their July 4 wedding, he seems to have finally given up hope.

Recently, Johnson was questioned about his ex-wife by a TMZ reporter. more >>

Former president Bill Clinton accepted the Advocate for Change Award at the 24th annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation dinner in Los Angeles on Saturday, and revealed that his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was one of the main reasons he decided to stand up for same-sex marriage.

"She has had a profound impact on the way I see the world," Clinton said of his 33-year-old daughter, his only child. "It's sort of humbling when you get to be my age when your child knows more than you do about everything."

The former president continued: more >>