San Francisco, CA: “To win marriage equality, we must empower and enlist the grassroots in each community,” said Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) Media Director. “In the devastating aftermath of the passage of California’s Proposition 8 campaign, MEUSA hosted community forums across the state to invite participants to constructively examine the campaign and provide input on where we go from here. MEUSA also created an on-line survey which collected responses from an additional 3,000 people across the nation to check the pulse of where things stand within our national marriage equality movement following the November 15th Stonewall 2.0 revolution.”
“Through both the community forums and on-line survey, MEUSA received input from thousands and thousands of voices throughout California, as well as from individuals in 45 other states and 15 countries,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “Throughout the month of January, MEUSA will release a three part series of the ‘collective wisdom’ gathered by summarizing the main themes and sharing these perspectives and experiences collected. On Monday, January 5th, MEUSA will release the first of three reports that summarizes grassroots input on what we learned from the Prop 8 campaign. As a preview, today, we share MEUSA’s 2009 resolutions based on the themes and wisdom collected from our grassroots input.”
To End Homophobia, We Must Not Practice It. As Harvey Milk once said “they’ll vote for us two to one if they get to know one of us.” The LGBTI community must be visible in our campaign to secure marriage equality because we know our real images and stories are the only way to replace stereotypes. We must share our stories through earned media, door to door canvassing, and other visibility actions.
We Must Focus on our Families. We will never allow LGBTI families to be pushed into the closet. Our families are raising children and serve as our front line ambassadors with other families. Our lives and experiences, including the fear and harm their children face from these anti-gay campaigns, like Prop 8, must be shared to increase understanding and support. We must work with family-focused organizations, both LGBTI and other family-focused groups.
We Must Challenge Institutionalized Privilege within LGBTI Organizations. It’s not just about outreach; it’s about inclusion in our marriage equality movement. We will promote, support, involve and fund leaders and organizations of color and create messages and messengers that reflect all communities as a priority, early and often, not as an afterthought.
We Must Engage in all 50 States and in California, in all 58 Counties. Just as it was wrong to exclude the transgender community from the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, it was wrong to exclude the Central Valley from California’s No on Prop 8 campaign. Same-sex couples live everywhere; therefore we must campaign in every community and not ignore less supportive communities where there is so much room to gain and where the marriage equality outreach and education is essential.
We Must Empower Communities of Faith. We believe faith leaders and faith communities, not focus groups or consultants, should determine the messages and the best way to engage other people of faith in this movement. We can’t oversimplify and restrict our faith leaders and other faith based allies to talking points that don’t adequately give space to reflect their diverse beliefs or limit their participating to phone banks that keep these leaders out of the public eye. We need these faith leaders to be visible and vocal in building bridges to other faith communities. They are uniquely situated to respond to some of our most ardent opponents.
We Must Ensure our Straight Allies Have a Larger Voice in our Movement. Our marriage equality movement must not be restricted to the LGBTI community. We must embrace and incorporate our straight allies as leaders in our movement by providing outlets and invitations for them to join us in fulfilling our collective Constitutional promise of equal justice and treatment for all people.
We Must Recognize the Interconnectedness of our Lives and the Broader Social Justice Movement. We cannot just ask for support for LGBTI equality and not step up for other social justice movements. Our goals and our opponents are similar and by participating as good coalition partners, we can support the broader progressive movement for equality and justice.
We Must Commit to a National Grassroots Infrastructure and Strategy. We must have a proactive, sustained marriage equality educational movement and national dialogue to create the environment necessary to be able to overturn the federal Defense of Marriage Act and promote support for marriage equality nationwide. When these ballot measures arise, each state should not reinvent the wheel or have to start from scratch. We need to create effective modes of communication within the grassroots structure and share good ideas and practices. By capitalizing on technology, we can allow every state or volunteers in supportive communities to effectively participate in building our national vision.
We Must Provide a Place and a Space in this Movement for Everyone. Our community must be invited to do more than check writing and organizing house parties. We must be engaged in organizing and educating our communities, being visible, contributing our voices and sharing our unique talents and resources to assist the movement. We will allow anyone of any educational background and economic class to participate to the extent they are interested and we will provide materials, training and assistance to maximize and plug in all available talents and resources to promote volunteer-grassroots leadership and participation during this watershed civil rights movement for LGBTI equality.
>> This is an official press release from the National Media Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA STATEMENT ON CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL JERRY BROWN’S BRIEF ASKING THAT PROPOSITION 8 BE OVERTURNED
Proposition 8 proponents are trying to strip the 18,000 couples who married of their marriage licenses. They are like the Grinch attempting to pull every last shred of happiness and hope from same-sex couples. The Court cannot allow the bullies and bigotry to pollute our Constitution that has heretofore stood for equality and justice for all.
"We are incredibly encouraged by the Attorney General's thoughtful and courageous decision to urge the California Supreme Court to stand up for its historic role in protecting minorities against the tyranny of the majority," said Media Director Molly McKay. "The lives of thousands of couples and their children hang in the balance. We are hopeful that the outpouring of support from every major civil rights organization and dozens of cities and legislators will encourage the Justices that the right thing to do is to find that Proposition 8 is a revision to our Constitution and not allow it to stand. We have fundamentally altered the checks and balance of our democracy if a prejudiced minority is entitled to only the fundamental rights that they can persuade the majority to extend to them."
“Proposition 8 proponents are trying to strip the 18,000 couples who married of their marriage licenses,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “They are like the Grinch attempting to pull every last shred of happiness and hope from same-sex couples. The Court cannot allow the bullies and bigotry to pollute our Constitution that has heretofore stood for equality and justice for all.”
RELATED: California Attorney General Urges Court To Strike Down Proposition 8 Marriage Equality USA Advisory Board Member Robin Tyler Responds to Challenge to the 18K Married Couples. (more)
"We are incredibly encouraged by the Attorney General's thoughtful and courageous decision to urge the California Supreme Court to stand up for its historic role in protecting minorities against the tyranny of the majority," said Media Director Molly McKay. "The lives of thousands of couples and their children hang in the balance. We are hopeful that the outpouring of support from every major civil rights organization and dozens of cities and legislators will encourage the Justices that the right thing to do is to find that Proposition 8 is a revision to our Constitution and not allow it to stand. We have fundamentally altered the checks and balance of our democracy if a prejudiced minority is entitled to only the fundamental rights that they can persuade the majority to extend to them."
“Proposition 8 proponents are trying to strip the 18,000 couples who married of their marriage licenses,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “They are like the Grinch attempting to pull every last shred of happiness and hope from same-sex couples. The Court cannot allow the bullies and bigotry to pollute our Constitution that has heretofore stood for equality and justice for all.”
RELATED: California Attorney General Urges Court To Strike Down Proposition 8 Marriage Equality USA Advisory Board Member Robin Tyler Responds to Challenge to the 18K Married Couples. (more)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA EXPANDS OUTREACH BY SEEKING MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN ITS ABILITY TO SECURE MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Louisville, KY -- With the number of chapters it has growing, Marriage Equality USA today announced a new plan to bring statewide, regional, county, and city organizations into the marriage equality movement.
The new plan allows independent organizations committed to Marriage Equality USA's Mission Statement to join as a member organization.
"We wanted a plan to bring existing organizations into the marriage equality movement so they can share resources, ideas, and coordinate efforts with Marriage Equality USA nationally, and with our local chapters," stated Jordan Palmer, Vice President of Development and Organizational Relationships for Marriage Equality USA.
Both member organizations and Marriage Equality USA will benefit by sharing action alerts, organizational successes, set-backs, experiences, information, and knowledge. Joint fundraising activities are also a possibility.
Despite the November election which resulted in three additional state constitutional amendments restricting marriage to be between a man and a woman and another amendment that restricted adoption to married couples, Marriage Equality USA remains committed to marriage equality throughout the United States.
"The unprecedented nationwide rallies in support of marriage equality illustrate this issue is not limited to California but important across the United States," says Jordan Palmer, Vice President of Development and Organizational Relationships for Marriage Equality USA. "We will continue our fight for marriage equality state by state, and thank everyone for their enormous support."
Interested organizations should visit the member organizations section of the Marriage Equality USA website at www.marriageequality.org for additional information.
The new plan allows independent organizations committed to Marriage Equality USA's Mission Statement to join as a member organization.
"We wanted a plan to bring existing organizations into the marriage equality movement so they can share resources, ideas, and coordinate efforts with Marriage Equality USA nationally, and with our local chapters," stated Jordan Palmer, Vice President of Development and Organizational Relationships for Marriage Equality USA.
Both member organizations and Marriage Equality USA will benefit by sharing action alerts, organizational successes, set-backs, experiences, information, and knowledge. Joint fundraising activities are also a possibility.
Despite the November election which resulted in three additional state constitutional amendments restricting marriage to be between a man and a woman and another amendment that restricted adoption to married couples, Marriage Equality USA remains committed to marriage equality throughout the United States.
"The unprecedented nationwide rallies in support of marriage equality illustrate this issue is not limited to California but important across the United States," says Jordan Palmer, Vice President of Development and Organizational Relationships for Marriage Equality USA. "We will continue our fight for marriage equality state by state, and thank everyone for their enormous support."
Interested organizations should visit the member organizations section of the Marriage Equality USA website at www.marriageequality.org for additional information.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA REACTS TO NOVEMBER 4TH ELECTION RESULTS
San Francisco, California: “The election of Senator Barack Obama as President sweeps away the last racial barrier in American politics and provides us, including the LGBT community, so much hope for a better tomorrow. The passage of three constitutional amendments to restrict marriage to be between a man and a woman and another amendment in Arkansas to limit adoptions and foster care of children to only those who are legally married illustrates the discrimination that the LGBT community still faces in our country today. It is a bittersweet moment.”
LGBT Americans deserve the security and respect that marriage provides and we will continue to move forward in fighting for those freedoms and we will see progress and setbacks along the way. In Connecticut, same-sex couples will begin to marry on November 12th and those rights will be protected with the defeat of a constitutional convention on that issue. In New York, Senate leadership has changed and we hope and believe they will take up and pass marriage equality legislation that the New York Governor has said he will sign. We will win the freedom to marry, it will just take longer than is should.
After tens of thousands of same-sex couples got married in California, the majority of those who voted have decided to take that fundamental right away and introduce discrimination into our state Constitution. Californians voted for the better treatment of chickens but denied equal rights and protections for the gay neighbors – that's unfair and wrong. No one ever voted to take away the right of interracial couples to marry and if they did…it would have taken more than 40 years a majority of Americans to say OK. Less than six months after the California Supreme Court eliminated our ban on marriage for same-sex couples, it came to a vote of Californians – that‟s not the way our civil rights should be granted or taken away. These civil rights exist, and Marriage Equality USA will not stop until everyone in the LGBT community receives the same dignity and respect as any other American, until we have marriage.
We will win the freedom to marry – if not today, then tomorrow – and when anyone tells us we can‟t, we will tell them 'yes we can.'"
LGBT Americans deserve the security and respect that marriage provides and we will continue to move forward in fighting for those freedoms and we will see progress and setbacks along the way. In Connecticut, same-sex couples will begin to marry on November 12th and those rights will be protected with the defeat of a constitutional convention on that issue. In New York, Senate leadership has changed and we hope and believe they will take up and pass marriage equality legislation that the New York Governor has said he will sign. We will win the freedom to marry, it will just take longer than is should.
After tens of thousands of same-sex couples got married in California, the majority of those who voted have decided to take that fundamental right away and introduce discrimination into our state Constitution. Californians voted for the better treatment of chickens but denied equal rights and protections for the gay neighbors – that's unfair and wrong. No one ever voted to take away the right of interracial couples to marry and if they did…it would have taken more than 40 years a majority of Americans to say OK. Less than six months after the California Supreme Court eliminated our ban on marriage for same-sex couples, it came to a vote of Californians – that‟s not the way our civil rights should be granted or taken away. These civil rights exist, and Marriage Equality USA will not stop until everyone in the LGBT community receives the same dignity and respect as any other American, until we have marriage.
We will win the freedom to marry – if not today, then tomorrow – and when anyone tells us we can‟t, we will tell them 'yes we can.'"
Friday, October 10, 2008
MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA CELEBRATES CONNECTICUT DECISION IN SUPPORT OF THE FREEDOM TO MARRY
San Francisco, California: “Today, the Connecticut Supreme Court stood up for fairness and equality by ruling their state Constitution cannot tolerate a separate institution of civil unions for same-sex couples who as fellow citizens deserve equal protection, including the freedom to marry,” states Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) Media Director. “Today‟s decision recognizes that the time has come for lesbian and gay couples to be woven into the fabric of Connecticut families and to have the freedom to enter into the civil institution of marriage. These couples are part of Connecticut‟s community and are Americans. We call out to the citizens of Connecticut and across the nation to stand together to support this decision and recognize our society is stronger when we are all treated fairly.”
In Kerrigan and Mock v. Department of Public Health, Justice Richard N. Palmer who wrote for the majority of this 4-3 decision stated “We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm.”
“As Americans come to know same-sex couples and our families, they see that we share the same hopes and dreams, including the dream of marrying the person you love,” states Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “In California, over 11,000 same-sex couples have married in the last three months. Witnessing these ceremonies makes it abundantly clear that marriage really matters to these couples and their friends and families. Excluding same-sex couples from this fundamental right of marriage is wrong. We must do everything we can to ensure Californians will defeat Proposition 8 that threatens to take that right of marriage away and we must fight to defeat similar amendments in Florida and Arizona. ”
“This decision supports not only the eight plaintiff couples, but the thousands and thousands of same-sex couples that call Connecticut home,” states John Lewis, MEUSA Northern California Regional Director. “Stuart and I have been together over 20 years and were plaintiffs in the California marriage case. We were married in June and that experience made it clear. Marriage is so much more than just a word, it conveys a dignity and respect that domestic partnerships will never provide and that loving, committed same-sex couples deserve.”
“As we've seen in California, Massachusetts, Canada, Spain, and the other countries where same-sex couples can wed, there is no harm in extending same-sex couples the right to marry,” concludes McKay. “As same-sex couples struggle every day with the frustrations and harm caused by being excluded from marriage, and as we see once again our families are being used as political pawns in an upcoming November election, we hope that our fellow citizens reject that prejudice and speak out in support of ending discrimination against gay and lesbian families. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr. 'in the end, we won‟t remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.'"
In Kerrigan and Mock v. Department of Public Health, Justice Richard N. Palmer who wrote for the majority of this 4-3 decision stated “We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm.”
“As Americans come to know same-sex couples and our families, they see that we share the same hopes and dreams, including the dream of marrying the person you love,” states Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “In California, over 11,000 same-sex couples have married in the last three months. Witnessing these ceremonies makes it abundantly clear that marriage really matters to these couples and their friends and families. Excluding same-sex couples from this fundamental right of marriage is wrong. We must do everything we can to ensure Californians will defeat Proposition 8 that threatens to take that right of marriage away and we must fight to defeat similar amendments in Florida and Arizona. ”
“This decision supports not only the eight plaintiff couples, but the thousands and thousands of same-sex couples that call Connecticut home,” states John Lewis, MEUSA Northern California Regional Director. “Stuart and I have been together over 20 years and were plaintiffs in the California marriage case. We were married in June and that experience made it clear. Marriage is so much more than just a word, it conveys a dignity and respect that domestic partnerships will never provide and that loving, committed same-sex couples deserve.”
“As we've seen in California, Massachusetts, Canada, Spain, and the other countries where same-sex couples can wed, there is no harm in extending same-sex couples the right to marry,” concludes McKay. “As same-sex couples struggle every day with the frustrations and harm caused by being excluded from marriage, and as we see once again our families are being used as political pawns in an upcoming November election, we hope that our fellow citizens reject that prejudice and speak out in support of ending discrimination against gay and lesbian families. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr. 'in the end, we won‟t remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.'"
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Coast to Coast Marriage Equality Marches on Sunday, September 14, 2008 in Support of the Freedom to Marry
San Francisco, CA: On Sunday, September 14, 2008, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and Marriage Equality New York (MENY) are partnering together for their fifth annual simultaneous walks across the Golden Gate Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge in support of marriage equality.
“This year has seen incredible progress for marriage equality coast to coast,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “Last year at this time, neither California or New York recognized the marriages of same-sex couples. Now, one year later, California is enjoying its fourth month of same-sex couples getting legally married in all 58 counties and New York is recognizing marriages of same-sex couples. We are well on our way to fulfilling this quest for basic fairness for all families and we want to recognize and celebrate how far we have come and ensure that this basic civil right is protected and extended to all Americans.”
In New York City, marchers will gather at 11am (EST) at City Hall Park proceeding across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn, ending with a picnic and festival in Cadman Plaza and in Albany, marchers will also gather in 11am (EST) at Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Preserve.
In San Francisco, marchers will gather at 9:30am (PST) at the west end of Crissy Field to march across the Golden Gate Bridge and then return to Crissy Field for wedding cake and entertainment. Prior to the march in San Francisco, at 10am (PST), a press conference will be held that shall include San Francisco County Assessor Phil Ting who has been a long time advocate for same-sex couples and now houses the office that has recorded thousands of marriage licenses for same-sex and different-sex couples since marriage equality has been the law of the land in California.
At the press conference, MEUSA will remember Del Martin, a LGBT civil rights hero, who passed away last month and honor her life by redoubling our efforts to ensure that all loving, committed couples like Del and Phyllis Lyons (her wife) have the freedom to marry. The press conference will conclude with a cross-country call to marriage equality marchers in New York City who will be finishing their march across the Brooklyn Bridge and we start our walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
“This is a terrific event for the whole family and a great way for supporters to find out the latest information about how to ensure we sustain marriage equality in California,” said Brown. “Come use your voice for equality and get your t-shirts, bumper stickers and posters to show your support for marriage equality.”
Additional information on both events can be found on the web at http://www.marriageequality.org.
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
“This year has seen incredible progress for marriage equality coast to coast,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “Last year at this time, neither California or New York recognized the marriages of same-sex couples. Now, one year later, California is enjoying its fourth month of same-sex couples getting legally married in all 58 counties and New York is recognizing marriages of same-sex couples. We are well on our way to fulfilling this quest for basic fairness for all families and we want to recognize and celebrate how far we have come and ensure that this basic civil right is protected and extended to all Americans.”
In New York City, marchers will gather at 11am (EST) at City Hall Park proceeding across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn, ending with a picnic and festival in Cadman Plaza and in Albany, marchers will also gather in 11am (EST) at Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Preserve.
In San Francisco, marchers will gather at 9:30am (PST) at the west end of Crissy Field to march across the Golden Gate Bridge and then return to Crissy Field for wedding cake and entertainment. Prior to the march in San Francisco, at 10am (PST), a press conference will be held that shall include San Francisco County Assessor Phil Ting who has been a long time advocate for same-sex couples and now houses the office that has recorded thousands of marriage licenses for same-sex and different-sex couples since marriage equality has been the law of the land in California.
At the press conference, MEUSA will remember Del Martin, a LGBT civil rights hero, who passed away last month and honor her life by redoubling our efforts to ensure that all loving, committed couples like Del and Phyllis Lyons (her wife) have the freedom to marry. The press conference will conclude with a cross-country call to marriage equality marchers in New York City who will be finishing their march across the Brooklyn Bridge and we start our walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
“This is a terrific event for the whole family and a great way for supporters to find out the latest information about how to ensure we sustain marriage equality in California,” said Brown. “Come use your voice for equality and get your t-shirts, bumper stickers and posters to show your support for marriage equality.”
Additional information on both events can be found on the web at http://www.marriageequality.org.
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Community Celebrates 60th Anniversary of California Supreme Court Decision Perez v Sharp Ending California’s Interracial Marriage Ban
Oakland, CA: On Friday, September 26, 2008 from 7pm to 9pm at the EastSide Cultural Center at 2277 International Blvd in Oakland, the Final Friday Films of Resistance and Solidarity and several community organizations will co-host a series of short films and a panel discussion on the historic struggle for marriage equality for interracial couples 60 years ago and the parallels to same-sex couples today.
“It was 60 years ago this month, in 1948, that the California Supreme Court became the first state to declare that the right to marry the person you love is a „fundamental right of citizenship‟ and struck down the law banning couples of different races from marrying,” said Stuart Gaffney, Asian Pacific Islander Outreach Director of Marriage Equality USA, “My family would not exist without this historic decision, as my mom is Chinese-American and my father is Irish-American. One generation later , in June of this year, the California Supreme Court has continued its tradition of extending fairness and equality by striking down the law banning couples of the same-sex from marrying. My husband, John, and I are overjoyed to be legally married as we celebrate our 21st year together this month.”
“Thanks to the Perez decision, my parents were able to marry in California,” said Gaffney. “However, when they moved to Missouri and started looking for a home, they learned that their marriage was null and void under Missouri law. My husband John and I are now living that same experience today. The Perez decision, so controversial at the time it was decided, is now just an accepted part of the civil rights movement that is too often forgotten and its linkages to the similar struggles of same-sex couples today are important to recognize.”
Also featured at this event is the Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt, a project of Marriage Equality USA that intersperses photos and stories from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) families and allies. “The quilt reflects the diversity of our families and communities, as well as the urgency of this marriage equality issue,” said Maya Scott Chung, MEUSA Parents Outreach Director and Story Quilt Curator.
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
“It was 60 years ago this month, in 1948, that the California Supreme Court became the first state to declare that the right to marry the person you love is a „fundamental right of citizenship‟ and struck down the law banning couples of different races from marrying,” said Stuart Gaffney, Asian Pacific Islander Outreach Director of Marriage Equality USA, “My family would not exist without this historic decision, as my mom is Chinese-American and my father is Irish-American. One generation later , in June of this year, the California Supreme Court has continued its tradition of extending fairness and equality by striking down the law banning couples of the same-sex from marrying. My husband, John, and I are overjoyed to be legally married as we celebrate our 21st year together this month.”
“Thanks to the Perez decision, my parents were able to marry in California,” said Gaffney. “However, when they moved to Missouri and started looking for a home, they learned that their marriage was null and void under Missouri law. My husband John and I are now living that same experience today. The Perez decision, so controversial at the time it was decided, is now just an accepted part of the civil rights movement that is too often forgotten and its linkages to the similar struggles of same-sex couples today are important to recognize.”
Also featured at this event is the Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt, a project of Marriage Equality USA that intersperses photos and stories from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) families and allies. “The quilt reflects the diversity of our families and communities, as well as the urgency of this marriage equality issue,” said Maya Scott Chung, MEUSA Parents Outreach Director and Story Quilt Curator.
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Marriage Equality USA Says U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy is a Strong Man, and a Fighter
Washington, DC May 22, 2008 -- National marriage-equality organization praises U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and warns printed media and bloggers "don't count him out yet."
Marriage Equality USA was also deeply touched by the appearance of Elizabeth Edwards on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday.
Marriage Equality USA strongly agrees with the statement of Elizabeth Edwards that "we shouldn't be writing anybody's obituary." Many media outlets and blogger around the country have been speculating about who will replace U.S. Senator Kennedy which Marriage Equality USA considers disrespectful.
"Marriage Equality USA sends our thoughts and prayers to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and his family. We know Senator Kennedy is a real fighter because he has been one of the gay community's strongest advocates. He has been a leader in our fight for the freedom to marry and his support has been unwavering on this civil rights issue. Senator Kennedy is our hero and friend and our hearts go out to him." - Marriage Equality USA President David Janis-Kitzmiller
Marriage Equality USA was also deeply touched by the appearance of Elizabeth Edwards on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday.
Marriage Equality USA strongly agrees with the statement of Elizabeth Edwards that "we shouldn't be writing anybody's obituary." Many media outlets and blogger around the country have been speculating about who will replace U.S. Senator Kennedy which Marriage Equality USA considers disrespectful.
"Marriage Equality USA sends our thoughts and prayers to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and his family. We know Senator Kennedy is a real fighter because he has been one of the gay community's strongest advocates. He has been a leader in our fight for the freedom to marry and his support has been unwavering on this civil rights issue. Senator Kennedy is our hero and friend and our hearts go out to him." - Marriage Equality USA President David Janis-Kitzmiller
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
During Tax Season, Marriage Equality USA Recognizes How Marriage Discrimination Harms Same-Sex Couples and Costs All Taxpayers
San Francisco, California: Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) deplores the ongoing moral and financial costs of denying marriage equality to same-sex couples, not only for the LGBT families directly affected, but for all American taxpayers who collectively pay a financial price for that discrimination.
“Each tax season, same-sex couples sit at their dining room tables and are forced to live a legal lie by checking „single‟ despite their decades together and then arbitrarily dividing up their joint household‟s income, expenses, and dependents,” says MEUSA President David Janis-Kitzmiller. “Then we write checks to the IRS for social security taxes, knowing that when we die our families will not even have access to any of the family „safety net‟ benefits provided in the form of social security survivor benefits, estate tax deferral, and other programs that we help fund through our tax dollars and that only heterosexual couples and their children will enjoy.”
“Even in California where domestic partners for the first time are submitting joint state returns, tax preparers and same-sex couples alike were confused on how to apply the tax laws when domestic partnerships aren‟t recognized by the federal government,” explains MEUSA Policy Director Pamela Brown. “Domestic partnerships create confusion that results in tangible costs and frustration to gay and lesbian couples who end up paying more in both taxes and tax preparation fees. This year, California domestic partners had to complete four tax returns – a „dummy” joint federal return so we could complete the joint state return and then two individual federal returns where we have to file as single. The surest way to end the confusion and uncertainty that domestic partnerships create is to allow gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry and we hope that the State Supreme Court will remedy this situation by recognizing that excluding same-sex couples from the right to marry violates our state Constitution.”
“A common misconception is that granting same-sex couples the freedom to marry would cost the government more money, but in fact it would save taxpayer dollars. Same-sex couples aren‟t the only ones paying for marriage discrimination, all taxpayers fund this discrimination which amounts to as much as $30 million for taxpayers in the state of California and $1 billion nationwide,” states Brown “citing two studies produced by the Congressional Budget Office (http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=5559&sequence=0 and UCLA‟s Williams Institute http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/16_Stan_L_&_Poly_Rev_197.pdf).”
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
“Each tax season, same-sex couples sit at their dining room tables and are forced to live a legal lie by checking „single‟ despite their decades together and then arbitrarily dividing up their joint household‟s income, expenses, and dependents,” says MEUSA President David Janis-Kitzmiller. “Then we write checks to the IRS for social security taxes, knowing that when we die our families will not even have access to any of the family „safety net‟ benefits provided in the form of social security survivor benefits, estate tax deferral, and other programs that we help fund through our tax dollars and that only heterosexual couples and their children will enjoy.”
“Even in California where domestic partners for the first time are submitting joint state returns, tax preparers and same-sex couples alike were confused on how to apply the tax laws when domestic partnerships aren‟t recognized by the federal government,” explains MEUSA Policy Director Pamela Brown. “Domestic partnerships create confusion that results in tangible costs and frustration to gay and lesbian couples who end up paying more in both taxes and tax preparation fees. This year, California domestic partners had to complete four tax returns – a „dummy” joint federal return so we could complete the joint state return and then two individual federal returns where we have to file as single. The surest way to end the confusion and uncertainty that domestic partnerships create is to allow gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry and we hope that the State Supreme Court will remedy this situation by recognizing that excluding same-sex couples from the right to marry violates our state Constitution.”
“A common misconception is that granting same-sex couples the freedom to marry would cost the government more money, but in fact it would save taxpayer dollars. Same-sex couples aren‟t the only ones paying for marriage discrimination, all taxpayers fund this discrimination which amounts to as much as $30 million for taxpayers in the state of California and $1 billion nationwide,” states Brown “citing two studies produced by the Congressional Budget Office (http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=5559&sequence=0 and UCLA‟s Williams Institute http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/16_Stan_L_&_Poly_Rev_197.pdf).”
>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
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