Statement by Washington United for Marriage on the Introduction of Marriage Equality in the Legislature

Washington United for Marriage, a broad statewide coalition of organizations, congregations, unions and business associations that will work to obtain civil marriage for lesbian and gay couples in Washington State in 2012, today applauded the introduction of SB 6239, an act relating to providing equal protection for all families in Washington by creating equality in civil marriage and changing the...

Press Release • Jan 14, 2012

ACLU Challenges Michigan Domestic Partner Health Care Ban

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Michigan filed a lawsuit today asking a federal court to strike down a discriminatory and unjust new state law that bans many public entities from providing health care insurance to the domestic partners of their employees. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of school teachers, city and county workers and their domestic partners who will lose their h...

Press Release • Jan 6, 2012

San Francisco Family Law Firm Outlines How the Domestic Partnership Equality Act Adds to Domestic Partnership Rights

While California's domestic partnership laws grant certain rights to same-sex couples, they do not provide all of the rights of marriage. On October 9, 2011, the legislature and Governor Brown corrected some of that inequity by passing the Domestic Partnership Equality Act. Effective in January, the law will provide for several rights already existing in marriage. Erik Newton, a partner at the San...

Press Release • Dec 30, 2011

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Announces Plans to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) will announce plans to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) at a National Press Club Newsmakers news conference, 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 19, 2011 in the National Press Building, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. She will be joined by the Courage Campaign Founder and Chair Rick Jacobs and three same-sex married couples. The Courage Campaign is an online or...

Press Release • Jul 18, 2011

Herrera Files Amicus Brief in Support of Federal Challenge to Proposition 8

City Attorney Dennis Herrera today filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco in support of a federal lawsuit brought by two California couples challenging the validity of Proposition 8, the state constitutional amendment that eliminated the fundamental right of marriage for gay and lesbian citizens in California....

Press Release • Jun 21, 2009

RI: Same-sex marriage bills to be heard Wednesday

Scheduled for a hearing is a bill (2009-H 5744) sponsored by Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Dist. 18, Cranston) to broaden the definition of persons eligible to marry to include persons of the same gender. It also provides that members of the clergy would not be required to officiate at any particular marriage. Also scheduled is a bill (2009-H 5068) sponsored by Rep. Jon D. Brien (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket) t...

Press Release • May 12, 2009

Forthcoming Same-Sex Sacramental Marriage Litigation

The Universal Life Church Monastery (TheMonastery.org) has announced a legal defense campaign that will take action in all states that have enacted unconstitutional same-sex sacramental marriage restraints. The Universal Life Church Monastery reports that "States that deny ministers the religious right to perform the sacrament of marriage, regardless of the couple's sexual orientation, do so in vi...

Press Release • May 6, 2009

Heads of Sugarbush and Ben & Jerry's Urge Override

We are presidents or CEOs of some of the most successful Vermont businesses and business organizations. We're writing to you today because your vote to override the Governor's veto of S. 115, An Act to Protect Religious Freedom and Promote Equality in Civil Marriage, affects the ability of all businesses in Vermont to recruit the talented people we need to ensure the continued development of vita...

Press Release • Apr 6, 2009

Senator Schumer Announces Support for Marriage Equality and Calls for the Full Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act

Van Capelle said that during the meeting, Schumer pledged his support to repeal DOMA and, in the interim, to work to provide federal recognition and portability of benefits to legally married same-sex couples. Sen. Schumer is Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate's Democratic Conference and the highest ranking member of the Senate to endorse marriage equality....

Press Release • Mar 23, 2009

Press release regarding signature gathering to create an initiative to ammend the CA Constitution allowing Same Sex marriages

The proponent for this measure, Charles Lowe, must collect signatures of 694,354 registered voters - the number equal to 8% of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election - in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 150 days to circulate petitions for this measure, meaning the signatures must be collected by August 17, 2009....

Press Release • Mar 20, 2009

Gay Activists Call for Immediate National Response Following CA Supreme Court Decision on Proposition 8; Thousands Expected to Participate in Nationwide Actions on Day of Decision

The court will provide notice 24-hours in advance of issuing its ruling. That evening, DayofDecision.org actions across the country to either protest a decision that upholds Prop. 8 or that celebrates the invalidation of Prop. 8 will take place....

Press Release • Mar 17, 2009

Activists Call For Immediate National Response to Forthcoming CA Supreme Court Decision

Recognizing that win or lose, the LGBTQ community must have an immediate response to the forthcoming California Supreme Court decision on whether or not to uphold Proposition 8, veteran activists Robin Tyler and Andy Thayer have called for "Day of Decision" actions the night that the court releases its decision. Volunteers for the effort are being coordinated through the new website, www.DayofDec...

Press Release • Mar 9, 2009

Southern Utah University "We Have Families Too"

A demonstration of Love and Support for GLBTQ families is in the planning stages for the May 2, 2009 Southern Utah University (SUU) Commencement in Cedar City, Utah. LDS Church President Thomas Monson will be a speaker and receive an honorary degree. Some SUU student organizations see Monson as an inappropriate choice for the commencement speaker. Alumni and other organizations see this is as an o...

Press Release • Mar 8, 2009

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTION OPPOSING PROP 8

Sacramento, CA - Today the members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee passed House Resolution 5 (Ammiano, D-San Francisco) by a vote of 7 to 3, which resolves that the Assembly opposes the implementation of Prop 8. H.R. 5 states that Prop 8 is an improper revision of the California Constitution. "I am proud of my colleagues and their unequivocal support of equal treatment for all Californian...

Press Release • Feb 17, 2009

BASF Asks State Bar To Reconsider Annual Meeting Hotel

The Bar Association of San Francisco today asked the State Bar of California to reconsider holding it annual meeting, as well as the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations (CDCBA) meeting, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego in September. The hotel's owner, Doug Manchester, contributed $125,000 to the Yes on 8 Campaign which supported the passing of Proposition 8 in November 20...

Press Release • Jan 29, 2009

Attorney General Brown Renews Call for California Supreme Court to Strike Down Proposition 8

Brown argues that Proposition 8 supporters are wrong to suggest that the people's right to amend the Constitution through the initiative process is unlimited and that the Court does not have the authority to invalidate Proposition 8. The Court, in fact, has exercised judicial review previously to invalidate a constitutional amendment that was deemed substantively improper. He also argues Proposit...

Press Release • Jan 21, 2009

New Study Shows Pro-Marriage Legislators Win Elections

Contrary to some political expectations, voting to support the freedom to marry and opposing anti-marriage measures helps rather than hurts politicians, a new study unequivocally shows. For many years legislators across the country have voted on laws aimed at ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. Others have been asked to vote on state constitutional amendments aimed at discri...

Press Release • Jan 12, 2009

Prop 8 Hurt My Family, Ask Me How

Marriage Equality USA releases the second of three reports, Prop 8 Hurt My Family, Ask Me How, a compilation of real stories from the campaign....

Press Release • Jan 12, 2009

Congress swears in today! Let them know you care about ENDA!

Today, January 6, members of Congress raise their right hands and swear to uphold the Constitution as they begin the new legislative session. Let's make sure the first thing they hear about is the importance of an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people....

Press Release • Jan 6, 2009

New Filing in Prop 8 Legal Challenge

The brief argues that Proposition 8 is invalid because it seeks to eliminate a fundamental right only for a targeted minority, which cannot be done through the initiative process. The brief also agrees with California Attorney General Jerry Brown that certain fundamental rights, including the right to marry, are inalienable and can not be put up for a popular vote. The brief also argues --again in...

Press Release • Jan 5, 2009

Connecticut Voters Back Same-Sex Marriage, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Rell Approval Holds As Dodd, Lieberman Scores Drop

Connecticut voters support 52 - 39 percent, with 9 percent undecided, the State Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today....

Press Release • Dec 17, 2008

Comment by Evan Wolfson, Executive Director, Freedom to Marry

Leaders of established organizations who resist welcoming new energy, new creativity, new involvement make a mistake....

Press Release • Dec 10, 2008

Civil Unions Don't Work

The failure rate of New Jersey's civil union law, in fact, is at least one in every five - and likely way worse because the ratio encompasses only the complaints that have come to Garden State Equality....

Press Release • Dec 10, 2008

TWO Condemns Anti-Gay New York Times Ad as Misleading and Hypocritical

The authors of this hypocritical ad can start by spotlighting themselves:...

Press Release • Dec 8, 2008

El Pollo Loco's Statement on Proposition 8

I voted against Prop 8. On a personal level, I not only understand your anger, I share it....

Press Release • Nov 29, 2008

Marriage Equality

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Press Release • Nov 20, 2008

Unitarian Universalist Association and Allied Faith Groups File Lawsuit to Invalidate California Proposition 8

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Press Release • Nov 18, 2008

Proponents of Proposition 8 Urge California Supreme Court to Hear Challenges to Measure's Validity

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Press Release • Nov 17, 2008

Attorney General Brown Urges California Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Proposition 8

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Press Release • Nov 17, 2008

California and the Country to End Discrimination in Marriage

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Press Release • Nov 13, 2008

Legal Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Proposition 8, Should It Pass

The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a writ petition before the California Supreme Court today urging the court to invalidate Proposition 8 if it passes. The petition charges that Proposition 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution's core commitment to equality for everyone b...

Press Release • Nov 5, 2008