Equality Hero: Senator Ted Kennedy

Senator Ted Kennedy, the second most senior member of the US Senate, is an Equality Hero for his support for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, and queers.

 
Senator Edward M. Kennedy views the struggle for LGBT equality as part of the ongoing battle for civil rights that has been waged in earnest over the last half century. The second most senior member of the US Senate, Kennedy's outspoken leadership in the civil rights arena has been recognized not only by the residents of Massachusetts, whom he has represented in the US Senate for some 43 years, but throughout the nation and the world.

In the 1960's, Senator Kennedy helped lead the fight to open the doors of polling booths to African-Americans throughout the south. In the 1970's, he fought to lower the iron curtain so that Soviet Jews could reclaim their freedom and heritage. In the 1980's he stood in the forefront of efforts to provide equal accommodations for Americans with disabilities.

In the 1990's Kennedy became the clear Senate leader in the fight to end discrimination against members of the LGBT community, and to fund programs for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. He was also one of the very few senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

More recently he guided the Mathew Shepard Hate Crimes Act to passage and introduced the Senate version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Senator Kennedy continues to be a vocal proponent of same sex marriage and recently received the Gerry Studds Visibility Award from the Fenway Community Health Center in Boston, the nation's largest LGBT-focused health facility.

Induction by Ron Ansin, Esq. Ron Ansin has been a friend of senator Kennedy since both attended Harvard College. After Harvard, Ron attended Yale Law School. He later was co-owner of a well-known shoe manufacturing company as well as banking enterprises. He is one of the most generous donors to our movement through the Ronald M. Ansin Foundation.