Marriage Equality Now: Beyond Same Sex Marriage or Gay Marriage or Lesbian Marriage

1. Preserve marriage equality in Massachusetts. VICTORY!
   After an historic vote in the Constitutional Convention in Massachusetts on June 14, 2007, in which over 75% of the legislators in both Houses voted to turn down a ballot for a constitutional amendment forbidding same sex marriage, the equal right to marry in Massachusetts is safe for years to come.


2. Preserve marriage equality in California. CRITICAL!
   On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that same sex couples had the right to marry in California. In fact, couples from anywhere can legally marry in California (although the marriage may not be recognized if they live outside California). A constitutional amendment is on the ballot in November 2008 to limit marriage to one man and one woman. It is critical to defeat this amendment, not only for the right to marry in California, but because its broad implications throughout the United States for legal equality.
   
   
3. Convert civil unions to marriage in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
   The New Jersey legislature is very likely to approve marriage equality in that state no later than June 2009.
   Connecticut is awaiting a ruling by its Supreme Court.
   New Hampshire's legislature has the power to provide marriage equality in that state.
   
   
4. Pass marriage equality in legislatures in marriage-friendly states like Rhode Island, New York, Washington, and Maryland.
   If we change a NY state senate seat in New York, it is very likely that the legislature will approve marriage equality in that state in 2009. The governor has already ordered the state agencies to recognized same sex marriages performed elsewhere.
   
   
5. Win Right to Marry lawsuits that are advancing in Connecticut, and Iowa.
   
   
6. Obtain Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships where marriage equality is not possible now due to state constitutional amendments forbidding gay and lesbian marriage.
   
   
7. Win federal recognition of state marriages (repeal the Defense of Marriage Act)
   > Subgoal: obtain at least two pressing federal benefits as early as possible: (1) social security benefits, and (2) partner immigration

TEXT OF THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT

Read its full text for yourself. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a very short legilslation, but very discriminatory. 

• GOAL: PRESERVE MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA       #1 PRIORITY
  
  There is a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November 2008 that would define marriage as only between one man and one woman. Read the analysis by Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California. Give to Equality for All, the coalition that manages the campaign to defeat the California marriage amendment.


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN IOWA
  
  Lambda Legal won in August 2007 the right to marry in a district court in Iowa. The case is now headed for the Iowa Supreme Court. One Iowa, the statewide LGBT organization, needs funds to help support the state's pro-equality legislature to avoid overturning a favorable ruling (ballot initiatives are very difficult in Iowa).


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN NEW YORK
  
  The Empire State Pride Agenda is leading the efforts to pass marriage equality legislation in New York State. On July 6, 2006 New York's highest court ruled that the NY Constitution does not compel recognition of same-sex marriages and that the legislature can decide. Governor Spitzer introduced marriage equality legislation in May 2007 and the Assembly approved it on June 19, 2007 thanks to the Empire State Pride Agenda and several other organizations. The legislation is now held in the Senate. In the November 2008, we need to change one senate seat to pass this legislation.


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN NEW JERSEY
  
  Garden State Equality is leading the efforts to win marriage equality in New Jersey within one year. The NJ Supreme Court ruled unanimously in October 2006 in favor of Lambda Legal's lawsuit, requiring civil unions or marriage within 180 days. In December 2006, the legislature voted to provide only civil unions. Marriage equality is possible in New Jersey by June 2009.


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN CONNECTICUT
  Love Makes a Family (LMF) and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
  By focusing on marriage, LMF was successful in making Connecticut the first state to pass civil unions without a court mandate. Now, pursuing a dual strategy of litigation and legislation, LMF and GLAD are working to bring marriage equality to Connecticut by 2008 or 2009. 


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN RHODE ISLAND
  Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) is a small and very focused organization that led the introduction of a same sex marriage bill in the state legislature. It is working to get enough cosponsors to make Rhode Island the second or third state to approve marriage equality through the legislature. This is a place where even small donations can have a major impact since MERI's budget is small.


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE IN MARYLAND
  Equality Maryland is working to approve same sex marriage legislation in Maryland, since the litigation resulted in Maryland’s highest court ruling 4-3 in 2007 that it is not unconstitutional to exclude same-sex couples from marrying.


• GOAL: CONVERT CIVIL UNIONS TO MARRIAGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
  NH Freecom to Marry Coalition succeeded in approving civil unions through the legislature without a court mandate in 2007. They need support to pass legislation for full marriage as well as other protections.


• GOAL: WIN MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN WASHINGTON STATE
  
  Equal Rights Washington is lobbying the Washington State legislature to pass marriage equality, given that a Right to Marry case was decided on July 26, 2006 by the state's Supreme Court ruling that DOMA was legal and that the state could discriminate against same-sex couples in getting marriage licenses.