Portuguese parliament passes freedom to marry bill

Portuguese lawmakers passed legislation Thursday that would enact marriage equality in the country. The bill goes to President Anibal Cavaco Silva for final approval. If the bill is ratified, Portugal will count among half a dozen European countries allowing gay marriage, including Belgium, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Norway.

Providence mayor to run for Kennedy’s seat

Providence, R.I. Mayor David Cicilline, who is openly gay, announced today he will be a candidate for Congress. The two-term mayor began to consider running after U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) shocked political observers by announcing he would not run for reelection this year. Providence became one of the largest cities in the U.S. to elect an openly gay mayor when Cicilline won his 2002 election. He was easily reelected in 2006 amid national media attention for his work turning around the fortunes of Providence, which was once beset by high crime rates and corruption.

Media Alert: Equality Maryland Stands with the Unitarian Church on the Side of Love

On February 14th, couples and families around the country will celebrate their love. To commemorate this special occasion, the Unitarian Universalist Association launched a national campaign called Standing on the Side of Love. The goal of this public advocacy campaign is to harness love’s power to stop oppression. “Equality Maryland is proud to join local Unitarian Churches in this groundbreaking campaign”, said Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Equality Maryland’s Executive Director.

John Corvino: How to define the freedom to marry

Freedom to Marry Voice for Equality, John Corvino says, "There is no single, standard “definitional argument.” There are, rather, various definitional arguments, and part of the problem is pinning down which one our opponents intend.""In the hope of advancing the debate—or at least of showing that the moving target is indeed moving—I’d like to distinguish, and briefly respond to, four versions."

Garden State Equality: ‘Demolish the Divide’ schedule

Post-ABC Poll: Views on Freedom to Marry steady, more back civil unions

With the nation's capital poised to begin allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, opinions nationwide remain closely divided, but two-thirds of all Americans now say gay and lesbian couples should be able to have the same rights as heterosexual couples through civil unions. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 47 percent say gay marriages should be legal, with 31 percent saying they feel that way "strongly."

Video: Pro-LGBT lawmaker Patrick Kennedy to retire from Congress

A stalwart champion of LGBT rights and the last member of the Kennedy family to serve in Congress announced on Friday plans to retire at the end of this year as a U.S. House member. In a two-minute video, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), the son of the late Edward Kennedy, says he won’t seek re-election, recalling his father’s “deep commitment to public service” as he explains his decision. A supporter of same-sex marriage, Kennedy voiced his support for marriage rights for same-sex couples in a statement when he announced in 2008 he would be a founding member of the LGBT Equality Caucus.

FTM Press Release: On Eve of Valentine’s Day, Tragic NY Case Again Shows Civil Union Does Not Work

Freedom to Marry Press Release: On Even of Valentine's Day, Tragic NY Case Again Shows 'Civil Union Does Not Work.' Amid mounting evidence from states such as New Jersey and Vermont that the legal mechanism of "civil union" fails to protect families and falls far short of the security and clarity that come with marriage itself, a legal case arising from a New York couple's tragedy is hitting a sad milestone this Valentine's Day. "John and Conrad's tragic case is yet more evidence that relegating gay people to separate legal mechanisms outside of marriage, such as civil union, does not work to protect them and their loved ones - even in states such as New York, which honors out-of-state marriages for gay and non-gay couples alike," said Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry and author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry.

Corrected San Diego Address for Equality California Canvass Tomorrow

Welcome to the New Freedom to Marry Action Center

Thanks for visiting the new Freedom to Marry Action Center.  Whether you're here to secure the freedom to marry for yourself or for a friend or loved one, our Action Center will empower you to play an important role in securing the freedom to marry for all Americans. For the past seven years, Freedom to Marry has played a key behind-the-scenes role in the marriage movement.  Like you, we've experienced the joy of marriage victories in five states and the District of Columbia, and the pain of temporary defeats along the way.  As the challenges of the movement continue to grow and our opponents keep attacking, we are evolving to meet the needs of the moment.  The new Freedom to Marry Action Center is one part of our plan to win marriage nationwide with your help.  It empowers you to help win marriage in your community and to support the national movement