Vermont Freedom to Marry Releases New Ad
Posted on Mar 27, 2009 at 12:29 pm
March 27, 2009
Vermont Freedom to Marry released their new ad entitled, "Neighbors," in response to Gov. Douglas' announcement that he will veto the Vermont marriage bill S.115. (Link)
Portia De Rossi “Apologizes” For Marrying Ellen (VIDEO)
Posted on Mar 23, 2009 at 10:18 am
[Link]
NAACP’s Julian Bond Delivers Moving Speech on Equality
Posted on Mar 18, 2009 at 01:20 pm
Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP, put into words the type of inspirational sentiment and coming-togetherness between gays, blacks, and humanity that we all feel. Says Bond, a supporter of the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples: "Black people, of all people, should not oppose equality, and that is what gay marriage is. … At the NAACP, we pledge to do our part." And that's just the beginning of this eloquent indictment of homophobia. [Link]
Day 1 of Senate Judiciary Hearings
Posted on Mar 17, 2009 at 01:57 pm
Ellen Interviews Portia de Rossi: “She Also Happens To Be My Wife”
Posted on Mar 17, 2009 at 01:49 pm
GUEST POST: Dreams Do Come True
Posted on Mar 12, 2009 at 04:52 pm
By Scott Davenport
I confess – I have a guilty pleasure. I like trolling YouTube for videos on “Marriage Equality.” About once or twice a week right before I head off to bed, I’ll go online and input those key words, ask for items posted in the last week and then sort by “most recent.” And every time I do, I get a list several pages long.
Some are news items – postings from CNN or MSNBC. Some are cell phone captures of that week’s protest or vigil somewhere (there were lots of those this week in the wake of the California Supreme Court oral arguments on Prop 8’s passage). Some are the rantings of some internet dweeb (am I an internet dweeb for trolling Youtube?!) on his or her computer cam. Some are soft sell videos: slide shows of adoring same-sex couples who got married underscored by a romantic ballad. And yes, I confess. I have a soft spot for those! A few are negative, but most seem very supportive.
Last night, though I stumbled upon my dream YouTube video on marriage equality. It wasn’t like any of those I just mentioned. In fact in a purely cinematic sense, it’s about as dry as toast! But nonetheless for me it was groundbreaking. What was it?
It was a video of the head of the Vermont state Senate (Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin) outlining not only why he supported marriage equality in his state but what he was going to do to help make it happen! (Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv3RaC7XXf8)
Just stop for minute to let that soak in. It wasn't the only openly gay or lesbian state legislator speaking. It wasn’t the Executive Director of the state's gay advocacy group. It wasn't even a non-gay, but supportive state legislator.It was the head of the state’s Senate!
And he wasn’t just saying he supported marriage equality. He talked about what he was going to do to lead the charge. He talked about how his own support of the issue has evolved (yes, even politicians can change). He talked, in effect, about how a difficult economy shouldn’t get in the way of equality for all. He talked about how couples he knows shouldn’t be treated any differently than he and his wife are treated. He gets it, and he gets it deeply.
What an amazing and courageous thing to do on the part of a politician. Most politicians find a way to dance around issues they are scared of -- even if they don’t have to be scared. (see our report: Pro-Marriage Legislators Win Elections).
After all take a look at this other video I found last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVGMvYYq3PU
It’s a report on a lobbying visit to a state senator in NY (I won’t name/shame him here – you should watch the video). When asked about his support for marriage equality by constituents (yes, constituents!), he says he’s not sure why he doesn’t support it – probably it’s about religion. Yes, he actually says he’s not sure!
And then there’s my home state – Maryland (full disclosure: I’m the board president of Equality Maryland). We’ve been working to pass a marriage equality bill in Maryland, and we have some great legislative support. We have an amazing gay and lesbian legislative caucus, and an equally amazing group of allies. We have over 25% of the legislature as co-sponsors for our marriage equality bill.
Yet the head of our State Senate won’t go near the issue. Both the head of our House of Delegates and our Governor are still in the “domestic partnership” camp. So to see a leader like Senator Shumlin in Vermont says a tremendous amount to me.
It tells me that a lot of people – grass roots, organizational folks and elected officials alike -- have done a lot of work in Vermont. To have moved this far is truly an amazing accomplishment, one which offers real hope that we will see marriage equality come to Vermont this year. And if you’d like to help in any way, you should check out Vermont Freedom to Marry at http://www.vtfreetomarry.org/. They’re the ones who posted my dream video.
And so now my guilty pleasure isn’t a secret – and maybe I don’t feel so guilty about it either. After all, isn’t it great to be able to go to bed having watched your dreams come true?
***
Scott Davenport is managing director of Freedom to Marry.
Shaping the Battlefield
Posted on Mar 09, 2009 at 05:15 pm
March 3, 2009
Jonathan Rauch blogs, "Here's a TV ad called "Hope," from the Equality California people, who are already preparing for a rematch on marriage. And here's why I think it's potentially important." (Link)
Watch the Supreme Court’s Oral Arguments on Prop 8
Posted on Mar 05, 2009 at 12:15 pm
To watch the 3 cases challenging the same-sex marriage amendment, tune into the California Channel.
Gov. Corzine Announces Support for Marriage Equality
Posted on Mar 02, 2009 at 11:14 am
March 2009
At Garden State Equality's Legends Dinner, Governor Corzine spoke out in support of marriage equality saying more emphatically than ever before, "I support marriage equality" and he also stressed the need to do it in 2009. [Link]
Milk’s Screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black’s Moving Acceptance Speech
Posted on Feb 25, 2009 at 02:29 pm
February 22, 2009
GLAAD blogs about Dustin Lance Black's acceptance speech at the Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay of Milk. Black talks about how Harvey Milk's life gave him hope: "It gave me the hope to live my life, it gave me the hope to one day live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married." (Link)