New campaign in Arizona will start the conversation about why marriage matters

Today, a groundbreaking new grassroots public education, Why Marriage Matters Arizona, launched in Arizona to begin a conversation with fair-minded Arizonans about the freedom to marry and why it matters to same-sex couples and their families. In Phoenix and Tucson today, four organizations - Equality Arizona, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Freedom to Marry, and the Human Rights Campaign - joined together to launch the public education campaign. In the coming months, Why Marriage Matters Arizona will begin a state-wide discussion about removing marriage discrimination from Arizona's state Constitution and winning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples and their families. 

Building this public support for marriage is an important first step in ensuring fairness for all Arizonans. Through Why Marriage Matters Arizona, same-sex couples and their families will share their stories, and community leaders in the state will voice their support for marriage and explain why it's an important step forward in the state. 

Freedom to Marry founder and president Evan Wolfson discussed the importance of the new campaign in AZ today. He said:

Why Marriage Matters Arizona is a groundbreaking campaign to change hearts and minds across the states, inviting people to talk about their individual journeys toward support of the freedom to marry and their family values. The campaign's emphasis on personal stories will give Arizona the momentum it needs to finally put an end to the discrimination that was wrongly written into its state constitution.

Rebecca Wininger, president of Equality Arizona, voiced excitement for the campaign today. She said:

All committed couples should have the freedom to marry the person they love in the state that they call home, and that includes same-sex couples in Arizona. The national landscape for marriage is shifting rapidly. Americans see their gay and lesbian friends, families and neighbors in committed relationships and are realizing there is no reason to exclude them from the dignity, protections and support that come only with marriage. It’s time to get the conversation started in Arizona.

Check out the great new website for Why Marriage Matters Arizona, featuring moving stories of loving couples in Arizona and ways that marriage supportres in the state can get involved.

You can also follow Why Marriage Matters Arziona on Twitter @MarriageAZ and become a fan on Facebook.

Sign the pledge for Why Marriage Matters Arizona HERE!