Roundup: Launch of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry
January 20, 2012
What a way to end the week! Today, Freedom to Marry partnered with 80+ Mayors across the country to launch "Mayors for the Freedom to Marry" during a press conference at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington D.C. Click here to read more about the launch and click here to see the full list of Mayors who have signed on to the coalition.
We were honored to have some of the nation's most notable Mayors representing diverse ethnic, geographic, and political backgrounds on hand today. Speaking at this morning's press conference were our National Campaign Director Marc Solomon; Tom Cochran, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director; Mayor Marilyn Strickland of Tacoma, and the five chairs of the coalition: Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa of Los Angeles; Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego; Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston; Mayor Annise Parker of Houston; and Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York.
And after listening to their speeches today, there's no doubt that the freedom to marry is an issue that these Mayors are passionate about.
Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa said that Mayors should sign on to this effort because marriage discrimination can really harm local communities:
"Law-abiding, tax-paying families deserve the same opportunities, rights and responsibilities afforded to every other family in this country. The more support we build in our cities and states, the stronger case we can make for extending the freedom to marry to loving couples, no matter where they live. Because, if we truly believe in family values, we should value all families. Denying gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry weakens society by hurting our communities, neighbors, and families."
On that same note, Boston's Mayor Tom Menino said that becoming the first major U.S. city where same-sex couples can marry has made his city a better place to live:
"It was nearly eight years ago that my city was the first large city in the country to marry same-sex couples. Back then, it was a big deal. People were protesting everywhere, and we were the focus of international news. Well, eight years later, I’m here to tell you that marriage for gay couples has made my city of Boston a much better place."
Houston's openly gay Mayor Annise Parker, who recently celebrated 21 years with her partner Kathy, elevated her personal story to show why this effort is so important to families across the country, saying that denial of marriage "makes it more difficult to provide our children insurance; it makes it more difficult to assure custody and it makes it more difficult to provide them access to the benefits of our society.”
Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders from San Diego told the story of his journey to support the freedom to marry:
"My opinion on this has evolved significantly. The arrival of the resolution in my office forced me to reflect and search my soul for the right thing to do. I decided to lead with my heart, to do what I thought was right, and to take a stand to bring justice to our community. I couldn’t tell an entire group of people that they are less important, less worthy or less deserving of the responsibilities and protections of marriage than anyone else because of who they love. Vetoing the resolution would have been inconsistent with the values I have embraced over the last 30 years. Several years ago I thought that civil unions were fair—but I came to realize that a separate but equal institution is not something I can support. I think that my community understands and increasingly agrees with my position today."
Marilyn Strickland, Mayor of Tacoma, Washington, discussed the importance of Mayoral support, particularly as the state legislature in Washington is considering a marriage bill this year. Washington state currently offers domestic partnerships, which she said fails to ensure full respect and protection for same-sex couples and their families. She then called on other Mayors in Washington to join her in pushing the legislature to pass the marriage bill this year.
Today's launch has generated tons of media coverage from all over and prompted more and more Mayors to sign on to the coalition. We'll continue to keep you updated, as today is only the beginning of a long term campaign to enlist Mayors from across the country to speak out on behalf of the freedom to marry.
We put together a video featuring some of the highlights from the day. Watch and share!
Check out some of the photos from today's launch (view the rest on our Facebook page)! Video will be posted shortly.
