VIDEO: How we won the freedom to marry in Rhode Island

Last week, Rhode Island became the tenth state in the country to end the exclusion of same-sex coupoles from marriage once and for all! Now, a new video from Rhode Islanders United for Marriage tracks how we won the Ocean State.

The video begins with headlines from months and years prior to the passage of the marriage bill last week, tracking the uphill climb that supporters of the marriage bill faced this year. For years, advocates have worked hard to move marriage forward and explain why marriage matters to people throughout the state, which includes the highest percentage of Catholics in the United States.

Over time, however, as gay and lesbian people shared their stories and explained why marriage is so important, more and more communities began stepping over to the Right Side of History and supporting the end of marriage discrimination in the state. From Republicans to faith leaders to businesses to mayors to city councils, Rhode Islanders came together to create one of the most robust campaigns in the history of the state.  

Freedom to Marry is proud to have led as a founding member of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, the broad coalition of civil rights organizations, faith institutions, and business leaders that worked so hard to pass the freedom to marry in 2013. In addition to the leadership with the coalition, Freedom to Marry has been the lead funder of the campaign, providing more than $250,000 to the effort in 2013.  

Watch the beautiful video from Rhode Islanders United for Marriage below, and learn more about marriage in RI HERE: