"Gov. Schwarzenegger, talk to families first!"

Despite statewide polling showing rising support for fairness for all families, California governor threatens to pull his support and veto historic bill.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 8, 2005, New York, NY

PRESS CONTACT:
Samiya Bashir
Tel: 212-851-8418 x6, Mobile: 917-617-8660
Email: samiya@freedomtomarry.org

New York, NY (September 8, 2005): Just hours after California's legislature became the first in the U.S. to vote for marriage equality and fairness for all California families Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger threatened to veto the historic bill. California, whose state Supreme Court was also the first to end racial discrimination in marriage, has long been a leader in civil rights for the entire country. The bill has not even reached the Governor's desk, and demand is growing that he meet with the families, couples, and kids and reconsider.

"Gov. Schwarzenegger has the chance to stand strong on the right side of history," said Evan Wolfson, author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality and Gay People's Right to Marry, and executive director of Freedom to Marry. "Now is the time to do the right thing, not just for the families who are currently suffering under this discriminatory exclusion, but also with an eye toward the future. The forward momentum is with equality, and Governor Schwarzenegger should have the courage to lead for the values of fairness, opportunity, and freedom he espouses."

"The people's representatives have spoken, and stood up for families," Wolfson said. "This is Governor Schwarzenegger's moment to define himself in the tradition of great Californian, and national, figures who have led our country forward on the American journey to equality." History now awaits Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has until October 9, 2005, to sign or veto the bill, or let it go into effect without his signature.

"This is not over; the bill isn't even on the Governor's desk yet," said Samiya Bashir, Freedom to Marry's Communications Director. "Gov. Schwarzenegger still has time to meet with the families affected by his decision, those whose dream of equality and inclusion was on the verge of reality just last night, and listen to their stories. They deserve to be heard."

Statewide polling continues to show growing support for equal marriage rights. Californians pushed past an ill-timed ballot measure defeat in 2000, enacted a domestic partnership registry in 2001, and passed an "all but marriage" partnership law in 2004. Assembly Bill 849, The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, has enjoyed the support of a broad-based coalition who have been rallying for the civil rights of all Californians.

Freedom to Marry salutes the leadership of our partners such as Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the ACLU, and Lambda Legal; crucial allies such as the United Farm Workers and the California NAACP; and political leaders such as the bill's chief sponsor, Mark Leno, and his colleagues in the legislature.

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Freedom to Marry is the gay and non-gay partnership working to win marriage equality nationwide. Launched in 2003, Freedom to Marry is headed by Evan Wolfson, nationally recognized as a central "architect of the marriage equality movement." Freedom to Marry guides and focuses this social justice movement on a nationwide level, serving as a strategy and support center for national, state, and local partners, a catalyst that drives and shapes the national debate on marriage equality, and an alliance-builder fostering support from non-gay allies.