Freedom to Marry Leader Reacts to SF Marriage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First same-sex couple officially married in the United States

NEW YORK, February 12, 2004 — In response to the marriage of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, who were married earlier today by a city official at San Francisco City Hall, Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, said:

"Del and Phyllis have been together for more than 50 years. They celebrate their 51st anniversary this Valentine's Day. How dare the government say they are not entitled to the legal protections and responsibilities of marriage?"

"Couples like Phyllis and Dell have shown the personal commitment to one another that makes a marriage. Why would anyone think they'd be any less committed to securing full equality under the law, including the freedom to marry?"

"Pressure groups and politicians should stop their divisive efforts to deny these committed couples the marriage equality that would strengthen their families."

Martin and Lyon's ceremony comes two days after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced he wanted his city to take the lead in bestowing equal marriage to same-sex couples who wished to marry. The wedding — a legal challenge to California law — was coordinated by the Mayor. Newsom is quoted as saying he is duty-bound to fight discrimination.

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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.