Join The Impact

Amy and I asked Boston based Lisa Marshall of JTI Massachusetts to contribute today’s post:

“I’m so excited right now I can hardly sit still.  Vermont, in an unprecedented move, has overturned the governor’s veto and voted in favor of marriage equality by one vote.  One vote!  Thank you Vermont, thank you VT Freedom to Marry, thank you everyone who played a part in this victory.  Congratulations to all of us.  I am so optimistic right now about the future of marriage equality.  Vermont, you have fired us up, you have inspired us, and you have shown us that this fight can be won.

I think back to the elections of 2004, when so many states passed laws and amendments banning gay marriage.   Well, 2009 is not 2004.  The tide is turning.  Massachusetts.  Connecticut.  Iowa. and now Vermont.  Plus, as of today, DC will recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, just like New York does.   Four down.  Forty Six to go.  Today, this feels possible, even inevitable.

I don’t pretend that marriage alone equals equality, but today I feel hopeful that we will advance equality in its many forms.  This morning, I heard the announcement about Vermont while  standing amongst hundreds of people who came to the Massachusetts’s statehouse to lobby their representatives for trans equality.  Byron Rushing, the very eloquent lead sponsor of the trans rights bill we were lobbying for, said it right when he said that it is time for our great nation to protect the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all people.  So, I say hurray for Vermont for bringing us one step closer to this goal!”

JTI MA has been hard at work since they came together to plan JTI’s initial Nov. 15 protest. They’ve since  continually coming up with fabulous ideas working for all aspects of full equality for LGBT people, and recently created an amazing resource that will be used nationally for Tax Day 2009 www.taxday2009.com

Thanks so much to all the folks at JTI MA and every other city’s groups who have continued the grassroots fight!

I’m sure you all know the amazing news: The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of Same-Sex Civil Marriage today!  As someone who is originally from Ohio, I never expected a Midwest state to jump on the marriage equality bandwagon before the coastal states, but Iowa has just proven me wrong!  Thanks to the amazingly hard work of groups like One Iowa and Lambda Legal, we are another great step closer to winning equality for all LGBTQ citizens!

Please take a moment today to celebrate.  Share the story with friends and family.  Tell your co-workers about today’s historic event.  Tell a neighbor.  Send an email.  Change your Facebook/Twitter status.  Or join one of the many celebratory rallies that are springing up around the nation:  MEUSA has planned one in San Francisco, many are happening in Iowa (thanks to One Iowa),  and the Civil Rights Front is holding one in Manhattan.  Check The Impact to see if a local organizer has set something up for your city.  Continue the conversation of equality with this amazing news!

Here’s some links to stories about it:

• Unanimous Ruling: Iowa Marriage No Longer Limited to One Man One Woman
• One Iowa Rally Locations
• One Iowa Statement
• Google News Results

Finally, on a personal note, since the launch of Join the Impact, I have had the privilege to meet some extremely amazing people who are working toward gaining full equality for all LGBTQ citizens on both the local and national level.  One of those people is a man named Joe Maribella.  Joe organized the Seattle Light Up the Night event, and, since I live in Seattle, I have had many great opportunities to work directly with him as he organizes for Join the Impact in Washington State.  Joe is originally from Iowa and (by shear coincidence), he and his partner (also named Joe… yup, it’s confusing) of 5 1/2 years were home in Iowa visiting this week.  This morning, they woke up and saw their home state embrace their commitment.  They applied for a marriage license an hour ago with a formal proposal outside of City Hall!!  Congratulations to Joe… and Joe :-).  Also, congratulations to all of the amazing couples that will be married in Iowa!  And congratulations to all of you, who are working hard for the LGBTQ community as a whole and know that a win for one state is a win for all of us!