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!
4 Responses
[...] matrimonios homosexuales celebrados en el exterior, como ya hacía Nueva York. Y como guinda, Vermont se convierte en el primer estado de la Unión que aprueba el reconocimiento del derecho al [...]
Posted on April 7th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
[...] matrimonios homosexuales celebrados en el exterior, como ya hacía Nueva York. Y como guinda, Vermont se convierte en el primer estado de la Unión que aprueba el reconocimiento del derecho al [...]
Posted on April 7th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
It’s about time.. always knew this would start happening…. It says all men are created equally, unless you happen to be gay or lesbian.. then, not so much….. the mometum is going for this movement, and if we all don’t get our asses in gear, we will continue to be second-class citizens…[for the author of this article]… remember, that the black churches and black community has voted against up us pretty consistently…. get them on board… it’s the old back scratching adage..
Posted on April 9th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Don’t forget about New Hampshire. The House there voted for marriage equality last week and the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Contact info for Senate members is here: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/senatemembers.asp
The State Senate is controlled by Democrats with a 14-9 majority, but Senators still need to hear from us. The Chair of the Judiciary committee is Deb Reynolds. She can be contacted at (603) 271-3042 or deb.reynolds@leg.state.nh.us. I urge everyone to call or email NH State Senators.
Posted on April 10th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
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