The Struggle for Civil Marriage for Same Sex Couples

As we await the New York Senate's action on the bill to provide civil marriage to same sex couples, we need to remind ourselves of the journey we've been on. The struggle to win rights and protections for same sex couples has been a rollercoaster of wins and losses, including on November 3rd the most recent defeat in Maine and the most recent victory in Washington (where voters upheld the Washington law passed earlier expanding legal protections for domestic partners to include all rights and protections held by married couples, with the exception of the word “marriage”). While there have been many setbacks along the way, the trajectory is strongly positive. In 2000, for example, no state extended the freedom to marry to same sex couples and only two – with 0.6% of the U.S. population – offered any recognition of same sex couples. Today, five states have marriage equality and another ten offer other forms of relationship recognition. These 15 states contain 37% of the U.S. population. The Civil Marriage Collaborative has supported state-based organizations fighting for same-sex marriage rights in every state where advances have been won. If we’ve learned anything along the way it’s that there is no quick and easy way to winning equality. Instead, it is perseverance – particularly when the going is the hardest – that pays huge dividends.

Rally for LGBT Rights and Marriage Equality

Russell Saray, my husband, and I attended Equality & Justice Day, an all-day rally in Albany, NY organized by the Empire State Pride Agenda. Over 2,000 advocates from across New York State petitioned their state assembly people and senators demanding support for legislation that would advance same-sex marriage rights through civil marriage, make schools safer for LGBT students and protect LGBT employees from discriminatory employment practices.

It was great fun and quite an eye opener. Until you've listened to a 17 year old transgender, Latino student from the Bronx describe his efforts to organize a gay/straight alliance in his high school, you don't begin to understand the bravery of these young people. And it was amazing to see how diverse LGBT people are in New York State. Every corner of the state was represented.

But, at least to me, most impressive was the number of young people who attended and boldly presented their stories and their demands to state legislators. It is clear that LGBT rights will be guaranteed by the next generation now coming into leadership positions in the movement.