Marriage For Everyone: Worth the Fight

Today, the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) filed a suit in federal court in Boston, MA to challenge the denial of critical federal benefits to same-sex couples.

Yes. It's time for the Supreme Court.

Years ago, when GLAD was pulling together a group of plaintiffs to challenge the marriage laws in Massachusetts, many said it was not time. Many said, we are still lacking in basic rights -- how can we go for marriage? It'll put us behind by decades.

Today, we are approaching the fifth anniversary of marriage equality in our state. We have recently had an unprecedented majority of House and Senate co-signers for a Transgender equality bill and look to celebrate it's passage later this year. We have secured dollars in a difficult state budget for LGBT youth, AIDS funding, and money to address issues facing LGBT seniors.

We have pushed the envelope, no question. And we will continue to.

The lawsuit addresses Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act -- and only section three. It targets the rights and protections denied in Social Security, federal income tax, federal employees' and retirees' benefits, and in the issuance of passports.

Only in MA and CT, where marriage is recognized by the state. For over 200 years, the federal government has not interfered with state's rights around marriage -- until DOMA.

I find in my travels, that people assume that being married in MA means married on a federal level. It does not.

This action does not effect any other state. It will not repeal DOMA or every state's right to have some ridiculous anti-equality law on their books, as many do. It does, however, put a bright, shining light on the inequalities our families face even in the state where we have so much.

Shining that light, as Mary Bonauto said, should generate support in all the states. When the country gets to know the plaintiff couples, when they meet the State Trooper, Mary Ritchie who puts her life on the line every day for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her wife is not eligible for the full line-of-duty benefits for surviving spouses should she die in the line of duty. Or Herbert Burtis, 78 years old who lost his partner of 60 years last fall. He is denied the additional money his husband's social security would pay him if he was a recognized spouse.

After 60 years together, sharing lives, income, a home... nothing. But the married heterosexual couple in MA or CT -- no questions asked.

These stories, this case, is about that bright, shining light. It is about understanding why we fight for equality every day. It's about why we need to continue the fight on all levels, in every state.

Years ago, people thought the marriage fight was wrong. Today, we have two states with marriage equality, and are fast approaching many more to have the same decency and fairness for all their citizen. Some states are still fighting to have civil rights bills.

The movement forward is never easy. As we enjoy these debates in this country, people are hung in others for the suspicion of being homosexual. Should we stop our rights to further theirs first?

Or do we all keep moving, the best we can, with the resources we have, to tell the stories that will ultimately make the difference for all.

I say, move forward.

And with Mary Bonauto in charge? We're not going to lose.

No one will lose.

Comments

[courageunderfire]

Great article! It is time for the supreme court! Keep the fight alive!
Harvey Milk would be proud! Just saw the movie last night, and thought it was a great tribute of the man who helped get the fight started.
I was too young to remember him, but I do remember all the hate spewed by Anita Bryant.
I commend everyone who is currently fighting and everyone who has fought for this battle for equal rights for ALL people, regardless of sexual orientation.
These are HUMAN RIGHTS and I proudly stand with all my friends who should have the legal right to marry whomever they choose.
Together, we can do it!

[jen1677]

"Marriage for everyone!" I guess the author thinks groups should get married, children should get married, or people can marry whatever they want to.
Marriage defines a relationship between a man and a woman. It has always been defined that way. Some judges have changed the definition and who is to say what the word will mean next year.
Marriage is a right everyone has, but not every type of relationship has the right to be labled a marriage. Our gov. has decided to recognize the committed, monogamous, heterosexual relationship for the benefit of children.
Rights for adults continue to trump the rights of children. Children are entitled to a mother and a father. Our laws should promote this ideal. Stricter divorce laws, laws against abuse and things that promote bad marriages should be addressed. Abstinence Ed. and welfare reform would also address the single parent issue. Lets give the home environment the same attention as our outside environment.

[mercury613]

"Marriage defines a relationship between a man and a woman. It has always been defined that way."

Marriage also used to mean that a woman was her husband's property. It had "always been defined that way" for centuries. Would you like to go back to that ideal?

Your "benefit of children" argument is a tired, old red herring.

[LiberalIncarnate]

This argument you are making is old news and easily countered.

Heterosexuals have already redefined marriage in several ways:

1) Marriage no longer has to mean having children.

2) Marriage no longer means that a women takes the same name as her husband.

3) Marriage is no longer seen as necessary to even have children.

4) Marriage is no longer the purview of the young. Old people are now getting married.

So, your definition of marriage is about 50 years outdated, both in legal terms and in American culture.

Marriage is not a religious term. If it were everyone would need to be married in a church and if they were allowed to divorce, they would have to do so in a church. Marriage is a legal term.

Marriage is about commitment to a relationship between two people. TWO! Get educated and enter the 21st century.

[carsntrucks]

OK, so that means you'd actively support the right for me to marry someone who is already married, or my right to marry someone who is closely related to me, or a minor child?

And by the way, generalizing the point of marriage where it makes gay marriage more plausible is very transparent. Because it's never been just about any two people committing to each other. No society -- religious or secular -- has believed that.

[Pippen]

We've been through this previously on Huffpo with Prop 8.

I think the proponents of same sex marriage have some solid legal arguements that will need to be readdressed by SCOTUS.

I'm not optimistic that they will overturn DOMA during Obama's first term.

Either the Fed needs to amend the verbage on every federal document referring to "marriage" as "civil union" or the Fed needs to those rights afforded married couples the same exact rights for same sex marriage.

Your not going to convince the majority of Christian devout citizens that marriage is another term for ownership or chattel law and for that reason since you can own your wife (spouse) you should be able to use the word "married" in Fed iteration of the 14th amendment.

But if Obama gets to appoint some supreme court justices, there might be some wiggle room in his second term to pass a firm non-discordant piece of legislation in support of full marriage rights for same sex couples nationwide.

[JohnBisceglia]

To Sara, I think the MANY Lesbian Moms like yourself and fellow "Suburban Lesbian Housewives" will create a new type of Women & Children's Movement (which of course is ultimately a Human Rights movement).

Of course men have kiddies too, but I will always bet on the Strength of Women, particularly when she is holding onto her children with one hand while fighting for THEIR rights and SAFETY with the other, often less concerned for her own safety and well-being. Don't F. with a momma's love.

Go Q Moms!!!

[smithshaw08]

We should never allow the tyranny of a majority to undermine the civil rights of a minority! The fight for marriage equality is just & it will continue.

[JohnBisceglia]

What makes it "extra" sickening is that it was RELIGIOUS TYRANNY which took a crap on our constitution. I'm not sure anti-equality folk realize that this is NOT a "debate". Our families and children are NOT things the general public gets to vote "for" or "against". No discussion when hate speech, religious tyranny, and ignorance are the only things uttered.

[carsntrucks]

Sure, it's a debate, and you're losing. Why do you need the judicial system and the rest of society to wipe your nose and kiss you on the forehead for you to feel content in your family and with your children? Perhaps a lot of gays can't find peace within their own lives, so they make a big deal about gay marriage to get the acceptance they've never had. It's not my fault that some people are bigoted. That's THEIR choice and THEIR choice alone. But I'm not going to forsake my morals and principles and religious and political views just so you don't feel like life is kicking you in the teeth every ten minutes. You're addicted to pain and misery.

And it's sad. But it's not my fault. It's not religious people's fault.

[carsntrucks]

It's not tyranny of the majority when you get to vote on an issue that doesn't appear in the constitution. It's not like only straight people vote on gay marriage. And, I'd also say, more straight people have voted in favor of it than gays have...so let's please stop bastardizing that term. What you're really doing is crying foul because you've lost a political campaign.

[bbbtmenw]

Amazing....Keep going!

We need to fight from all sides and in all ways, until gay rights are recognized in every state and by the federal government.

Your lawsuit and its success will help us move forward in the entire country and will be a new hope to help prevent discrimination, harassment, hate crimes, and increase youth awareness and hopefully help prevent the high level of depression and teen suicide amongst our youth.

Thank You....