Press

Historic, first-in-the-nation stand for full equality heralded as step for fairness

MEDIA CONTACT:
Roberta Sklar, Director of Communications
media@theTaskForce.org
646.358.1465

Los Angeles, CA, February 12, 2004 - Today, on National Freedom to Marry Day, the City and County of San Francisco became the first locality in the United States to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. City officials followed a directive set in motion by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

"This is an historic moment in our community's long struggle for equality. For the first time in this country - a country founded on the principles of liberty and justice for all - lesbian and gay couples in loving, committed relationships were able to exercise the basic right of being able to marry.

We are thrilled that two of our greatest pioneers - Del Martin, 83, and Phyllis Lyon, 80 - were the first couple to be issued a license. They have been together for more than 50 years and San Francisco residents since 1953. Contrary to the fear-mongering of our opponents, Phyllis and Del's marriage will not result in the collapse of western civilization or cause millions of heterosexual marriages to suddenly disintegrate. No, their marriage will harm no one but will give Del and Phyllis tangible rights and benefits, and - at long last - full equality with other married couples in the eyes of the law and society.

We applaud San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for upholding California's Constitution, which as he told the San Francisco Chronicle, 'clearly outlaws all forms of discrimination... and denying basic rights to members of our community will not be tolerated.'

We also thank State Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) who today introduced the Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act (MLNDA), sponsored by Equality California. The bill would end discrimination in the issuance of marriage licenses statewide, allowing same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses anywhere in California.

The Task Force calls on all fair-minded Californians to enforce the sanctity of the marriages of those same-sex couples who choose to marry in San Francisco by denouncing any attempts to nullify those commitments."

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are 8,902 same-sex couples living in the same household in San Francisco. (See the Task Force report on the 2000 Census at http://www.TheTaskForce.org/library.)

More information on the fight for marriage equality can be found in the Task Force Marriage Information Resource Center at http://www.TheTaskForce.org/marriagecenter.

The Task Force and the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center will kick off their California Vote for Equality campaign in a free public event on February 15.

–30–

The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.