Press

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

Dear National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Members:

Today marks the re-opening of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention (postponed last month until March 11 due to the unresolved vote on the introduction of legislation moving forward a state constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for same-sex couples), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force wanted to keep you updated on its field work in Boston. Being on the ground here in Boston, I can't begin to tell you how proud we should all be of the excellent work being done on behalf of all of us by so many of our leading local and statewide LGBT activists and allies. The community here is dedicated and committed and have fought hard to secure our equality in the state of Massachusetts. History has already been made here in the battle for equal marriage rights, and if the Massachusetts legislature decides to move forward with the blatantly discriminatory and anti-gay constitutional amendment, it will be through no fault of our tireless brothers and sisters in the Bay State. This morning hundreds of anti-gay protestors arrived in front of the state house with signs and bullhorns - and we were right there next to them doing our best to combat their messages of inequality.

Day One - Tuesday, March 9, 2004

A press conference/rally at the state house was organized by Massachusetts Equality (of which Task Force New England Field Organizer and Creating Change director Sue Hyde is co-chair) and featured dozens of lesbian and gay couples and their families speaking out on why marriage equality is vitally important to them and urging legislators not to move forward with an amendment to the state constitution. MassEquality has also been running radio and television advertising in Massachusetts (even in Boston's cold and snowy weather, it was heartwarming that the first commercial I heard after my plane landed was the MassEquality ad) and Sue Hyde and her family have been featured in a variety of radio interviews on the subject of marriage equality.

The Task Force National Religious Leadership Roundtable, a coalition of leaders from more than 40 pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faith organizations founded to amplify progressive voices in public discourse and promote equality, spirituality, justice and respect for LGBT people, held its winter meeting and co-presented an interfaith public event entitled, "As Long As We Both Shall Live: People of Faith Say Yes to Same-Sex Marriage!" at the Emmanuel-Boston church.

Dozens of interfaith leaders and hundreds of supporters of marriage equality filled the Emmanuel Boston Church and prayed, sang and heard speeches from community leaders of faith, including a keynote speech by Jimmy Creech, the reverend who was defrocked in North Carolina for performing same-sex marriages.

Jimmy Creech, left, greets local clergy leader. Photo credit: Ellen Shub

Task Force Deputy Executive Director Rea Carey welcomed the crowd on behalf of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership Roundtable.

Photo credit: Ellen Shub

Massachusetts representative Byron Rushing who uplifted the crowd with a moving and heartfelt speech about marriage equality and urged people to assemble at the state house for the constitutional convention. Rushing closed by reminding the crowd of the quote Martin Luther King made famous: "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

Byron Rushing addresses marriage equality supporters. Photo credit: Ellen Shub

The evening concluded with a series of freedom songs from the black civil rights and women's suffragist movement.

Photo credit: Ellen Shub

Day Two - Tuesday, March 10, 2004

Hundreds of Massachusetts LGBT families, along with members of the Task Force National Religious Leadership Roundtable participated in Lobby Day at the state capital this morning and afternoon.

Sean Cahill, the Task Force Policy Institute Director, author of the new National Gay and Lesbian Task Force report, "Anti-Gay Groups Active in Massachusetts: A Closer Look," and a Massachusetts native is in Boston distributing the report to legislators and media. The report exposes the David vs. Goliath tactics of anti-gay groups working against marriage equality. The report is available in the Task Force Marriage Information Resource Center at http://www.TheTaskforce.org/marriagecenter.

That evening at 6:30, thousands of supporters of marriage equality participated in a candlelight vigil at the state capital building in Boston. Near-freezing temperatures did not keep participants from listening to the speeches of support from elected officials, union leaders, people of faith and national organizations. Sue Hyde hosted the rally and Sean Cahill spoke on behalf of the Task Force.

Photo credit: Julie Childs

More than a dozen media outlets covered the event on the steps of the Massachusetts state house.

Photo credit: Julie Childs

Today, March 11, the Constitutional Convention re-opens at 2pm, at which time the issue of whether or not to bring forth a discriminatory state constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for same-sex couples is expected to be decided. We know we've asked our Massachusetts members to call their elected representatives on this issue a number of times, but the fact is you can never call enough - and it is not too late. You can call all day long. Make this 30 second phone call for equality and convey this simple message: "My name is ______, I am a Massachusetts resident, and I strongly urge (your representative) to vote against the constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples." If you don't know who your elected officials are, you can find their contact information here: http://www.massequality.org.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will send out another message as soon as we know what's happening at the state house know what is happening in Boston.

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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.