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Deputy Executive Director Rea Carey speaks at opening rally; staff and members march

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The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force joined more than a million people from around the world at the March for Women's Lives on April 25, 2004 in Washington D.C.

Task Force staff, board, volunteers and supporters took part in the pre-march morning rally and listened in as Task Force deputy executive director Rea Carey fired up the crowd with her speech: "We will march today because the enemies of reproductive freedom are the same enemies of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The forces of intolerance have passed into law the so-called 'partial birth abortion' ban. Now, for the first time in history, these same elected officials are using an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to exclude gay and lesbian Americans from the promise of equality - from the ability to get married." (See below for a full transcript of speech).

Task Force staff, board, volunteers and members joined more than a million pro-choice supporters at the March for Women's Lives on April 25, 2004. Those pictured include Task Force staff Sarah Reece, Matt Foreman, Lisa Mottet, Henry Woodside; board members Candy Cox and Jerry Clark. (Photo by Sheri A. Lunn. Hi-res version available to members of the media by contacting the communications department.)

Everyone walked side-by-side with other pro-choice supporters around the National Mall, through the streets of Washington D.C., past the front of the White House and back down to the National Mall.

"We are proud to be a part of the 'March for Women's Lives' this Sunday. For nearly 30 years, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has considered reproductive freedom a 'gay' issue," said Matt Foreman, Task Force executive director. "Today, that reality is more evident than ever before, as is the necessity that we join together..."

Read the rest of the Task Force statement on reproductive rights here: http://www.thetaskforce.org/news/release.cfm?releaseID=666

Video of the March afternoon rally is available now on the C-SPAN Web site at: http://www.c-span.org/

MARCH FOR WOMEN'S LIVES
April 25, 2004 - speech on the National Mall by Task Force deputy executive director Rea Carey:

Task Force deputy executive director Rea Carey fired up the crowd of more than one million pro-choice supporters with her speech at the morning rally on the National Mall. (Photo by Sheri A. Lunn. Hi-res version available to members of the media by contacting the communications department.)

Today, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are here marching for women's lives! Our movement and the movement for women's reproductive freedom are sister movements -- and today we take a stand together!

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - along with thousands of other queer people, especially queer young people - march today for Women's Lives!

We are marching because - like everyone else - we need, deserve, and demand the fundamental right to control and use our bodies without the interference of government.

We will march today because the constitutional right of all people to have private, consensual sex is inextricably linked to preserving Roe v. Wade. If Roe falls, so does last year's Supreme Court Lawrence v. Texas decision, which struck down sodomy laws.

We have pro-choice legal victories to thank for our recent legal progress. In fact, our legal legacies depend on each other.

We will march today because the enemies of reproductive freedom are the same enemies of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The forces of intolerance have passed into law the so-called "partial birth abortion" ban. Now, for the first time in history, these same elected officials are using an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to exclude gay and lesbian Americans from the promise of equality - from the ability to get married.

Those who are attacking reproductive freedom are those who are denying same-sex couples the right to get married. In the same way that the current administration uses abstinence only programs and so-called "partial birth abortion" as political weapons of mass destruction, this administration is also attempting to win this year's election on the backs of gays and lesbians wishing to get married.

This year, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is waging one of the toughest fights we've ever had - the fight for the choice to get married. The fight for the choice to get married.

And we also know, limited choice is never truly choice; coerced choice is never truly justice; and imposed choice is never truly freedom.

Reproductive freedom is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issue. It always has been. As we have stood with you as members of the reproductive freedom movement, we ask you to stand with us as we fight Constitutional amendments this year.

Now, it is clearer than ever before - we must stand together against bigotry and for women's lives - for all of our lives.

Thank you!

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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.