Marriage Equality USA (Marriage Equality, or MEUSA) is a national organization fighting to secure the legal recognition of
same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is a term used to describe a legally or socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Other terms used to describe this type of recognition include gay marriage or gender-neutral marriage.Same-sex marriage is a civil rights,...
through education and outreach in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Officially founded in 2000, its mission statement is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state levels, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
Under the leadership of Connie Ress, Jesus Lebron, the organization created the charter chapter in New York in 1998 .
Marriage Equality USA (Marriage Equality, or MEUSA) is a national organization fighting to secure the legal recognition of
same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is a term used to describe a legally or socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Other terms used to describe this type of recognition include gay marriage or gender-neutral marriage.Same-sex marriage is a civil rights,...
through education and outreach in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Officially founded in 2000, its mission statement is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state levels, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation.
History
Under the leadership of Connie Ress, Jesus Lebron, the organization created the charter chapter in New York in 1998 . Under the leadership of L.J. Carusone, Michael Thurber, Jim DeLaHunt,
Molly McKayMolly B. McKay, born September 9, 1970, is an attorney and a civil rights activist for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered individuals. McKay was the former Co-Executive Director of Marriage Equality California and is currently the Media Director for Marriage Equality USA...
,
Davina KotulskiDavina Kotulski, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author of Why You Should give a Damn About Gay Marriage and activist for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equal Rights...
, Brian Davis and Sean Conklin, the
Marriage Equality CaliforniaMarriage Equality California is the now defunct California chapter of Marriage Equality USA.Founded in 1998, MECA was the grassroots organization fighting to secure the legal recognition of same-sex marriage through education and outreach in California...
Chapter was created in 1998 . In order to better collaborate between the two chapters, the nation wide organization Marriage Equality USA was established in 2000.
Marriage License Counter Actions
Marriage Equality USA sponsors an annual marriage license counter action nationwide where same gendered couples are encouraged to apply for marriage licenses. Although most applications result in the denial of a license, this event is designed to highlight the inequity in marriage laws.
Notable Dates
- On February 12, 2001, the New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles Chapters went to the county clerk's offices and asked for marriage licenses, a tradition that continued every February and spread throughout the 58 counties of California.
- On February 12, 2004 on their fourth annual marriage license counter action, Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed same-sex couples to marry for the first time in the nations history.
- On February 12, 2008, during the seventh anniversary of counter demonstrations with Marriage Equality USA, a same gendered female couple in Arizona couple entered the marriage office to participate in the demonstration. Ignoring the gender specification on the form, they indicated to the clerk that they would sign the declaration that everything they had added to the page was valid and true. Unexpected the county office decided that protocol dictated they issue a license to every form that was not altered containing a signature, and the couple received the first ever marriage license in the state of Arizona.
Marriage Equality Express
The Marriage Equality Express was an educational bus tour sponsored by Marriage Equality USA in 2004. Consisting of a cadre of marriage equality activists, the tour stopped in 13 states, and hosted marriage equality forums and panels at universities and churches across the United States.
History
- In August 2004, the Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the state supreme court of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco, and regularly holds sessions at its branch offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts....
invalidated the 4,000 same-sex marriages. The Marriage Equality California, the California chapter of Marriage Equality USA decided to organize a Marriage Equality Caravan with the help of Davina Kotulski, Molly McKay, Belinda Ryan, Wendy Daw, Jacqueline Frank, and Bev Senkowski.
- On October 4, 2004, 44 activists including Davina Kotulski, Molly McKay, California marriage case plaintiffs Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, loaded a bus and traveled across the country, which culminated in the first national marriage equality rally in Washington, DC on October 11, 2004, designed to coincide with National Coming Out Day
National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues...
.
Featured Speakers: Washington March
- Hawaii Marriage Case Plaintiff: Genora Dancel
- Beth Robinson: Attorney in the Vermont Freedom to Marry case
- Reverend Jimmy Creech
Jimmy Creech is the executive director of the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality, an interfaith same-sex marriage advocacy group.Creech is a former United Methodist minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples....
: a Methodist Minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples and leader of SoulforceSoulforce may refer to:* Soulforce is an American LGBT-issue-focused social justice and civil rights organization.* the name of a Brooklyn based rap group consisting of Flavius, Deja Vu and Vash Gordon....
- Dr. Sylvia Rhue: National Black Justice Coalition
- Robin Tyler: organizer for gay rights marches in Washington, DC and founder of www.StopDrLaura.com
- Kathy Kelly: Marriage Equality Georgia
- Musicians Tuck and Patti: sang the theme song to the Marriage Equality Movement-“Love Warriors”
- Politicians Mark Leno
Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...
and Eleanor Holmes NortonEleanor Holmes Norton is a Delegate to Congress representing the District of Columbia. In her position she is able to serve on and vote with committees, as well as speak from the House floor...
.
Marriage Equality Bridge Walk
Marriage Equality USA in conjunction with Marriage Equality New York began holding simultaneous marriage equality marches across San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and New York's Brooklyn Bridge. Footage of the film was shown on the made for television movie The Wedding Wars starring
John StamosJohn Phillip Stamos is an American actor best known for his work in television, especially as Uncle Jesse on the ABC sitcom Full House. Since the cancellation of that show in 1995, Stamos has appeared in numerous television films and series. From 2006 to 2009, Stamos had a starring role on the NBC...
.
Marriage Stories Project
In June 2008, Marriage Equality USA formed a coalition with Bond Magazine,
Freedom to MarryFreedom to Marry, is a national non-profit organization founded in New York City in 2002. Its stated mission is "working to win marriage equality nationwide." It works through litigation, legislation, and community education. Its executive director is Evan Wolfson. Before founding the...
, Kentucky Equality Federation,
Equality MississippiEquality Mississippi was a statewide LGBT civil rights organization founded March 2000 in Mississippi...
, InterstateQ, and national bloggers to begin the
Marriage Stories Project. The project was designed for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens to share their personal stories related to marriage equality and how it affects their lives.
In December 2008, a key supporter of the Marriage Stories Project,
Equality MississippiEquality Mississippi was a statewide LGBT civil rights organization founded March 2000 in Mississippi...
closed due to financial problems. Kentucky Equality Federation later withdrew, and Marriage Equality USA terminated the project.
Get Engaged Tour
In the months after the passing of Proposition 8, Marriage Equality USA sponsored a statewide poll to determine opinions on same sex marriage. Polling data was presented in over 40 cities in a town hall forum dubbed the "Get Engaged Tour". At the events participants were presented the results of the statewide polling data, as well as an opportunity to discuss next steps in moving forward with an effort to restore marriage equality.
Member Organizations
In December 2008, Marriage Equality USA expanded outreach to allow independent organizations to join Marriage Equality USA as "members organizations" while maintaining their complete independence.
See also
- LGBT rights in the United States
- List of LGBT rights organizations
- American Chronicle’s MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA RELEASES REPORT: "PROP 8 HURT MY FAMILY, ASK ME HOW" (January 12, 2008) - http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/87624
- Lavender Newswire (January 5, 2009) - http://news.lavenderliberal.com/2009/01/05/marriage-equality-usa-releases-first-report-summarizing-failures-of-no-on-8-campaign/
- New York Times’ Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists (December 9, 2008) - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10marriage.html
- San Francisco Chronicle’s Bay Area demonstrations condemn Prop. 8 (November 15, 2008) -
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/15/BAIA145AQ9.DTL&type=politics&tsp=1
- San Francisco Chronicle’s Same-sex marriage backers hit Capitol, churches (November 10, 2008) - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/11/10/MN4E141B3P.DTL&o=1
- USA Today’s Gay couples rush to wed ahead of Calif. Election (October 14, 2008) - http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-14-3874612028_x.htm
- California Chronicle’s ELLEN DEGENERES COMMENDED BY MARRIAGE EQUALITY (October 3, 2008) - http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/76349
- Boston Edge’s Same-sex marriage pioneer Del Martin dies at 87 (August 27, 2008) - http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc3=&id=79529&pf=1
One Month Anniversary Of Marriage In California (July 20, 2008) - http://blog.protectmarriageequality.com/2008/07/20/one-month-anniversary-of-marriage-in-california/
- CBS News’ Census Won't Report Gay Marriage (July 18, 2008) - http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/18/national/main4271220.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4271220
- Miami Herald’s Census won't recognize gay marriages in 2010 count (July 2008) -
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/07/census-wont-rec.html
- USA Today’s Gay couples tie the knot in California (June 16, 2008) -
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-16-gaymarriage_N.htm#uslPageReturn
- San Francisco Sentinel’s ACROSS CALIFORNIA, SAME-SEX COUPLES MAKE CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY (June 16, 2008) - http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=13908
- The Hole In The Quilt And A Historic Moment (May 30, 2008) -
http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/05/30/hole-quilt-and-historic-moment
- Video California Supreme Court Ruling: Same-Sex Marriage (May 26, 2008)
http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/05/26/california-supreme-court-ruling-same-sex-marriage
- The Constitutionality of Prop. 22 (February 28, 2008) - http://cityonahillpress.com/article.php?id=1072
- Pride at Work’s Longshoremen Grant Retroactive Pension Benefits to Surviving Domestic Partner (August 23, 2007) - http://www.prideatwork.org/page.php?id=533
- Berkeley Daily Planet’s Commentary: Jerry Brown’s Wedding Highlights The Need for Marriage Equality (June 28, 2005) - http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2005-06-28/article/21727?headline=Commentary-Jerry-Brown-s-Wedding-Highlights-The-Need-for-Marriage-Equality-By-MOLLY-McKAY
- Judge Strikes Down Same-Sex Marriage Ban (March 14, 2005)- http://www.zimbio.com/Molly+McKay/pictures/pro
- Remember San Francisco's gay marriages? Forget it (August 12, 2004) - http://www.boingboing.net/2004/08/12/remember-san-francis.html
- Senate kills gay marriage ban / Activists hail defeat of constitutional amendment -- backers vow to try again (July 15, 2004) - http://www.sfchroniclemarketplace.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2004/07/15/MNGKE7LMNO1.DTL&o=0&type=printable
- Los Angeles Times’ Rights vs. Obligations of Marriage (February 19, 2004) - http://articles.latimes.com/2004/feb/19/local/me-marriage19
- Interview with Molly McKay (February 14, 2004) - http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20354376_ITM
External links