Stand Up for Equality!

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee held hearings on bills to provide domestic partner benefits, equal divorce rights, and marriage equality. Also on the agenda was a bill to amend the Rhode Island Constitution to forever ban same-sex couples from marrying.

Our opponents are working hard to ensure that members of the committee hear from people who oppose equality, and to push for a vote on the discriminatory constitutional amendment. Please use the form below to make sure your voice is counted for equality.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support Equality for All Families!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

For too long, same-sex couples in Rhode Island have lived without the legal and social protections of marriage. For much of history, same-sex couples have been making the private commitment to protect and support one another through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse. Now, it is time for the law to catch up with these private commitments by granting all loving, committed couples the equal right to marry.

I urge you to vote in support of equality for same-sex couples by voting for H 7711, the Compassion for All Families Act, which would give limited protections to domestic partners facing infirmity, illness and death. By providing domestic partners with leave from work to care for an ill partner, to visit one another in a nursing facility, and to make end-of-life decisions and final arrangements for one another, you will be giving families in crisis a few simple dignities.

I urge you to recognize that legally married same-sex couples now live in our state, and that - should their relationships fail - they deserve to be able to divorce in their home state. Vote for H 7939, to grant same-sex couples the right to divorce in the Rhode Island Family Court.

These bills, of course, would be irrelevant if same-sex couples had the undisputed right to marry in Rhode Island. Vote to support H 7839, to provide all loving, committed couples with equal access to marriage.

And take a stand against a hurtful, divisive constitutional amendment by voting down H 8017. This bill would take rights and recognition away from hundreds of legally married same-sex couples in Rhode Island, and could have the unintended consequence of eliminating other legal protections for unmarried couples of all sexual orientations.

Thank you for your attention on these critical matters. Please vote to support all families by standing up for marriage equality.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
May 08, 2008

Background Information

If we stand silent at this critical time, we could see discriminatory legislation forever enshrining discrimination against same-sex couples in our State Constitution.

Just this week, opponents of equality used a similar amendment to take health benefits away from domestic partners of state employees in Michigan, because the language of the amendment says the union between a man and woman is the only agreement recognized as a marriage "or similar union for any purpose."

Make sure your voice is counted for equality. Let the General Assembly know that you want to see them support the rights of same-sex couples, and roundly defeat this discriminatory amendment. The time to speak is now.