In choosing to publicly support Civil Unions legislation that would extend vital legal protections to gay and lesbian couples in Colorado, we at the Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) are clear that this is a struggle for legal relationship recognition for some of the communities and people we represent. Passing Civil Unions legislation is an important step towards ensuring gay and lesbian couples have access to the same rights and privileges granted to heterosexual couples, but it should by no means be seen as an end goal for our movements.
CAVP stands firm in our commitment to valuing all identities and relationships within our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities, and in our belief that those of us who have historically been most excluded from decision-making power, and those of us who are most vulnerable to violence need to be at the center of our movements to bring about fundamental social and political change. Our shared vision for justice necessitates building a movement in which none of us are left out and leadership comes from those most impacted by structural injustices including people of color, low-income people, youth, immigrants, transgender people, other gender non-conforming people, queer polyamorous people, people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities... some of the same groups who will not benefit in the same way by the current Civil Unions legislation being considered.
As we fight for the right to legal protections for gay and lesbian couples, we cannot forget that the scope is far too narrow to stop here. "Until those of us who are living in prisons or jails; those with disabilities; those without steady housing, jobs, or healthcare; those without citizenship status are also protected from violence - including the legal violence of exclusion from policies that affect us - none of us should rest easy," said Nicole Hurt, CAVP Board Member and community organizer based in Greeley, Colorado.
We call upon those organizations and individuals speaking up for Civil Unions legislation to also speak up when the most vulnerable groups in our LGBTQ communities are under attack. We call upon solidarity in our struggles to transform the basic conditions of our lives. And we look forward to collectively building upon the passage of Civil Unions legislation to advance our shared vision of full liberation for all LGBTQ people.
