Uniting for Pride

From Marc Solomon
National Campaign Director, Freedom to Marry:

Get ready for parades, because you know what time it is: It's Pride season!

And this year, we've got a lot to celebrate together. In just the past few months, we've won major victories in states across the country, and already thousands of loving same-sex couples are uniting in marriage.

Our movement made that possible -- it's something to celebrate, and it's something to be proud of.

Show your Pride by sharing the graphic below on Facebook. Together, we'll win the freedom to marry for all.

May 17: 10-Year Anniversary of Marriage for Gay Couples in America

Ten years ago tomorrow, Massachusetts became the first state in America where same-sex couples could marry. Since then, 16 other states and Washington, DC have followed, resulting in 40% of Americans who now live in a state with the freedom to marry. Polling shows a near supermajority of Americans support marriage for gay couples.

Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, is a leading strategist and veteran of the marriage movement who can speak to the Massachusetts win, progress over the past 10 years, and the current landscape on marriage. Wolfson has been called “the godfather of gay marriage” by The Daily Beast and one of the "100 most influential people in the world" by TIME Magazine.

Same-sex couples began marrying in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004 following the landmark Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case. The first day of marriages also marked the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education – “civil rights karma,” Wolfson hailed it at the time.

Join #TeamMarriage

Thousands of loving couples in Colorado and across the country still don't have the freedom to get married just because they're gay.

But Freedom To Marry won't quit until we all win.

Join Team Marriage today, and receive your 2014 Team Marriage card and limited edition gear to remember you were part of this fight.

Can Freedom to Marry get Obama to say 'I Do' to gay marriage

Advocacy group Freedom to Marry has launched a campaign to persuade President Barack Obama to become a vocal supporter of marriage equality. 

The "Say I Do" campaign has issued an open letter to Obama signed by Jane Lynch, Ellen DeGeneres, Anne Hathaway, Martin Sheen (good to see somebody in the Sheen family is doing something productive!), Lily Tomlin and David Geffen, and others.

For and against marriage equality

Evan Wolfson (pictured) of the advocacy group Freedom to Marry has engaged in a series of debates with anti-marriage equality campaigner Maggie Gallagher, who argues, "It is not discrimination to treat different things differently."

Help Freedom to Marry keep up the fight for gay marriage

In the past 48 hours, hundreds of people across the country have made donations to help fuel the Freedom to Marry campaign to win marriage nationwide.

And thanks to Sean Eldridge and Chris Hughes, every dollar these donors have given has been doubled!

Donate $5. Donate $10. Donate whatever you can and these donations will be doubled. Donating online is safe and secure and will only take five minutes at http://freedomtomarry.org/DoubleImpact.

Freedom to Marry wants you to talk about marriage equality this Thanksgiving

This holiday season, do what matters most for marriage equality: Start a conversation about it with those close to you — family, neighbors, coworkers and classmates. Begin by seeking an opportunity, setting expectations, and keeping your ears and heart open.

Reaching out and talking about what’s important to you brings the conversation down to earth, and by sharing your experiences you can change minds.

5 Tips to Help the Conversation:

1. Create an emotional connection by emphasizing common ground. Reference key words used in talking about marriage like love, commitment and sharing a life together.
2. Focus on the fact that marriage matters to gay people in similar ways that it matters to everyone: Gay and lesbian couples want to get married to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and to protect their families.
3. Imagine what it would be like to not be able to visit the person you love in the hospital, make medical decisions for them, or use family leave to take care of your loved one.
4. Allowing committed gay and lesbian couples to get married does not change the meaning of marriage. All couples who marry in the United States must get a license for a civil marriage, usually at a courthouse or city hall. These civil marriages would also be available to same-sex couples.
5. You may agree to disagree, but emphasize that this issue is important to you, and that you're always available to answer questions or talk further.

For more suggestions, visit Freedom to Marry's Talking About Marriage page.

 • Image by Joe Phillips

Mayor Cory Booker supports gay marriage

Watch Mayor Cory Booker, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, and others share their personal journeys toward support for the freedom to marry in this series of YouTube videos from Freedom to Marry.

Take the Freedom to Marry survey

We have won the freedom to marry in five states and Washington, D.C. But we still have a lot of work ahead to win the freedom to marry in the 45 remaining states and to repeal the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act."

Why not take a moment to answer a few questions to help the Freedom to Marry campaign build the campaign to repeal DOMA and win marriage rights nationwide?

Happy Anniversary, Iowa!

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling, stating that excluding same-sex couples from marriage is unconstitutional. Now, one year later, Iowa is one of six jurisdictions where same-sex couples can legally marry.

This week, we celebrate the one-year anniversary of same-sex couples being able to marry in Iowa.

Share in the celebration by sending a congratulatory note to the couples that have been married in the state.

As we celebrate the anniversary of marriage in Iowa, Freedom to Marry is committed to creating other "unlikely wins" to ensure that same-sex couples can marry nationwide. You can help build a majority for marriage by asking your friends and family to show their support for marriage. Ask them to take the Freedom to Marry Pledge.

Sign the Freedom to Marry Pledge

Freedom to Marry has a plan to win marriage equality for the gay community - a step-by-step plan to win marriage nationwide.

Freedom to Marry encourages everyone to sign the Freedom to Marry Pledge as a first step in promoting a national discussion around gay people and marriage. These conversations will influence public opinion and help build support among a majority of Americans for marriage.

Take a minute right nowto add your voice to the growing number of people supporting the freedom to marry.

Quote of the Day: Evan Wolfson

"I think there's tremendous significance and opportunity in Americans seeing legally married gay couples treated with respect in our nation's capital." - Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom To Marry