At Family Equality Council, we truly believe in the transformative power of stories. Nothing can change the mind of a moveable voter or a lawmaker on the fence like hearing directly from the families who are most impacted by the decision they have to make.
Thanks to yesterday’s vote in Maryland, and the Los Angeles Times, we have yet another example to prove it:
(LA Times) A chance shake-up of Maryland House of Delegates seating assignments brought Republican Wade Kach face to face with gay couples who had come to make the case for a gay marriage law, and might have proved decisive in its final passage through the state’s General Assembly on Thursday.
In an effort to get the bill to the House floor, a special joint committee was formed and legislators were left scrambling for seats. Kach, who had previously backed attempts to define marriage as between one man and one woman, found a space right next to the witness table.
“I saw with so many of the gay couples, they were so devoted to another. I saw so much love,” he said. “When this hearing was over, I was a changed person in regard to this issue. I felt that I understood what same sex couples were looking for.”
A week later, Kach voted for the gay marriage bill on the floor of the House of Delegates, one of only two Republicans to do so…
>>> Read the full article via the Los Angeles Times
Our stories have the power to change hearts and minds, but only if we’re willing to stand up and tell them. Our family stories project is designed to elevate our narrative and give you the opportunity to be heard.