Take a minute to check out our Action Center to kick start the DOMA
discussion in Washington.–Kevin
Your family is particularly important in the wake of the federal
court’s ruling in Massachusetts last week that the Defense of
Marriage Act is unconstitutional.
Although the Obama administration is expected to appeal the
court’s decision in the coming weeks, arguing that DOMA is
constitutional, this was a huge victory for LGBT families. Now the
federal government can’t treat same-sex couples differently than
other married couples.
This is an opportunity for you—us—to kick start DOMA repeal in
the U.S. Congress. With more than 1,000 federal marital protections
at stake, few issues impact LGBT families more. Now is as good a
time as any to launch our online Action Center.
We encourage you to use the Action Center to tell
your story–specifically how DOMA hurts your family, your
children. Lawmakers often point to the human toll as a reason,
sometimes the reason, why they support equality
legislation. Hearing from you will help us end DOMA.
You can also find
and email your Representative asking them to support the
Respect for Marriage Act, the legislation that repeals DOMA and
provides federal benefits to same-sex married couples. If your
Representative is already a co-sponsor, thank them for
understanding what DOMA repeal would mean to you and your
family.
Particularly relevant to LGBT families is what the Massachusetts
court said about children. “A consensus has developed among the
medical, psychological, and social welfare communities that
children raised by gay and lesbian parents are just as likely to be
well-adjusted as those raised by heterosexual parents.” Denying
their parents the federal benefits of marriage, said the court,
“prevent [s] children of same-sex couples from enjoying the
immeasurable advantages that flow from the assurance of a stable
family structure.”
Take a moment here
to tell your Representative that this is what LGBT families have
been saying for decades–that denying same-sex couples the
benefits, protections and obligations of marriage only serves to
hurt our children.
Let’s use the momentum provided by the Massachusetts court to
make the case for DOMA repeal so our kids can enjoy the
“immeasurable advantages” that marriage affords.
Emily Hecht-McGowan
Sr. Legislative Counsel
Family Equality Council