Marriage Equality Update

On June 14, 2007, the Massachusetts legislature defeated the anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment by voting it down 151 to 45. The proposed amendment needed 50 votes out of 200 to reach the ballot in November 2008.

What does this mean for marriage equality in Massachusetts?
For the foreseeable future, marriage equality in Massachusetts in safe. In fact, if the amendment supporters decided to push their agenda forward again (which they have vowed they will), the earliest another citizen-initiated petition could be voted on by the citizens of Massachusetts would be 2012. Most political analysts concur that the likelihood of a successful drive to amend the Constitution is very slim because they have recently lost legislative support for the last anti-equality proposal.

To learn more about marriage equality and GLBT families
See Why Marriage Matters at http://www.massequality.org/background/, and, if you're looking for more detail, see this document on the rights and privileges of marriage. If you're interested in learning more about what the experts say regarding children raised by same-sex partners, see a report issued by the American Psychological Association. You may also view a listing of the health professionals' organizations that support same-sex marriage and parenting. Generally, thirty years of social science research shows that there are no differences in the sexual orientation, mental health, adjustment and development between children raised by same-sex parents vs. opposite-sex parents.

Start a marriage equality or GLBT families discussion group
If you would like to initiate a group discussion on marriage equality or learn about other resources on equal marriage and GLBT families, please contact the GLBTA Pride Center at glbta@bridgew.edu or 508-531-1408.