National Anti-Gay Group Launches Campaign Attacking Marriage Equality in the District

The National Organization for Marriage launched an anti-gay campaign attacking marriage equality in the District of Columbia on Tuesday, April 28th.

The group held a rally at Freedom Plaza (read the Blade article here) where City Council Member Marion Bary referred to same-sex marriage as "immoral."

National Organization for Marriage has also launched a misleading radio ad campaign. click here to listen to the ad.

Help us educate the DC community about Marriage Equality. Sign the I Do in DC Pledge to support Marriage Equality. You can also learn more and make an online donation in support of DC for Marriage at: www.dcformarriage.org.

GLBT Democrats Launch Conversation on Marriage Equality

Monday night, The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club affirmed it's support for full marriage equality in the District of Columbia during our April community discussion organized by The Stein Club and the LGBT Caucus of the DC Democratic State Committee.

With marriage equality moving forward in the states and our own city council voting unanimously to recognize same sex marriages from other jurisdications, we have the opportunity to have a citywide conversation about marriage equality, and the LGBT community in general, that hasn't happened before in the District of Columbia.

Over the next 45 days a resolution supporting marriage equality in DC will be introduced at meetings of DC's 8 Ward Democratic organizations, starting with the Ward 3 Democrats on Thursday April 23rd, 2009.

This is just a start, we are laying the foundation for framing the conversation around marriage equality in the District. The 8 Ward Democratic organizations represent thousands of active Democrats across this city who we will need on our side to fight off an anti-marriage equality campaign.

Join us in this conversation. Attend a meeting and let your family, friends, and neighbors know that you need their support.

Any Democrat in wards 1,2,4,5,6,7,8 can vote on and speak to the resolution that will be introduced at each ward meeting.

Dates of Ward Democratic Organization Meetings:
Ward 2 - April 28 @ 6:30. St Thomas Church on 18th & Chuch Sts NW

Ward 3 - April 23rd @ 7pm. St Columba 4201 Albemarle St NW

Ward 4 - May 6th @ 7pm - Emery Community Center 5801 Georgia Ave NW

Ward 5 - April 27th @ 7pm Michigan Park Christian Church 1600 Taylor St NE.

Ward 6 - May 19th @ 7pm. Southeast Branch Library @ Eastern Market

Ward 7 - May 30th @ Noon. Venue not confirmed

Ward 8 - May 15th @ Noon. Washington Highlands Library 115 Atlantic St SW

Women & Conversations: Jumping the Rainbow Broom

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, in collaboration with Savage Entertainment and Denyse Ford, invite you to join them for a panel discussion on the issue of same sex marriage in Washington, DC.

Among the topics the panel will discuss are the difference between marriage and domestic partnerships/civil unions, the effects of not being able to marry, and the potential ramifications of DC allowing same sex marriage.

The discussion will be at BeBar (1318 9th st. NW DC) on Saturday, April 25th 3-5PM.

For more information, contact Paquita Wiggins at paquita.wiggins@hotmail.com.

Momentum for marriage is building...

The movement to win marriage equality is getting bigger, stronger and more diverse each and every day. People across the DC and across the nation are opening their hearts and minds and realizing that marriage is and should be a basic civil right.

In recent weeks we have seen the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples in Iowa and Vermont and the preliminary passage of a bill in DC that would recognize marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

Now is not the time to slow down.

To reach our goal of winning and keeping marriage in DC, we need to invite many more people to join our cause. Here’s how you can help:

1. Sign the “I Do in DC” pledge showing your support for marriage equality in the District: http://bit.ly/idoindcpledge

Nearly 2,000 people have already signed the pledge. But, to win we need thousands more.

2. Invite your friends, family and co-workers to sign the “I Do in DC” pledge: http://bit.ly/idoindcpledge

Our friends and family can be a powerful voice in our fight for the freedom to marry.

3. Invite ten friends to join DC for Marriage on Facebook
http://bit.ly/dcformarriagefacebook

4. Change your Facebook status. Post the following as your update status: I support the right of every American gay or straight to marry the person they love: http://bit.ly/idoindcpledge

UCLA's William's Institutes Releases New Study Analyzing the Economic Impact of Same Sex Marriage in the District of Columbia

Los Angeles - Today the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study predicting that same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia would have a positive impact on the local economy, generating $52.2 million in new spending over the next three years. This new spending will generate 700 new jobs and an additional $5.4 million in tax revenues.

Today the D.C. Council voted unanimously to recognize other state’s same-sex marriages.

“Extending marriage rights to same-sex couples would not only provide needed protections to same-sex couples in the District of Columbia, but in these tough economic times, the D.C. economy could get a substantial boost,” explains study co-author Brad Sears, Executive Director of The Williams Institute.

In calculating the net benefit to the District of Columbia, the study predicts that approximately 1,882 D.C. same-sex couples, or almost half of the District’s 3,839 same-sex couples, would marry in the first three years of marriage rights. The study also finds that approximately 12,550 non-resident same-sex couples would come to D.C. to marry over a three year period.

“As recent experiences in California demonstrate, same-sex couples will travel for the right to marry and the District of Columbia is a likely tourist destination for many of those couples,” noted co-author M. V. Lee Badgett, Research Director of the Williams Institute and Director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“Today’s vote constitutes an important first step towards marriage equality, however, D.C. will only receive this economic windfall if it fully legalizes marriage for same-sex couples,” stated study co-author Christopher Ramos.

The Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy advances law and public policy through rigorous, independent research and scholarship, and disseminates its work through a variety of education programs and media to judges, legislators, lawyers, other policy makers and the public.

This study can be accessed at the Williams Institute website,