Bring It Home For The Holidays
Talk Turkey with Your Family & Friends
A Message From the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

On November 18, 2003, the highest court in Massachusetts declared that denying same sex couples the right to marry violates the state's constitution. The court gave the legislature 180 days to change state law to end this discrimination. This means that in a few months, history will be made: same sex couples will be able to be married in the eyes of the law in Massachusetts.

In response to the court's fair-minded decision, anti-gay organizations across the nation have gone into overdrive, mobilizing thousands of their supporters to contact members of Congress and state legislators. Their goal is to bombard legislators during the end-of-year recess with demands that they move anti-marriage legislation as soon as they go back to work early in 2004. (Most state legislatures are recessed for the rest of the year; Congress will be on break through most of January.)

It is important to understand the gravity of this situation and that the attacks are not only about "gay marriage." Our opponents seek to permanently enshrine our second class citizenship in the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions across the country. They want not only to preclude the recognition of marriage for same sex couples, but to restrict or eliminate other forms of partner recognition such as civil unions and domestic partnerships. They plan to poison the national debate with lies and distortions about our lives and relationships as a divisive wedge issue in the 2004 elections.

Simply put, this is a watershed moment in our civil rights movement; we cannot prevail without help.

Over the next few days, many of us will be fortunate enough to celebrate the holidays with loving families and straight friends. Because we so rarely talk about it, most of our relatives and friends have no idea how few rights LGBT people have or that the religious and political right are launching this vicious and dehumanizing campaign against us. Moreover, most of us have never asked our family and friends to take a stand for us or do anything to help us win equal rights.

Now is that time. The next few weeks are critical. Over the holidays, we encourage you to summon up the courage to reach out to your family and friends and ask for their help. Let each one of them know what's going on and the way in which our lives are being distorted for political gain. Let them know that this is not some abstract political debate. Let them know that it's personal, that it affects you, your future, your civil rights, and the lives of people close to you. Ask each one of them to stand beside you and to speak out for you when the attacks and jokes come, as they inevitably will.

And finally, ask each one of them to contact their state legislators and their representatives in Washington to oppose all efforts to ban marriage for same sex couples, including the so-called "Federal Marriage Amendment." The most effective thing to do would be to have your family members and friends request meetings with their elected officials in their home districts. (Phone numbers for home district offices can be found in the blue pages of your phone book. Contact information for your representatives in Congress may be obtained by calling the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or by logging on to the House Web site and the Senate Web site.

If you aren't able to see family and friends in person, give them a call or send them a letter or email. A sample script for calls and a sample letter also appears at [Click Here].

You can do it. We know this will be difficult for many of us, so some helpful tips follow.

Please, bring it home for the holidays and talk turkey with your loved ones.