Floridians Still Fight for Marriage Equality on Historic Day Massachusetts becomes first state in nation to eliminate marriage discrimination
from Brian Winfield, Equality Florida

(Tampa) Today, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to end discriminatory laws banning marriage for same-sex couples. While couples, including many Floridians, have been married in municipalities in New York New Mexico, Oregon and California, those marriages were not performed under the authority of the state government.

Equality Florida congratulates all of the loving couples who have obtained their marriage licenses today. "This is a real victory that represents a leap forward in valuing all families," said Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida. "By allowing these couples to legally marry, Massachusetts leads the nation in fighting discrimination. They have charted a course we expect Florida will one day follow."

Equality Florida has launched a campaign to challenge Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples. In addition to lobbying the legislature and an on-going public education campaign, Equality Florida has been gathering petition signatures online from Floridians who support the repeal of the state’s anti-gay statute banning the recognition of same-sex marriage.

The Florida legislature in 1997 passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defines marriage between a man and a woman and expressly prohibits recognition of same-sex marriage performed in other states. As a result, same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts would not immediately be recognized under Florida law.

Equality Florida is attempting to repeal this discriminatory law and has nearly 2000 supporters who have signed the Web-based petition to date at www.eqfl.org. Many have included personal stories describing the discrimination they experience because the law fails to recognize and protect their families.

”I was totally disabled while on the job March 12 2000. All my medical insurance was stopped. I now have to fight for Social Security to receive a quarter of what I made. My significant other has to struggle to pay all the household bills, my medical bills, medication bills, treatment bills, etc. If we were able to marry I would be on his insurance and the bills would be at least 75% less.” – Petition Signer.

In November, a 4-3 ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court said that same-sex couples would be given the right to wed under the Massachusetts Constitution. Despite protests from opponents of the legislation, the U.S. Supreme Court decided on Friday not to intervene to prevent gay marriage, allowing the state of Massachusetts to open its doors to same-sex couples to apply for a marriage license.

Also today, President Bush issued a statement reiterating his support for a discriminatory amendment to the US Constitutional; an amendment that has drawn widespread condemnation, even from the most conservative quarters.