Marriage Equality Resources in the U.S.
All Children Matter: Condensed Version
Public policy should serve the interests of all children. However, there are 2 million children being raised by LGBT parents--children from all walks of life, living in almost every U.S. county--who have become collateral damage of ideology and laws designed to hurt LGBT people. All Children Matter is the most comprehensive look to date at these children; how they are failed by society, government and the law; and how simple changes to unfair laws can begin to ensure we are giving all children the chance to reach their full potential.
This Condensed Version offers key findings and recommendations from All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families in a 34-page "digest" format. All Children Matter: Executive Summary All Children Matter: Full Report
American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER)
The American Foundation for Equal Rights is dedicated to protecting and advancing equal rights for every American. As the sole sponsor of the federal court challenge of California’s Proposition 8, known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger, AFER is leading the fight for marriage equality and equality under the law for every American. AFER assembled a legal team led by Theodore Olson and David Boies to demonstrate that Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution by denying millions of people equal protection under the law.
Atticus Circle
Atticus Circle, a group dedicated to achieving equality for all parents and partners, regardless of sexual orientation.
Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage
Scott Safier's site with various links to news and cases about domestic partnerships and marriage for same-sex couples, including the Hawaii case, an essay by Barbara Cox, the AT&T case in New York, the Pennsylvania case, and more ...
This tool, a searchable database, is provided and maintained by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
Email the White House re: LGBT Issues
Email your comments, suggestions and ideas regarding LGBT issues to the Obama Administration.
Freedom to Marry
A non-gay/gay partnership to secure full equality and recognition for same-sex couples and their families.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD)
New England's leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression.
Gay Marriage: Legal and Constitutional Issues
Resources available in or through the Ithaca College Library that should help you explore and research the topic of gay marriage, especially as it is related to legal and constitutional issues.
Gay Marriage Rights via Meograph: Four-dimensional storytelling
This is a cool graphic that provides a severely abbreviated historical overview of the American marriage eqaulity movement.
GetEQUAL
A grassroots organization that exists to serve and grow the constituency of everyday Americans – LGBTQ and straight – who are willing and ready to demand equality. They are committed to working with everyone, no matter the sex, gender, race, class, look, age, ability, religion, family status, and citizenship to build a society in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are equal.
The GLBT Resource Page
There are plenty of great resources around the web for people in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. The links [on this page] are some of the best resources on the Internet to help GLBT people and their allies get informed, empowered, and active. (This resource was contributed by students Jason, Alex, Jamie, Jessica, Amanda, and Taylor in Ms. McKnight's class - Delaware.)
The Gottman Institute
Researching and Restoring Relationships; Gay & Lesbian Research.
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than one million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC's vision a reality.
Founded in 1980, HRC advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans, mobilizes grassroots actions in diverse communities, invests strategically to elect fair-minded individuals to office and educates the public about LGBT issues.
Independent Gay Forum
Conservative LGBT writers weigh in on marriage for same-sex couples.
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund's Marriage Project
Want to Get Married? Get Engaged! About Lambda Legal: At Lambda Legal, we imagine a world without discrimination and inequality, and we work to achieve that vision every day. We make the case for equality in the nation’s courts and in the court of public opinion. The work we do has impact on the way all of us live—we change laws, policies and ideas.
LGBT Older Adults - MAP Resources
Although largely invisible until very recently, LGBT older adults make up a significant (and growing) share of both the overall LGBT population and the larger 65+ population. While confronted with the same challenges that face all people as they age, LGBT elders also face an array of unique barriers and inequalities that can stand in the way of a healthy and rewarding later life.
MAP (Movement Advancement Project)
Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project is an independent think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and analysis that help speed equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. MAP’s work is focused on three primary areas:
One of the most helpful resources MAP prvides are their Equality Maps.
Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA)
A national organization to secure the freedom and the right of same-sex couples to enter into legally-recognized civil marriage.
Contact MEUSA:
Marriage Equality USA
P.O. Box 121, Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113
info@marriageequality.org
(P) 347-913-6369
(F) 347-479-1700
National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC)
The NBJC is a national civil rights organization of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people and our allies dedicated to fostering equality by fighting racism and homophobia.
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF or "the Task Force")
The national progressive organization working for the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, with the vision and commitment to building a powerful political movement: same-sex marriage press releases.
National Latino Coalition for Justice (NLCJ)
The National Latino/a Coalition for Justice fights to end discrimination in marriage. The Coalition aims to achieve its goals by promoting comprehensive public education, organizing and media outreach while working with decision -markers and grassroots activists across the country.
The National Organization for Women (NOW)
To raise awareness of issues that perpetuate gender inequality, to support and lobby for legislation that will eradicate sexism, and to protect the rights we have from assault and erosion.
The New Civil Rights Movement
The purpose of The New Civil Rights Movement: A journal of news and opinion on gay rights and marriage equality is to keep you informed of all the issues in the gay rights arena, especially gay marriage. Because weddings are bliss, ignorance is not.
Number of Same-Gender Couples in the U.S. - Total and by State
Statistics from the 2010 Census; document prepared by Ned Flaherty 2 September 2012.
OUT4IMMIGRATION
Out4Immigration provides accurate information to educate the community and the general public about the U.S. immigration system and the impact it has on Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, and HIV+ people. By increasing awareness we hope to enable those facing the unique challenges put forth by the law to understand their rights and legally navigate through the existing system.
Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples
A national resource for same-sex couples, containing more than 200 essays, surveys, legal articles, and resources on legal marriage, ceremonies, domestic partner benefits, relationship tips, parenting, and immigration.
Preliminary Marriage Equality Survey Results, via the Protest Project
Dr. Helma de Vries-Jordan is the principal investigator of the Protest Project and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at Gettysburg College. She studies protest behavior internationally by conducting surveys of demonstrators, interviews with activists and organizers, narrative analysis of media coverage of protest events, as well as event based data analysis of protest events.
Participants in demonstrations for marriage equality were asked how they and their families would be impacted, if same-sex marriage were legalized federally. Respondents were surveyed on-site at a vigil and at two rallies held at the Supreme Court from March 25-27, 2013, and participants were also surveyed online from March 23-28, 2013. The online surveys are still being accepted until June 30, 2013. Preliminary results are posted, based on a sample of 468 respondents sampled on-site and online, as of March 28, 2013.
Public Opinion and Discourse on the Intersection of LGBT Issues and Race from The Opportunity Agenda
A growing number of advocacy organizations are working at the intersection of racial justice, sexual orientation, and gender identity, challenging the myths and biases that continue to hamper the rights and opportunities of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people, especially LGBT people of color. Public Opinion and Discourse on the Intersection of LGBT Issues and Race (PDF) provides important insight into public opinion about LGBT people of color and their rights, and examines related discourse in African-American media, Latino media, and social media. It also reveals challenges and opportunities for improving the media content.
Public Support for Marriage for Same-sex Couples by State
April 2013 by Andrew R. Flores and Scott Barclay, The Williams Institute
From the Executive Summary: Around the issue of same-sex marriage, there has been a slate of popular and legislative actions in a number of states in the past four years. Some states have supported marriage recognition for same-sex couples while other states have prohibited it. The marked dierences among states on this issue
raise three questions: the current position of each state's general population on the legality of same-sex marriage, how it diers across the 50 states and
District of Columbia, and its change since 2004. This research brief seeks to directly address those three questions.
SAME-SEX COUPLES AND MARRIAGE Model Legislation for Allowing Same-Sex Couples to Marry or All Couples to Form a Civil Union
August 2012 by Jennifer C. Pizer and Sheila James Kuehl for the Williams Institute.
From the Intro: Marriage and other relationship protections for same-sex couples and their families are becoming increasingly common in the United States. While more state legislatures are amending their state statutes to allow same-sex couples to access the protections and obligations of marriage, the approaches taken vary from state to state. The inconsistency of state laws is confusing and creates complications for same-sex couples and their families, businesses, and state and local governments. The Model Marriage Code and Model Civil Union Code are designed to improve consistency by offering model bill language for states wishing to offer comprehensive state-law protections and obligations to same-sex couples, and the analysis provided here places these Codes in a social science and policy context.
Same-Sex Marriage: A Selective Bibliography of the Legal Literature
From the Law Library at Rutgers University; compiled by Paul Axel-Lute; originally published in September 2002 and last updated 5 June 2012.
Same-Sex Planning Tool
The Same-Sex Planning Tool provided by nerdwallet helps couples navigate the maze of state and federal laws that govern marriage for LGBT couples. The tool outlines the 7 essential legal documents for couples wanting to protect themselves, as well as key financial and tax considerations facing same-sex couples.
Securing Legal Ties for Children Living in LGBT Families
The lack of legal recognition for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families harms children and threatens their ability to thrive. Children may go without health insurance or a parent may be limited in making healthcare decisions for them. Children in foster care are denied permanent homes, even when there are qualified, loving LGBT families ready, able and waiting to adopt. Children may be wrested away from the only parents they know when relationships dissolve or a parent dies or becomes disabled. And they may be unable to access financial lifelines and safety net programs designed to support families during family crisis.
Securing Legal Ties for Children Living in LGBT Families: A State Strategy and Policy Guide examines the outdated state laws—particularly in the areas of marriage and parenting—that largely ignore and routinely harm the roughly two million children being raised by LGBT parents. It provides an overview of the diversity and demographics of LGBT families, looks at how the paths to parenthood for LGBT parents intersect with archaic laws and practices that often leave children without legal ties to both their parents, and explores the ways in which that lack of legal ties hurts children being raised in LGBT families.
In addition, Securing Legal Ties for Children Living in LGBT Families (which expands on the content from All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families) offers a detailed framework for state policymakers to draft, pass and enact new laws that protect all children--including those living in LGBT families and other contemporary family structures--and recommendations for amending, repealing or overturning discriminatory laws that leave children without the security of legal ties to their parents.
Six Imminent Marriage Moments, August 2012 - June 2013, from Third Way
Over the next twelve months, there will be at least six likely events that will highlight the issue of marriage for gay couples. Each will spur more questions, from the media and from constituents, towards elected officials—especially those who have kept a low profile on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) or allowing gay couples to marry. This memo forecasts these imminent events in order to help policymakers prepare.
SOULFORCE
Soulforce seeks freedom from religious and political oppression for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning people.
State Resource Map from the Williams Institute
Click on each state to find state-specific research on issues such as LGBT demographics, marriage, parenting, and workplace issues — including state-level data and maps from Census 2010.
StopBullying.gov
Federal government website dedicated to providing tools and information to stop bullying in our public schools and our society.
Tax Resources for LGBT Couples
Please note that Marriage Equality USA is not a tax organization - we are not tax experts. We cannot guarantee the information provided on our Tax Resources page.
Teacher Tools to Stop Bullying: Free Training Toolkit Now Available
Teachers want to help stop bullying, but they don’t know how. That is why the Department of Education and its Safe and Supportive Technical Assistance Center, set out to create a free, state-of-the-art training for classroom teachers on bullying. The two-part training aims to help teachers know the best practices to stop bullying on the spot and how to stop it before it starts. The training toolkit consists of PowerPoints, trainer guides, handouts, and feedback forms that school districts, schools, and teachers can use free of charge. Both the National Education Association
and the American Federation of Teachersgave feedback on the modules and made suggestions on what teachers would find most useful.
The Cost of Being Gay
We thank journalist Tara Siegel Bernard and the New York Times for this series, which provides a factual look at the financial realities of same-sex partnerships.
Third Way
Third Way is a think tank that answers America’s challenges with modern ideas aimed at the center. They advocate for private-sector economic growth, a tough and smart centrist security strategy, a clean energy revolution, and progress on divisive social issues, all through a moderate-led U.S. politics. In March 2012 Third Way released a publication aimed at guiding politicans through the process of changing their public stance on marriage equality in a way that shows strength, not weakness. Click here for the PDF How to Change Your Public Position on Marriage. Click here for PDF of Third Way's report The Big Shift: Changing Views on Marriage for Gay Couples.
Toolkit, Free, for School Bus Drivers
This training toolkit is made up of two modules that address bullying on school buses. Specifically, it is designed to assist school bus drivers in cultivating meaningful relationships with students while creating a positive climate on the school bus.
United Farm Workers
The United Farm Workers endorsed marriage equality in 2005. Our vision is to provide farm workers and other working people with the inspiration and tools to share in society's bounty. Our values are as follows. Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Si Se Puede Attitude: ("Yes, we can.") The embodiment of a personal and organizational spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk taking. Innovation: The active pursuit of new ideas. Non-Violence: Engaging in disciplined action. Empowerment: A fundamental belief in and respect for people.
The Wedding Party
A coalition that supports same-sex commitment and equal marriage rights.
White House LGBT Update: Advancing Equality
Sign up for updates from the White House regarding issues that impact the LGBT community.
The Williams Institute
The Williams Institute advances sexual orientation law and public policy through rigorous, independent research and scholarship, and disseminates it to judges, legislators, policymakers, media and the public. A national think tank at UCLA Law, the Williams Institute produces high quality research with real-world relevance. Experts at the Williams Institute have authored dozens of public policy studies and law review articles, filed amicus briefs in key court cases, provided expert testimony at legislative hearings, been widely cited in the national media, and trained thousands of lawyers, judges and members of the public. By providing new ideas and reliable information, the Williams Institute makes a difference.
