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Marriage Equality in New England

MassEquality is joining forces with Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and state-wide organizations to secure marriage equality in every New England state within the next five years.

Marriage equality is protected in Massachusetts for the foreseeable future - but that's not enough. It's time loving, same-sex couples in other states had access to the same rights and protections of marriage that non-gay couples enjoy. And it's time that Massachusetts no longer be the only state in the nation with true equality in marriage.

Working hand-in-hand with GLAD and our partner equality organizations in each state, we're ready to win equality in New England.

Our Priorities

GLAD and MassEquality: a ground-breaking partnership. Never before has an LGBT political organization worked hand-in-hand and completely in sync with an LGBT legal and advocacy organization. There is tremendous power in bringing these two elements together to craft and implement strategies to advance the cause of LGBT equality. Here's how GLAD and MassEquality are helping win in each state:

  1. Strategic Planning: We're helping some of the New England state-wide organizations develop comprehensive, aggressive plans to win marriage equality in the next five years.
  2. Growing Electoral Power: We're supporting our New England partners in launching electoral plans designed to grow the pro-equality ranks in each state legislature, and to build political power for the LGBT community in each state.
  3. Grassroots Organizing: We're helping build robust state-wide field organizations to show every legislator that there is strong support for marriage equality in their districts. We're also identifying those who can tell their personal story about why marriage equality is important to them.
  4. Building Organizational Strength: We're working with some of the state-wide organizations to help them grow in strength and develop their internal capacity so that there are strong LGBT equality organizations in each state in New England.
  5. Communication and Public Education: We're helping get the message out: marriage equality is good for families, good for communities, and good for New England.

The State of the States

Connecticut

Connecticut

Current Status

Connecticut passed legislation legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples in the spring of 2005.

Next Steps

A GLAD court case is pending - Kerrigan & Mock v. Department of Public Health - that challenges Connecticut's denial of marriage equality. A favorable opinion in this case would bring marriage equality to the state.

We are partnering with Love Makes a Family, Connecticut's statewide equality organization, to win support for a marriage bill in the state legislature should we not prevail in the lawsuit.

Vermont

Vermont

Current Status

Vermont was the first state in the country to pass civil unions legislation, in 2000. This was after the court ruled, in a GLAD lawsuit, that it must provide either marriage or civil unions.

Next Steps

Our partner, Vermont Freedom to Marry, is organizing in the field, the State House, and in local elections to pass a marriage equality bill.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island

Current Status

The only New England state outside of Massachusetts where same-sex couples can marry (in Massachusetts) and, to varying degrees, have those marriages recognized in their home state.

Next Steps

A marriage bill has been introduced each year for the past several years. We are partnering with Marriage Equality Rhode Island on field and electoral work to grow the number of pro-equality legislators so that we can pass a marriage bill in the next three years.

Maine

Maine

Current Status

Offers domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples.

Next Steps

Equality Maine has built an aggressive field program designed to educate legislators and move them to support marriage equality, in preparation for introducing a marriage bill in the near future.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire

Current Status

In the last legislative session, civil unions were approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor. Law went into effect as of Jan 1, 2008.

Next Steps

Led by New Hampshire Freedom to Marry, NH activists are educating about why civil unions are not sufficient and building support for full marriage equality.