Supporting Freedom to Marry for All People

UUs in same sex relationships stood in solidarity with UUA President John Buehrens as he proclaimed his support of same sex legal marriage during the 1996 UUA General Assembly.

(Boston, February 12, 2003) February 12 is National Freedom to Marry Day, so declared by Lambda Legal Defense's coalition to make same sex marriage legal in at least one state within the next five years. The Unitarian Universalist Association is proud to support the freedom to marry movement, and has supported such efforts since the June, 1996, action taken by the UUA Board of Trustees and a subsequent Action of Immediate Witness passed that same year at the UUA General Assembly.

The UUA's support of equal treatment for bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender persons is long-reaching and extensive. But recently, the issue of same sex marriage has slowly been gaining support among UU clergy and laypeople, and in some other faith traditions as well. The Rev. John Buehrens, former UUA President, proclaimed his support at the 1996 General Assembly and serves on the national steering committee of the Freedom to Marry Collaborative. Buehrens' stand was joined by the Rev. Margot Campbell Gross of San Francisco and the Rev. David Pettee, currently ministerial credentialing director of the UUA, spoke to this issue in the February, 2000, issue of "First Days Record," a UU publication. In support of same sex couples who can not legally marry, Pettee continues to refrain from signing the marriage licenses of heterosexual couples. He says, "As a clergy member, I do not want to conduct the state's business, because to do so, I silently perpetuate discrimination against gay and lesbian couples who are not allowed to marry." In 2001, seven same sex couples filed suit against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts seeking permission to legally marry. Four of those couples have UU connections; arguments in this case, to be heard by the Commonwealth's Supreme Judicial Court, are scheduled for March 4, 2003.

That same year, the UUA threw its support to the Lambda Marriage Resolution which states, "Because marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice, RESOLVED, the State should not interfere with same-gender couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of civil marriage."

Fred Small

In 2002, Rev. Rhett Baird of Fayetteville, AR, announced that he, like Pettee and Buehrens, would perform wedding ceremonies for heterosexual couples but would not sign their marriage licenses. Baird has been joined by UUA President William G. Sinkford, who announced that he would also refrain from signing marriage licenses when conducting marriage ceremonies, and on Feb. 2, 2003, the Rev. Fred Small of Littleton, MA, publicly announced his position when he preached his sermon Why Gay Marriage Matters (in PDF format). The Rev. F. Jay Deacon, Minister of the Unitarian Society of Northampton, MA, has announced his support of this action as well and on March 7, was joined by Jake Morrill, a UU seminarian studying at Harvard, who will be ordained in June.

For more information:
-Massachusetts Interfaith Clergy Pledge for the Freedom to Marry Frequently Asked Questions
- The National Freedom to Marry Collaborative is headed by Evan Wolfson, one of America's leading lesbian/gay rights advocates and lawyers.
- For information on UUA services in support of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender persons, visit our website.
- Read the Rev. David Pettee's sermon, "Do I Hereby Pronounce You?"

Sermons and Newsletter Articles:

• From “U-First: The Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Gardner,” October, 2003, The Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Landrum
• "By The Power Vested In Me, I Now Pronounce…" by Don Southworth (Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, September 28, 2003)

Media coverage:

Hamden, CT media coverage of Freedom to Marry issues

• Newsday, (Oct. 17, 2003, "Clergy Refuse to Sign Marriage Licenses in Protest," by Susan Haigh (AP))
• Washington Blade (Oct. 24, 2003, "Conn., Mass. clergy refuse to sign marriage licenses in pro-gay protest" by the Associated Press)
• The Advocate (Oct. 21, 2003 - "Clergy Refuse to Sign Marriage Licenses for Hetero Couples,")
• WTNH-TV (Oct. 17, 2003 - "Clergy Refuse to Sign Marriage Licenses in Protest" by Susan Parker)
  Note: this is a written story with a link to an excellent video clip.
• Yale Daily News (Oct. 20, 2003, "Rev. blesses gay couples" by Will Sullivan)
• Yale Herald (Oct. 10, 2003, "Unitarians to recognize gay marriage" by Stephanie Speirs)

New Hampshire coverage of freedom to marry issues

• Portsmouth Herald, (Oct. 19, 2003, "A Stand at the Altar," by Rachel
  Grace Toussaint)
• Fosters Online, (Oct. 20, 2003, "Exeter minister won't issue marriage
  licenses until justice is done for gays" by Terry Date)
• Concord (NH) Monitor, (Oct. 23, 2003 - "Minister takes stand on same-sex
  marriages" by the Associated Press)
• The WMURchannel, (Oct. 20, 2003 - "Minister Takes Stand On Same-Sex
  Marriages" by the Associated Press)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (October 10, 2003, "Give Same Sex Marriage Legal Blessing", Op-ed piece by Don Southworth)
NewsObserver.com (North Carolina) (July 27, 2003 "A License to Marry")
Lowell Sun (June 22, 2003, "Gays await ruling on same-sex unions")
The Advocate (June 5, 2003, "Massachusetts religious leader criticizes antigay Catholic stand ")
Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) (May 13, 2003, "Turning the Tide: The Fall of Traditional Marriage")
Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, Massachusetts (May 8, 2003, "Clergy: Wait-and-see stand")
The Republican, (5/3/2003, "Pastor refuses to sign marriage licenses")
Daily Hampshire Gazette "Hampshire Life" magazine, (5/1/2003, "Finding new spiritual paths")

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