Freedom to Marry, for all People

Previous UUA Coverage 2004 11/18/03 UUA President's Statement on November Supreme Judicial Court ruling 6/26/03 Pres. William G. Sinkford's Statement on the decision of the United States Supreme Court in the case of Lawrence et al v. Texas 6/05/03 Religious Leaders Call for Support of Civil Marriage for Gays and Lesbians 2/12/03 Massachusetts Interfaith Clergy Pledge for the Freedom to Marry Frequently Asked Questions 3/26/02 The Meaning of Family 2000 Giving support to Vermont same sex marriage efforts

June 5, 2003 press conference held by the Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry

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.

Religious leaders gather in support of civil marriage for gays and lesbians

• Non-discrimination in ministerial employment, in 1980
• Support of gay and lesbian services of union, in 1984
• Supporting legal equity for gays and lesbians, in 1987
• Opposing legalization of discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, in 1992
• Support of the Right to Marry for Same-Sex Couples, in 1996.

On December 21, 1999, then-UUA President John A. Buehrens wrote to then-Vermont Governor Howard Dean, in support of the Vermont State Supreme court's unanimous decision that Vermont must guarantee the same protection and benefits to gay and lesbian couples that it does for heterosexual couples. In March, 2000, Unitarian Universalist ministers and lay people were active in giving testimony and providing support for an action taken by the Vermont legislature in April, which established Vermont's landmark Civil Union Bill.

On April 11, 2001, seven gay and lesbian couples (including seven Unitarian Universalists) brought suit in Suffolk, Massachusetts Superior Court , asserting that the couples had all been denied marriage licenses and seeking to gain the legal recognition "that same-sex couples -- whose relationships are as loving and as committed as those of heterosexual couples -- have an equal right to civil marriage."

Nearly two years later, on March 4, 2003, the case was heard in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . While a decision in this case is pending, interfaith support of freedom to marry for same-sex couples continues to grow, as demonstrated at a June 5, 2003 press conference held by the Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry and hosted at UUA headquarters.

Meanwhile, efforts by Unitarian Universalists to support equal rights for all persons continue. As support to grant legal standing to same sex couples gains momentum, the voices of several individual members of the UU clergy have been heard on this issue, and the list of UU clergy supporting same-sex marriage (and who refuse to sign marriage licenses until such rights are granted to all) continues to grow. The Rev. Fred Small (Littleton, MA), the Rev. F. Jay Deacon (Northampton, MA), and the Rev. Kathleen McTigue (Hamden, CT) have spearheaded action in their communities along with other members of the clergy, and media coverage of their positions is included here.

UUA President William G. Sinkford, speaking after a decision on the U.S. Supreme Court case, Lawrence et al v. Texas was handed down, said, "Laws aimed at discriminating against bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people are affronts to all people, no matter their sexual or gender orientation. These laws have been used to separate and divide us from one another; their intent is to support discrimination and make some people in our country second-class citizens. Unitarian Universalists across our country will continue [our] efforts, grounded in faith, which call us to support everyone’s full humanity, everyone’s ability to love, and everyone’s value in the world."

Freedom to Marry Media Coverage:

• Coverage of UU Ministers' Actions and Ministers' Statements in the Media
• Previous coverage from the UUA
• Additional Media Coverage
• Ministers Issuing Licenses to Same Sex Couples

Unitarian Universalist Clergy Who Will Not Sign Marriage Licenses Until Same Sex Couples Are Allowed to Marry

Freedom To Marry Coalition's Massachusett's Survey on Civil Marriage (Oct. 2003)

Survey Questions
Key Findings

Information on Freedom to Marry Coalitions in U.S. states:

California (has two sites)
Connecticut
Hawaii
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Vermont
Washington

For more information:

• For information on UUA services in support of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender persons, visit our website.
• For media information, or to schedule interviews, please contact the UUA Office of Information and Public Witness.
• Massachusetts Interfaith Clergy Pledge for the Freedom to Marry Frequently Asked Questions
• Freedom to Marry is headed by Evan Wolfson, one of America's leading lesbian/gay rights advocates and lawyers.

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