UUA President Receives "Spirit of Justice" Award from GLAD

The GLAD "Spirit of Justice" Award. Photo by Erika Nonken.

UUA President William G. Sinkford received the GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) "Sprit of Justice" award on Sept. 30, 2005 in a packed ballroom at the Boston Westin Hotel. The award, which was presented to Sinkford on behalf of GLAD by Hillary and Julie Goodridge, was given to recognize and honor "those individuals whose work and achievements reflect a profound dedication to our ideal of a just society."

Reflecting on the changes over the past 16 months, Sinkford observed, “Gay and lesbian married couples in Massachusetts now enjoy the same legal protection that heterosexual couples enjoy. Families have been strengthened; children are better protected. And we have taken a huge step forward in advancing the American ideal of equal rights for all.”

GLAD is New England's leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. GLAD filed the lawsuit that became know as Goodridge v. the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health. Victory in this case in November, 2003, ended discrimination against same-sex couples who wish to be married by the state. On May 17, 2004, Sinkford joined the Goodridges in marriage at the UUA’s national headquarters on Beacon Hill.

Read a transcript of Sinkford's remarks on accepting the "Spirit of Justice" award.

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