MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW ☆ Join the Impact Chicago EXTRA

[Join the Impact Chicago]

Join The Impact Chicago

June 9, 2011

Marriage Equality Now: Rally to Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act

This Saturday, June 11, 2011, 8 PM at Roscoe & Halsted (7-11 parking lot)

Join us this Saturday in the heart of Boystown for a rally and march to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and win full marriage equality nationwide!

As of June 1, we have civil unions. But civil unions aren't enough! The symbolic withholding of the name "marriage" is stigmatizing. Other states without civil unions don't recognize them, so traveling out of state leaves your partnership unprotected. And with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still in place, state level protections, even state-level legal marriage, cannot grant couples the 1138 federal-level rights and responsibilities of marriage.

DOMA is the federal law that prevents the federal government from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples, even in states where it is legal. This blatantly discriminatory law bars the federal government from offering any of the legal benefits of marriage to those couples who have been joined in states that choose to recognize everyone's equal rights.

This law is currently under attack and crumbling inside of our justice system. The law has been declared unconstitutional in a number of federal courts and continues to work its way through the system. Most recently the Obama administration came out stating that it would no longer defend DOMA in these cases in federal court as that they believe the law to be unconstitutional. On the legislative side, the Repsect for Marriage Act has been introduced; that is a bill to repeal DOMA and recognize marriages in states that allow them.

Many people hope that civil unions will make our community shut up and go away, satisfied with this half-measure. We will not! Now is the time to let your own voice be heard. Let our representatives know that NOW is the time for marriage equality. 

Come join us as we rally and march, and learn what you can do to bring about full equality nationwide. We need our whole community including all our allies engaged and fighting to repeal DOMA and win full marriage equality nationwide. We need YOU!

Time Out Chicago critics' pick:

http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/gay-lesbian/14787839/marriage-equality-now-rally-to-repeal-doma

Please help by posting about this on Facebook and Twitter:

http://tinyurl.com/JTICJune11

Cosponsors:
Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago, Gay Liberation Network, Join The Impact Chicago, LGBT Change, International Socialist Organization, News & Letters Committee, All Saints' Justice Circle

If your group would like to cosponsor, please write to jointheimp...@gmail.com

Afterparty:

Cocktail Bar has generously invited us to host our afterparty from 10 to midnight following the rally and march, to recoup the cost of putting on this event. A five dollar cover and the sale of some special shots will help us pay for the equipment rental and permit fees. 

Cocktail is at 3359 N Halsted. http://www.cocktailbarchicago.com/

See you Saturday!

JoinTheImpactChicago.com  |  facebook.com/JoinTheImpactChicago  |  twitter.com/JTIChicago