AFER plaintiffs Kris Perry & Sandy Stier, who are one of the two couples challenging Prop. 8 at the Supreme Court, appear in part three of Peter Sagal’s special series on PBS, “Constitution USA.”

The episode explores the 14^th Amendment and how its notions of equal protection, due process and personal liberty have changed the fabric of our nation.

The couple shares their stories about how they first met, fell in love, and got married, and then what it felt like when that marriage was invalidated in 2004. Says Sandy:

“It was upsetting for all of us and oddly humiliating; here we had this great celebration with all our family and friends, and then to have it taken away.”

Kris chimes in:

“Since 2004 we’ve just privately suffered, feeling like we’ll never get to be like other people.”

Asked where marriage is written in the Constitution, they quickly point out that “equal protection” should protect us all.

Watch the full episode above and find out more about the series.

The 2010 study Hatzenbuehler released with colleagues Katie McLaughlin, Katherine Keyes and Deborah Hasin was recently covered by NPR:

Beginning around 2004, several states banned gay marriage. Just before that series of bans, the National Institutes of Health happened to conduct a massive survey of 43,093 Americans. The questions elicited detailed information about respondents’ mental health. (To validate what people reported about themselves, psychiatrists also interviewed samples of the people in the survey, and their medical diagnoses closely matched the findings of the survey.)

Soon after the wave of state bans on gay marriage, in 2004 and 2005, the NIMH conducted a second round of interviews, managing to reach 34,653 of the original respondents. (That’s a high rate compared with most polls and surveys.)

The study reiterates evidence and expert testimony presented during the 2010 Prop. 8 trial, which became a truth commission of marriage equality.

But is the reverse true? Are there mental health benefits for marriage equality?

Hatzenbuehler has also found, in a study conducted in Massachusetts, that gay men experienced fewer stress-related disorders after that state permitted gay marriage.

In a study tracking the health of 1,211 gay men in Massachusetts, Hatzenbuehler found that the men visited doctors less often and had lower health treatment costs after Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage.

This issue is compounded by the fact that the metro areas with the highest percentages of gay and lesbian couples raising children are in states with constitutional bans on marriage, according to the UCLA Williams Institute.

The percentage of same-sex couples raising children in metro areas with a population above 1 million are the highest in Salt Lake City, Virginia Beach, San Antonio, Memphis, and Detroit. Each of these metro centers are in states with constitutional amendments banning marriage for same-sex couples. Among all states, Mississippi has the highest percentage of same-sex couples raising children at 26 percent.

Overview

Minnesota passes a marriage bill, bringing the total to twelve states with the freedom to marry. Can we make it thirteen? Time’s running out for Illinois to pass its marriage bill this year. And even with public support for marriage soaring, numerous states may be stuck with marriage bans for years to come.

Transcript

Minnesota passes a marriage bill, bringing the total to twelve states with the freedom to marry. Can we make it thirteen? Time’s running out for Illinois to pass its marriage bill this year. And even with public support for marriage soaring, numerous states may be stuck with marriage bans for years to come.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume, and welcome to Marriage News Watch for May 20th, 2013.

It’s going to be a busy summer. Marriage equality goes into effect in Minnesota and Rhode Island on August First, and in Delware on July First. About 53 million people now live in states with marriage.

But work in those states isn’t done. Many of the lawmakers who stood up for equality will face challenges in elections from anti-LGBT candidates. It’s important to defend the politicians who voted in favor of the freedom to marry. Minnesotans United for All Families has announced that they’ll convert the organization into a political action committee that will work to make sure those supportive lawmakers are re-elected.

Over in Illinois, the legislative session is scheduled to end in less than two weeks. Time is quickly running out for a vote on that state’s marriage bill, which Governor Patrick Quinn has pledged to sign. Visit EQIL to learn more and to find out how you can help.

Polling in Illinois is strong, with 50% for marriage and 29% opposed. And national support continues to grow as well, with a new Gallup poll showing 53% favor marriage to 45% opposed. This is the fifth consecutive Gallup poll to show marriage equality at or above 50 percent.

We have several additional surveys this week that show growing support in more conservative states. In Michigan, it’s at 58.6 percent, an increase of 12 and a half points in just the last year. In Virginia, it’s 55 percent, a ten point increase in two years. And it’s 55 percent in Arizona, with 35 percent opposed.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that all three of these states — and twenty seven others — have constitutional amendments banning marriage equality. That means that even with a majority of public support, those states are still stuck with marriage bans for the time being. Changing those state constitutions will be a slow and expensive process.

In Nevada, for example, a repeal of the state’s constitutional ban just passed an Assembly Committee and now heads to a full floor vote. It’s expected to pass, but then it’ll have to wait two years before it can advance to the next round of voting. And then it’ll be 2016 before the repeal finally makes it to the ballot.

But there are other avenues for marriage equality to win. In Nevada and Hawaii, for example, there are lawsuits challenging the state’s constitutional ban. Because they’re covered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the lawsuit’s on hold pending a Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8. If the court upholds AFER’s previous victory, it could dramatically accelerate the marriage equality process in Arizona across the entire country.

And we’re closer than ever to a resolution on Prop 8. The deadline for the Supreme Court to rule is the end of June. Subscribe here on YouTube and at AFER.org for breaking news alerts and to find out how you can help support the cause of equality for all.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. We’ll see you next week.

Overview

Minnesota passes a marriage bill, bringing the total to twelve states with the freedom to marry. Can we make it thirteen? Time’s running out for Illinois to pass its marriage bill this year. And even with public support for marriage soaring, numerous states may be stuck with marriage bans for years to come.

Transcript

Minnesota passes a marriage bill, bringing the total to twelve states with the freedom to marry. Can we make it thirteen? Time’s running out for Illinois to pass its marriage bill this year. And even with public support for marriage soaring, numerous states may be stuck with marriage bans for years to come.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume, and welcome to Marriage News Watch for May 20th, 2013.

It’s going to be a busy summer. Marriage equality goes into effect in Minnesota and Rhode Island on August First, and in Delware on July First. About 53 million people now live in states with marriage.

But work in those states isn’t done. Many of the lawmakers who stood up for equality will face challenges in elections from anti-LGBT candidates. It’s important to defend the politicians who voted in favor of the freedom to marry. Minnesotans United for All Families has announced that they’ll convert the organization into a political action committee that will work to make sure those supportive lawmakers are re-elected.

Over in Illinois, the legislative session is scheduled to end in less than two weeks. Time is quickly running out for a vote on that state’s marriage bill, which Governor Patrick Quinn has pledged to sign. Visit EQIL to learn more and to find out how you can help.

Polling in Illinois is strong, with 50% for marriage and 29% opposed. And national support continues to grow as well, with a new Gallup poll showing 53% favor marriage to 45% opposed. This is the fifth consecutive Gallup poll to show marriage equality at or above 50 percent.

We have several additional surveys this week that show growing support in more conservative states. In Michigan, it’s at 58.6 percent, an increase of 12 and a half points in just the last year. In Virginia, it’s 55 percent, a ten point increase in two years. And it’s 55 percent in Arizona, with 35 percent opposed.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that all three of these states — and twenty seven others — have constitutional amendments banning marriage equality. That means that even with a majority of public support, those states are still stuck with marriage bans for the time being. Changing those state constitutions will be a slow and expensive process.

In Nevada, for example, a repeal of the state’s constitutional ban just passed an Assembly Committee and now heads to a full floor vote. It’s expected to pass, but then it’ll have to wait two years before it can advance to the next round of voting. And then it’ll be 2016 before the repeal finally makes it to the ballot.

But there are other avenues for marriage equality to win. In Nevada and Hawaii, for example, there are lawsuits challenging the state’s constitutional ban. Because they’re covered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the lawsuit’s on hold pending a Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8. If the court upholds AFER’s previous victory, it could dramatically accelerate the marriage equality process in Arizona across the entire country.

And we’re closer than ever to a resolution on Prop 8. The deadline for the Supreme Court to rule is the end of June. Subscribe here on YouTube and at AFER.org for breaking news alerts and to find out how you can help support the cause of equality for all.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. We’ll see you next week.

Nine years ago today gay and lesbian couples were able to get married in the United States for the first time ever. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued the nation’s first marriage equality victory several months before, ruling that the state’s constitution,

“Affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals. It forbids the creation of second-class citizens.”

And that:

“The right to marry is not a privilege conferred by the State, but a fundamental right that is protected against unwarranted State interference.”

The lawsuit, known as Goodridge et al. v. Dept. Public Health, was brought by seven couples, represented by Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).

Yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick marked the occasion with a moving Op/Ed in the Washington Post:

Nine years ago Friday, same-sex marriages started happening in Massachusetts, and the time since then has proved wonderfully unremarkable. The sky has not fallen. The earth has not opened to swallow us up. Thousands of good people, contributing members of our society, have made free decisions about whom to marry.

In fact, extending the freedom to marry has only had beneficial effects on the state, according to a study released this year from the UCLA Williams Institute.

LGBT-supportive policies are also linked to greater job commitment, improved workplace relationships, increased job satisfaction, and improved health outcomes among LGBT employees. LGBT employees are less likely to face discrimination in such environments and are more comfortable being open about their sexual orientation.

Within the first four years, over 10,000 gay and lesbian couples married in the state, adding as much as $100 million to the state’s economy.

But numbers aside, the greatest benefit for couples like David Wilson and Rob Compton, one of the first married in the state, is just being able to say those magic words:

“Just using the word husband brings a level of confidence that helps say to the person we’re talking with we have a right to be together, we are a couple and we love each other.”

As the L.A. Times noted, the ruling was the most historic and sweeping decision of its kind to date:

The court was poised 4 to 3 not only to legalize same-sex marriage but also to extend to sexual orientation the same broad protections against bias previously saved for race, gender and religion. The decision went further than any other state high court’s and would stun legal scholars, who have long characterized George and his court as cautious and middle of the road.

Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote the opinion for the majority:

The Republican-appointed judge noted at the time that the decision was one of the most important one he had written in his nearly 40 years on the bench:

An estimated 18,000 gay and lesbian couples were married in the state before Prop. 8 was passed later that year.  Because the initiative amended the California State Constitution, the State Supreme Court later upheld it, leading to AFER’s challenge in federal court.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling is expected by the end of next month.

On Tuesday, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed marriage equality legislation into law. Twelve states and Washington, DC, now recognize the freedom to marry. Gay and lesbian couples will be able to marry starting August 1.

Today’s bill signing is a long time coming for the state. Minnesota is home to the first lawsuit where a gay or lesbian couple sued over marriage rights. In 1971, the State Supreme Court ruled in Baker v Nelson that a law limited marriage to opposite couples did not violate the state constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case at the time “for want of a substantial federal question.”

The state legislature passed a bill in 2011 to have voters consider a constitutional amendment that would have banned marriage for gay and lesbian couples. It was defeated in 2012, part of a landslide victory, which also brought marriage equality to Maine, Maryland and Washington.

Next month, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on AFER’s challenge to California’s Proposition 8. Sign up for breaking news updates.

The State House of Representatives passed the legislation last week with bipartisan support. The bill now advances to Governor Mark Dayton, a champion of the legislation, who plans to sign the bill into law as early as tomorrow, Tuesday, May 14. Couples will be able to get married starting August 1.

Minnesota will become the twelfth state in the nation to recognize marriage equality, and first in the Midwest to pass marriage legislation. Today’s historic vote comes only six months after Minnesotan’s rejected a ban on the freedom to marry in the state constitution.

Overview

More victories as a marriage bill clears hurdles in Minnesota. And there’s progress appears likely in neighboring states as well. But soon, constitutional amendments in 30 states could delay any further success for years to come.

Transcript

More victories as a marriage bill clears hurdles in Minnesota. Passage appears likely this week, with marriages starting in August. And there’s progress in neighboring states as well: an impending vote in Illinois, a potential ballot measure in Ohio, and a surge in public support in Pennsylvania. By the end of this year, we could have a continuous stretch of marriage that goes from Maine to the western end of the Great Lakes.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. Welcome to Marriage News Watch for May 13, 2013.

Marriage equality is moving fast in Minnesota. By the time you watch this, the Senate may already have voted on a bill. It passed the House late last week, and passage in the Senate appears likely. From there, it goes to Governor Mark Dayton, who has pledged to sign it. If passed, marriage would start on August First. This would bring the total number of states approving the freedom to marry up to 12, an increase of three in just the last month.

There are a lot of reasons for this sudden spread of marriage from one state to the next. One of those reasons is the overwhelming support for marriage equality among young people. Seventy percent of Americans born after 1980 support the freedom to marry, according to a new Pew survey.

And Minnesota may not be the last state to pick up marriage equality this year. Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois is pushing hard for a vote on a marriage bill. It’s already passed the Senate, and needs 60 votes to pass the house. Quinn says the support is there, and the public seems to agree. A February poll showed 50 percent support for the marriage bill, with just 29 percent opposed.

Neighboring Ohio could have marriage on the ballot this year. While organizers collect signatures, the state Democratic party just began a fundraising campaign to support marriage equality.

And next door in Pennsylvania, a new Franklin and Marshall poll shows support for marriage at 54 percent to 41 percent. Support for a marriage equality constitutional amendment in PA has increased eleven points in just the last year.

And across the country in Nevada, a committee heard testimony on a marriage equality bill last week. Support for the bill is strong, with twelve hundred comments in favor and only nine hundred opposed. But it still has a long way to go. Voters will need to approve the bill, and the soonest it could appear on the ballot is 2016.

Meanwhile we’re closer than ever to resolution on the Prop 8 and DOMA cases. Subscribe here on YouTube and at AFER.org for breaking news alerts and to find out how you can help support the cause of equality for all.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. We’ll see you next week.

Overview

More victories as a marriage bill clears hurdles in Minnesota. And there’s progress appears likely in neighboring states as well. But soon, constitutional amendments in 30 states could delay any further success for years to come.

Transcript

More victories as a marriage bill clears hurdles in Minnesota. Passage appears likely this week, with marriages starting in August. And there’s progress in neighboring states as well: an impending vote in Illinois, a potential ballot measure in Ohio, and a surge in public support in Pennsylvania. By the end of this year, we could have a continuous stretch of marriage that goes from Maine to the western end of the Great Lakes.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. Welcome to Marriage News Watch for May 13, 2013.

Marriage equality is moving fast in Minnesota. By the time you watch this, the Senate may already have voted on a bill. It passed the House late last week, and passage in the Senate appears likely. From there, it goes to Governor Mark Dayton, who has pledged to sign it. If passed, marriage would start on August First. This would bring the total number of states approving the freedom to marry up to 12, an increase of three in just the last month.

There are a lot of reasons for this sudden spread of marriage from one state to the next. One of those reasons is the overwhelming support for marriage equality among young people. Seventy percent of Americans born after 1980 support the freedom to marry, according to a new Pew survey.

And Minnesota may not be the last state to pick up marriage equality this year. Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois is pushing hard for a vote on a marrage bill. It’s already passed the Senate, and needs 60 votes to pass the house. Quinn says the support is there, and the public seems to agree. A February poll showed 50 percent support for the marriage bill, with just 29 percent opposed.

Neighboring Ohio could have marriage on the ballot this year. While organizers collect signatures, the state Democratic party just began a fundraising campaign to support marriage equality.

And next door in Pennsylvania, a new Franklin and Marshall poll shows support for marriage at 54 percent to 41 percent. Support for a marriage equality constitutional amendment in PA has increased eleven points in just the last year.

And across the country in Nevada, a committee heard testimony on a marriage equality bill last week. Support for the bill is strong, with twelve hundred comments in favor and only nine hundred opposed. But it still has a long way to go. Voters will need to approve the bill, and the soonest it could appear on the ballot is 2016.

Meanwhile we’re closer than ever to resolution on the Prop 8 and DOMA cases. Subscribe here on YouTube and at AFER.org for breaking news alerts and to find out how you can help support the cause of equality for all.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. We’ll see you next week.