Poll: Majority of Americans in non-marriage equality states support the rights of gays to marry

A new poll by Freedom To Marry shows that in states that do NOT have marriage equality, a majority of Americans support the right to marry the person you love.

From Buzzfeed:

Of the new polling, Evan Wolfson of Freedom To Marry said, “That shows the momentum. We have majority support in the non-marriage states, in the states that still discriminate. And this is the first poll to show that. It’s conveying to the court and to the next wave of decision makers that America is ready.”

The survey, conducted Dec. 2–8, 2013, by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research for Freedom to Marry, broke down support into regions, with Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin respondents — the central region — favoring marriage equality by a 23-point margin (59% favor, 36% oppose). Respondents in the western region — Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming — favored marriage by a 19-point margin (53% favor, 34% oppose). In the South, which included Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, respondents were split evenly (46% favor, 46% oppose).

In addition,  56% of the survey’s respondents believe that it is likely that marriage for same-sex couples will be legal in their state in a couple of years.

Freedom To Marry launches new video to run in Time Square through holidays

Freedom To Marry launches new video in Times Square for the 2013 holiday season

Celebrating a year of big wins and marking the need to finish the job, Freedom to Marry is running this ten second video billboard titled “Love for Everyone” featuring three diverse same-sex families and a message of love and commitment.

The billboard will display in Times Square throughout the holiday season up until January 4, 2014.

Straight allies for the Freedom To Marry

Today, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released a new video featuring three prominent straight allies in the military speaking out in support of gay and lesbian servicemembers and their spouses. The allies explain how they have seen their friends and co-workers hurt by the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, the law that prohibits federal respect for marriages between legally married same-sex couples.

Included in this new video are Retired Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett, Army Major Mary Bergner, and former Congressman and Army Captain Patrick Murphy.

“What a tremendous day when ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed,” Retired Rear Admiral Barnett says in the video. “The challenge now is not letting anybody think that it’s over. There’s still law that embeds discrimination.

A Tale of Two Dads

Mark Maxwell and Tim Young of North Carolina are foster parents to four boys ranging in age from 13 to 24.

They are unable to jointly adopt the boys because despite being married in Washington, DC this year, the state of North Carolina prohibits adoption by same-sex couples.

Mark and Tim share their story of why marriage matters so much to their family.

The video is a joint project of Campaign for Southern Equality and Freedom to Marry. 

A Tale of Two Dads from Freedom To Marry

Mark Maxwell and Tim Young of North Carolina are foster parents to four boys ranging in age from 12 to 23. They are unable to jointly adopt the boys because despite being married in Washington, DC this year, the state of North Carolina prohibits adoption by same-sex couples.

Mark and Tim share their story of why marriage matters so much to their family.

Click here for more from Freedom to Marry

Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry

New video from Freedom to Marry:

The freedom to marry is not a partisan value and is consistent with basic conservative values of responsibility and community, limited government and individual freedom.

Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry is a campaign to highlight and build support for the freedom to marry among young conservatives across America. They represent the rapidly growing numbers of young conservatives across the country that agree all Americans should be able to share in the freedom to marry.

Freedom To Marry announces $2 million in support for marriage equality in 6 states

According to Buzzfeed, Freedom to Marry has just announced they plan to spend $2 million in 2013 to advance marriage equality efforts around the country:

According to a statement provided to BuzzFeed, Freedom to Marry is starting the 2013 effort — called the Win More States Fund — by investing $800,000 in the six states where marriage bills are being debated: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

“Building on our 4 for 4 ballot victories in November, Freedom to Marry is calling on supporters to join us in continuing the momentum and winning still more states in 2013.

“With the clock ticking on the Supreme Court’s review of marriage cases, we want to make as much progress as we can – and with battles already underway now in state capitals, we all need to put our money where our momentum is,” Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, said in a statement.

Quote of the day: Evan Wolfson for Freedom To Marry

“With France and Britain poised to become the next countries to embrace the freedom to marry, it’s clear that the momentum we see here in the United States for ending marriage discrimination is, in fact, a global movement toward greater freedom and equality for all – and the U.S. should be leading, not lagging.

“America cannot afford to fall behind its closest allies and trade partners in this global economy, and needs to do right by its families, as a right-of-center British prime minister and left-of-center French president have called on their parliaments to do, with resounding success.” – Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson, in a press release noting this week’s victories in Britain and France.