women’s history month: a lesson for gay families
admin on Mar 7th 2007
March is National Women’s History Month. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) family rights movement has learned some valuable lessons from the challenges and struggles that women in this country faced.
The movement for women’s suffrage was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending suffrage (the right to vote) to women. On August 26, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. The amendment reads, in full:
The right of any citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
What’s the connection to the LGBTQ family rights movement? Women wanted to be recognized as full citizens under the law in every state. This is the same struggle to be recognized as equal under the law regarding adoption, foster care and all other child custody matters. Moreover, this is the same desire that drives the push for marriage equality.
About a month ago, we worked with Family Pride board co-chair, Ken Manford, to launch a new fundraising tool to benefit Family Pride. It’s the “badge” that you can see in the right-hand toolbar of this site. Together with Ken Manford, we’ve raised more than 300 donations. The six organizations with the highest number of donations will be matched with a $10,000 grant by Kevin Bacon. Right now, we’re number three.
We’ve set our goal at 1,138 donations. Why 1,138? Because that’s the number of federal laws and provisions that guarantee rights and privileges for married couples. Because that’s the number of federal laws and provisions that exclude our families. Because we learned from the women’s suffrage movement: we must be recognized as equal under the law. No more, no less.
So, make a donation on behalf of your family. Click the orange donate button. Even if you’re not LGBTQ, it’s important to take a stand for all loving families. Let’s invite our family and friends to donate. Let’s reach 1,138 donations. Let’s make history, again.
To learn more about the Kevin Bacon Challenge, visit http://www.familypride.org/sixdegrees.html.
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