FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2006

Media Contact:
Cathy Renna, cathy@rennacommunications.com, 917.757.6123 Syd Peterson, syd@rennacommunications.com, 917.621.6411

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO JENNIFER CHRISLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY PRIDE

"The unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court ruling speaks to the very real needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) headed families and recognizes our need to protect one another and our children. As the mother of twin four-year olds, I know how important the protections of marriage are. I am hopeful that the New Jersey legislature will do the fair and just thing and pass a full marriage equality bill.

The simplest way to end marriage discrimination in New Jersey is to simply remove discrimination from marriage. The thousands of children being raised by loving LGBT parents in the state of New Jersey should have the most universal way of explaining their parent's relationship - that they are married. It is the basic currency of commitment the world understands and our families and our children deserve nothing less.

While the court has affirmed the need for our relationships to be protected, they left it in the hands of the Legislature to define those protections.

We must tell them loud and clear that nothing less than marriage is still unequal. Now is the time to stand up and ensure that our rights are not trampled on. Today is a day to demand that the New Jersey Legislature pass a law that would give us the same rights, responsibilities and protections as other loving couples and that those rights should be conveyed through nothing other than civil marriage."

Family Pride is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families. For more information about Family Pride go to www.familypride.org.