home > lgbt equality Campaign to Defeat Utah’s Discriminatory Marriage Amendment Today we look back with disbelief at a time when many Americans did not tolerate marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between people of different races. Unfortunately, our laws continue to treat unequally people of the same gender who commit to a lifetime intimate relationship. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that gay and lesbian couples "are entitled to respect for their private lives," and that they may form "intimate," "personal," and "enduring" relationships and "still retain their dignity as free people," there are those who wish to continue to discriminate and further wish to enshrine that discrimination into our state constitution. Allowing same-sex couples to marry will not harm different-sex married couples in any way, nor will it jeopardize or undermine the institution of marriage. To the contrary, the institution of marriage will be strengthened and revitalized by ending an arbitrary and prejudicial restriction that excludes and stigmatizes thousands of loving and committed couples and their families. Opposition to granting same-sex couples the protections afforded by marriage often comes from religious beliefs. But if same-sex couples were allowed to marry, it would not require a single person to change his or her personal beliefs or a single church to act in a way that is contrary to religious tenets. Civil rights need not be in conflict with religious beliefs, and no church could ever be required to conduct a marriage it cannot sanction. The state, however, is not a religion, and it has an obligation to ensure that all citizens are treated equally. Utah's proposed constitutional "Amendment 3" will not only deny the recognition of a same-sex committed legal relationship but it will potentially call into question many, many contractual arrangements entered into by any unmarried couple including, for example, pension arrangements, health insurance, hospital visitations, and inheritance. We must carefully examine this proposed amendment and thoughtfully address the complex legal issues it raises, as well as the real and devastating affect it would have on the thousands of members in our community and society, and the families they have lovingly built. The ACLU of Utah is a member of the newly formed Don't Amend Alliance that is working to inform the public about the dangers of this amendment. If you would like to help in this effort, please contact Ruth Hackford-Peer at (801) 746-1314. The Don't Amendment Alliance's office is located at 175 West 200 South Suite 2006. The web address is www.dontamendalliance.com. If you do volunteer, please send an email to Stephanie Peterson at aclu@acluutah.org to let us know what you are doing. Any effort will make a difference in this important election. Check out Fighting for Marriage: An ACLU Toolkit for Marriage Equality Federal Marriage Amendment With his endorsement of a constitutional amendment to prohibit gay and lesbian couples from marrying, President Bush has given this mean-spirited proposal added momentum. The amendment endorsed by the President would be the first ever to mandate discrimination against a group of Americans. Writing discrimination into the Constitution is just wrong! Use the link below to read more about the proposed amendment and to get involved to preserve a Constitution that protects all of our rights. Read more about the Federal Marriage Amendment >>

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