“These are just the same old tired anti-gay groups and individuals…”
(GayWebSource.com) – December 19, 2012 • Chicago, Illinois – The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), the leading and largest Illinois Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) civil rights advocacy organization, has learned that a group of anti-gay organizations has established the “Coalition to Protect Children and Marriage.”
“These are just the same-old tired anti-gay groups and individuals that have fought against gay protections for years,” stated Rick Garcia, Director of the Equal Marriage Illinois Project and Senior Policy Advisor of The Civil Rights Agenda. “They have lost in the past and they will lose again. Their position is to uphold bigotry, not faith-based values or to promote the family. Families in America come in all shapes and sizes, and the rights provided by the equal marriage bill are needed to protect the over 5100 loving families that are in civil union throughout Illinois. Over 300 clergy have endorsed equal marriage and. polling shows that Illinois is ready for it.”
For the first time in Illinois, a May poll by Victoria Research showed majority support for same-sex marriage at 52 percent. A poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute released in September showed 44 percent of Illinoisans are in favor of same-sex marriage, which was a 10-percentage-point increase in support in Illinois in just two years.
Scientific studies consistently show that a child’s “adjustment, development and psychological well-being of children are unrelated to parental sexual orientation and that the children of lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those of heterosexual parents to flourish.”
Rick Garcia, The Civil Rights Agenda’s Director of the Equal Marriage Illinois Project, was the lead lobbyist and organizer for the passage of the civil union legislation in Illinois and is available for interviews.
– # # # –
About The Equal Marriage Illinois Project
This project seeks to gain equal marriage rights for same-gender couples in Illinois through the legislative process.
About The Civil Rights Agenda
The Civil Rights Agenda’s mission is to maintain and increase individual rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) citizens in Illinois through inter-generational volunteerism and community-driven project-based education, statewide coalition and network building, and leadership in supporting underserved communities. Please find us online at www.jointcra.org or email us at info@jointcra.org.
Media Contact
Rick Garcia, Director of Equal Marriage Illinois Project
312.560.0405 – Mobile
Media Provided by the www.GayWebSource.com – Gay Media and Press Network
More Stories
Palm Beach County Strengthens Civil Rights Protections
1 Song for Equality and Peace by Craymo
West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio places travel ban on city-funded trips to Mississippi