When Ralph Hodgdon and Paul McMahon met in 1955 in Central Park they had no idea their “love at first sight” encounter would help spur a revolution in Massachusetts some 50 years later.
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BOSTON. A pair of polls released by both sides of the gay marriage debate show conflicting degrees of acceptance within the state.
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Please note: This executive summary is republished from “Marriage Equality and the Creative Class” by Gary J. Gates from The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law
Marriage equality and the Creative Class
by Gary J. Gates
Executive summary
In the debate over extending marriage to same-sex couples, there have been several arguments about the positive economic impacts for states that do so. One argument is that marriage will attract some same-sex couples to move to a state, in particular young, mobile, and highly educated individuals—members of what has been called the creative class—who are vital to economic development in a post-industrial economy. Massachusetts, with five years of experience in extending marriage to same-sex couples, provides the first opportunity in the United States to empirically assess this argument.
Produced by our friends Empire State Pride Agenda in New York, “Marriage Equality & Religion: The Massachusetts Experience” interviews clergy in Massachusetts and debunks the myths of marriage equality threatening religious freedom.
“One of the most dominant myths used by forces opposed to marriage equality is that allowing same-sex couples to marry would somehow negatively affect religious institutions or apply restrictions to their freedom to worship as they choose.
Although this myth is patently false, that has not stopped some opponents from using the claim to lead people to believe their religious freedom is in danger. Fortunately, in New York, we do not need to speculate on how religious institutions, spiritual life and the freedom to worship will be affected if the state passes a law allowing same-sex couples to marry. New York needs only to look to our neighbor to the east, Massachusetts - where marriages for same-sex couples have been legal since 2004 - to see that the worries about such a law negatively impacting people of faith have been unfounded.”
Boston.com has just posted a video profile of Marcia Hams and Susan Shepard, the first same-sex couple to get married in Massachusetts on May 17th, 2004. They, and their son Peter, share personal stories about their experience as a family with same-sex parents.
“One of the most dominant myths used by forces opposed to marriage equality is that allowing same-sex couples to marry would somehow negatively affect religious institutions or apply restrictions to their freedom to worship as they choose.
Although this myth is patently false, that has not stopped some opponents from using the claim to lead people to believe their religious freedom is in danger.
In states like California, opponents of marriage equality have asserted that passing such a law would do everything from requiring churches to marry same-sex couples against their will to subjecting them to a loss of their tax-exempt status if the institution or congregation chooses not to marry same-sex couples. Whether these objections are motivated by sincere concern, a desire to fear-monger or a decision to engage in willful misinformation is hard to say.
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Lt. Gov. Murray, Attorney General Coakley & Supporters Celebrate 5th Anniversary of Civil Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples
BOSTON – Survey results released today by MassEquality, the state’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to equal marriage rights, show public support for marriage equality has increased 10 percentage points. Today, 62 percent of the state’s voters say they support equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples compared to 52 who did in 2005.
Get involved and help promote marriage equality in your home state. We’ve included a list of national and state resources below. Make sure to contact them to see what local opportunities are available.
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