|| News ||
Page 1 of 1

American Bar Association Backs Marriage Equality


ABA AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION BUILDING X390 (WIKI) | ADVOCATE.COM

The American Bar Association on Tuesday unequivocally backed civil marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.

In a resolution adopted less than one week after a federal judge in San Francisco struck down California's Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, the group acknowledges that same-sex couples "are only seeking to participate in an equal basis in a foundational institution of our civil life," former ABA president Tommy Wells told the organization's house of delegates. "They simply want to share in the legal blessings that we give to married couples. It can only strengthen marriage.”

Text of the ABA resolution is as follows:

"RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges state, territorial, and tribal governments to eliminate all of their legal barriers to civil marriage between two persons of the same sex who are otherwise eligible to marry."

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook. Page 1 of 1
Reader Comments
  • Name: Paul
    Date posted: 8/13/2010 12:33:13 AM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    @ K in VA - the ABA House of Delegates voted in August 2009 at the Annual Meeting in Chicago to adopt a resolution urging that Congress move to repeal Section 3 of the “Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)” which denies federal marital benefits and protections to lawfully married same-sex couples. (Proposal 112)

  • Name: blupheonix
    Date posted: 8/11/2010 2:15:08 PM
    Hometown: Toronto

    Comment:

    Lawyers backing a new revenue stream?? Who would have guessed!!!?? Since straight people are marrying less, let the gay folks pay for the divorce lawyers=) Lots of money to be made in gay divorce, as gay guys make better money, with more disposable cash than straight couple with kids... You watch, the lawyers will get rich off of gay divorce... I mean Lawyers already ruined straight marriage pretty much.

  • Name: Neeq
    Date posted: 8/11/2010 12:21:08 PM
    Hometown: Venus

    Comment:

    Yay! Proud of the org I will someday be apart of

  • Name: Bob
    Date posted: 8/11/2010 7:51:58 AM
    Hometown: Independence, MO

    Comment:

    I think this is the big news of the week. This resolution provides additional ammunition when the Prop. 8 case goes to the Supreme Court.

  • Name: Gurka von S.
    Date posted: 8/11/2010 4:01:16 AM
    Hometown: Europe

    Comment:

    Respectful greetings to the American Bar Association! Your resolution on marriage equality is valuable contribution to the slow process of Coming of Age of the American civil society.

  • Name: CountryBoy
    Date posted: 8/11/2010 12:27:02 AM
    Hometown: MO

    Comment:

    I agree with Ryan and I'm delighted for the support from the ABA. As more and more mainstream groups and professional associations get behind our fight for equality, people will truly begin to see that we pose no threat to THEIR marriages; we simply want the same right for ourselves that the Constitution guarantees ALL Americans.

  • Name: Ryan
    Date posted: 8/10/2010 11:42:25 PM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    @Tony, 99% of ABA members work in areas other than family law, and family lawyers that specialize in LGBT issues probably have the more to loose than gain, since once marriage is legal gay couples won't need to spend thousands of dollars drafting durable powers of attorney, health care proxies, wills, and dealing with complicated adoption issues. There's no ulterior motive here.

  • Name: Tony
    Date posted: 8/10/2010 5:41:09 PM
    Hometown: Santa Cruz, Ca

    Comment:

    It's nice to get support from any quarter we can but... I'm sorry but it sounds a little self-serving to be so enthusiastic about welcoming us to the wonderful world of equality in our civil unions while most of their interest lie in the brand new market segment made available to them for potential divorce litigation. Call me jaded.

  • Name: Joe
    Date posted: 8/10/2010 5:31:37 PM
    Hometown: Fort Worth

    Comment:

    Think of this the next time you feel like bashing lawyers.

  • Name: Dan
    Date posted: 8/10/2010 4:31:22 PM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    This is great news! Thank you American Bar Assoc. I should think that having the support of those who argue the validity of our laws will impress on many who are on the equality fence. This is one more chip in the wall, a significant one-perhaps equality won't take another forty years! Marriage would have been nice, but I am not going to split hairs if we get national recognition. Aren't all those friendly Republicans in Congress Lawyers? hmmm...



Don't Miss
  • Best of Broadway Smash: Why You Will Love It

    Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, two of the producers of NBC’s new critically acclaimed musical series, explain why the backstage drama of creating a musical about Marilyn Monroe has mass appeal and why big stars like Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Nick Jonas were eager to appear in it.

  • Best of Broadway How Broadway Does a Flea Market

    Find out why actress Kathleen Chalfant calls the annual Flea Market and Grand Auction in Times Square "the most glamorous flea market you've ever seen." It raised half a million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS.

  • Travel Slideshow Flag Gayest Cities in America, 2012

    It's no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we've even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn't that list.

 
 
Advocate Subscribe Promo Banner 300x50
 
Follow Us Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterSubscribe to our RSS feedsDownload our app
Facebook Activity
 
1056 COVER X135 | ADVOCATE.COM
Today's Headlines