December 5, 1996

Dear Organizational Allies:

As you know, a Hawaii court recently ruled that denying same-sex couples a marriage license is unconstitutional sex discrimination under the state's Equal Rights Amendment. The decision has been stayed while the case makes its way through the appeals process, with the final outcome delayed for at least two years. Two years is too long to be silent about the injustice faced by lesbian and gay couples on a daily basis.

We are writing with an appeal for action next Valentine's Day weekend. To send lawmakers a message that traditional boxes of candy and heart-shaped cards aren't enough, NOW is coordinating a National Valentine's Day of Action in support of same-sex marriage to demand legal recognition of lesbian and gay relationships. We are building on ideas from NGLTF and would like to enlist your help to spread the word about the Day of Action and to encourage your activists and members to participate in events across the country.

NOW chapters nationwide will be organizing actions near February 14 to promote the national campaign. This community-based effort is an opportunity for us to speak out publicly and act together to show support for lesbians and gay men in loving relationships who are denied the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples. The education that we can provide with these actions is crucial.

As the first feminist organization to join the National Freedom to Marry Coalition, NOW has been firmly committed to securing same-sex marriage rights. NOW's National Board declared support for same-sex marriage in 1995 and NOW activists across the country have battled anti-marriage legislation in 37 states. Of the anti-marriage bills introduced, 20 are dead, 16 have been enacted, and one is pending.

We must stand united against discrimination and in support of strengthening diverse families. Winning the right to marry will be not only a victory in and of itself, but also a vehicle for building the power to create a society in which all of us can be free of discrimination.

NOW's 12-page National Valentine's Day of Action Kit is available upon request. It can also be printed from NOW's website at http://www.now.org/issues/lgbi/valentines.html. .

Please be sure to contact Kimberlee Ward, Lesbian Rights Program Director, at the NOW Action Center, 202-331-0066, x.760; lesbian.rights@now.org, if you have any questions or need more information about this project.

Thank you for all of your efforts. We look forward to continuing our work with you on this issue.

Yours for NOW,

Patricia Ireland
President

NOW gratefully acknowledges NGLTF's publication "To Have and To Hold: Organizing for Our Right to Marry," for material contained herewith.