On Valentine's weekend, approximately 100 NOW chapters nationwide will stage protests and campaigns to demonstrate support for same-sex marriages. "What better day than Valentine's Day, the day we celebrate love and long-term commitments, for activists of all sexual orientations to speak up for the rights of lesbian and gay couples?" said NOW President Patricia Ireland.
The NOW National Valentine's Day of Action events Feb. 14-16 will include mock wedding ceremonies, rallies at state capitols, numerous public protests and Valentine postcard campaigns to lawmakers. (See below for list of locations and contacts).
In Washington, D.C., activists will protest at the Washington Post, which refuses to print paid announcements about same-sex commitment ceremonies. In New Jersey, activists will hold a news conference on the steps of the statehouse, where they will display a huge red valentine urging Gov. Christine Todd Whitman to support same-sex marriages.
The issue of same-sex marriage moved onto the national agenda the past year, due largely to the strides that lesbian and gay couples have made in their fight for marriage rights. In December, a Hawaii court ruled that denying same-sex couples marriage rights violates the state constitution's equal protection clause.
However, a lengthy appeals process is underway, and the political backlash against same-sex marriages has increased. Last year, Congress passed and President Clinton signed the inappropriately-named Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevents lesbian and gay couples from receiving survivor and pension benefits, tax breaks, and other advantages that heterosexual married couples receive. Furthermore, in 1996 alone, 16 state legislatures passed anti-same-sex marriage bills.
NOW is committed to fighting for lesbian rights, including equality in marriage. "Lesbian rights are women's rights' is what we've argued for more than 25 years," said Ireland.
California
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| Indiana | Indianapolis NOW will have a lesbian couple apply for a marriage license and hold a rally 12 noon at the city-county building. Christine Smith, 317/282-4281 |
| Maine | Bangor NOW and Brunswick NOW plan mock ceremony at Unitarian-Universalist church in Bangor, 6 p.m., 2/14. Joanne Dauphinee, 207/989-3306 |
| Maryland | Baltimore NOW and allies plan a wedding ceremony in Annapolis. Janet Quepeto, 410/668-4399 |
| Missouri | Central Missouri NOW and Missouri University NOW are participating in a mock wedding ceremony on the Boone County courthouse steps, 5pm, 2/14. Beth Kennon, 573-445-6638. |
| North Carolina | Boone NOW will hold a mock wedding ceremony. Katie Godfrey, 704/265-4995 |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin NOW, Milwaukee NOW, and Madison NOW are having a mock wedding outside of city hall in Milwaukee. They are also selling Valentine's cards to legislators and placing a signature ad in local gay paper. Susan Schmay, 414-332-8698. |
| Alabama | Rally and news conference by state and Hunstville, Montgomery, Greater Birmingham and Tuscaloosa chapters. Alicia Cole, 205/345-2741 |
| Kansas | With PFLAG, delivering Valentines to legislators. Sue Ledbetter, 316/265-5736 |
| Mississippi | State and Central Miss. NOW will deliver a Valentine to Tommy Green, the lone voice opposint that state's anti-marriage bill. Sheila Moore, 601/373-7547 |
| Minnesota | State, in conjunction with the Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council, will have a Family Day on the Hill, including a news conference and lobby day, 2-6pm, 2/14. Gail Brinkmeir, 612-222-1605. |
| New Jersey | Rally at state house 2/14 to deliver Valentine to governor, organized by New Jersey NOW, Shore Area NOW and Middlesex County NOW. Sandy Powers, 201/635-4707 |
| Washington | Seattle NOW and state plan a rally at the state house. Maureen Gallegos, 360/253-7147 |
Arizona
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| California | San Francisco and Marin NOW will drop broken hearts on the steps of Pat Brown state building, 6100 Van Nuys Blvd, 11:30 am, 2/14. Stacey Karp, 415/861-8960 |
| D.C. | Protest at Washington Post, 1150 15th St NW, 12 noon. Yasmin Branden, 202/319-1799 |
| Illinois | Oak Park NOW is holding a Valentine's Day Social in Celebration of Domestic Partnership, during which they plan to present hundreds of Valentines to elected officials. Steve Glickman. |
| Kansas | Lawrence NOW is working with university students on an action. Sarah Deer, deer@eagle.cc.ukans.edu |
| New York | New York City NOW is planning a protest at the New York Times, 229 W. 43rd St, 12 noon, 2/14.. Shelley Mazure, 212/886-3168 |
| New Jersey | Morris County NOW news conference. Susan Waldman, 201/895-2218 |
Ohio
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| Oklahoma | Tulsa NOW public forum with lesbian couples, clergy, activists at Fellowship Congregational Church, 2900 S. Harvard, 3-4pm, 2/15. Patty Hipsher, 918-365-5658. |
| Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Pittsburgh |
City chapter and state organization plan street theatre on February 25.. Barb DiTullio, 215/735-1661 Several chapters and allies plan a rally. Barb DiTullio, 215/735-1661 |
| Tennessee | Nashville NOW information booth at a student conference. Toby Abrams, 615/383-6000 |
| Texas
Dallas Houston U.of Houston |
Event with Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Janet Levi, 214/270-0844 Event honoring businesses that provide domestic partner benefits. Jeanne Sommerfeld, 713/951-3715 Card signing on campus, delivering to legislators. Kimberly Fritch, 713/428-2636 |
| Vermont | Education campaign. Judy Murphy, 802/362-2901 |
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