Our Work in the Courts Take Action! and the Community

There are things you can do right now to government officials about the issue. To • Nationwide, the ACLU has filed advance the cause of equal rights and organize an ACLU house party, contact lawsuits challenging bans on marriage marriage. [email protected]. Why by same-sex couples in Oregon, California, New York, and Maryland. • Keep yourself and others informed • Meet with clergy and other opinion Marriage about recent developments in marriage leaders in your community and ask • In , the ACLU is pursuing equality by going to www.aclu-wa.org. It them to join you in speaking out in a suit on behalf of 11 same-sex couples is often useful to utilize personal stories support of marriage equality and against seeking to establish equal marriage Equality of , , bisexual and the Federal Marriage Amendment. rights statewide. couples when convincing others of the need for equal marriage rights. • Join our e-mail activist network at • The ACLU is a leading member of Matters www.aclu-wa.org and stay informed Equal Rights Washington, a statewide • Write a letter to the editor of your about legislative developments on coalition of sexual minority organizations local newspaper saying why you support marriage equality. and allies. legal marriages for same-sex couples and why a constitutional amendment • Make a financial contribution to • The ACLU has helped organize town against marriage equality is a bad idea. support the ACLU of Washington. hall meetings on equal marriage rights in communities across the state, • Speak up the next time you hear including Olympia, Port Townsend, someone say marriage is only meant for , Spokane, Tacoma, and Yakima. heterosexual couples. If you hear this on • ACLU representatives speak out a radio program, call in. If you hear it on frequently on the need for marriage TV, call or send an e-mail. If it comes up equality in the mass media and in public in conversation, state your views clearly forums have educated students about and forcefully. the issue in school classrooms.

• Host a house party at which you can • The ACLU has designed and educate friends and family about distributed educational materials on marriage equality and raise funds for marriage equality to thousands of people groups working on the cause. Invite a across Washington. Information is diverse group. Promote discussion and 705 Second Ave., Suite 300 available on the ACLU of Washington Seattle, WA 98104 answer questions. Encourage them to website at www.aclu-wa.org. Phone: (206) 324-2570 write letters to Congress and to state 1/05 www.aclu-wa.org • Social Security survivor and Why should same-sex couples have How will granting marriage rights to What about people who oppose pension benefits the right to marry? same-sex couples affect families? granting marriage equality because • Hospital visitation rights of their religious beliefs? • Medical decision-making rights The right to get married is a fundamental It will provide security and stability to • Inheritance rights Civil marriage involves a legal contract right. As a fundamental right, it should families. According to the 2000 Census, • Family leave under the federal between two people. Equal access to be equally available to all citizens. The there are more than a million children Family Medical Leave Act legal marriage does not affect the right government should not deny two people being raised by same-sex couples in the • End-of-life decisions of religious institutions to decide whom the right to legal marriage just because they will marry. No church or religious they are of the same sex. That is Marriage: Civil Unions: organization will be required to perform discrimination and is contrary to a marriage ceremony for a same-sex Amer