Today, FreedomOhio marked the beginning of oral arguments in marriage equality cases in the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The cases will be heard in Cincinnati, where FreedomOhio hosted a large gathering of LGBT and social justice groups, political candidates and supporters.
“Today’s gathering shows the increasing support for marriage equality in Ohio,” said FreedomOhio Executive Director and co-founder Ian James. “With speakers and participants representing such a broad coalition of support, it is exciting to see how far this movement has come.”
“The cases being heard today involve real people whose lives have been shaped by this ban. After decades of discrimination, their cases may bring an end to this terrible policy.”
The rally brought together Ohio’s largest Facebook community for Marriage Equality, Support Marriage Equality in Ohio, faith leaders, AFSCME Council 8 and other Organized Labor groups, the American Military Partners Association, the League of United Latin American Citizens, local and state elected officials and candidates, the equality campaigns from the fours states whose cases are being heard today, Equality Tennessee, Kentucky for Fairness and Equality Michigan, GLSEN, PFLAG and dozens of other LGBT allied groups.
FreedomOhio is the state’s largest LGBT equality organization with more than 62,000 members. The group is working to bring their clear, concise and constitutionally sound 46-word amendment to Ohio voters. The amendment will allow same-gender couples to go to a courthouse and receive a marriage license, while also protecting and respecting the rights of houses of worship to choose whether or not to perform and/or recognize those marriages. Recent polling from Public Policy Polling (PPP) showed 56% of Ohio voters support FreedomOhio’s amendment.
