New Hampshire Becomes 6th U.S. State

A LEADERSHIP ADVISORY
The Communications Department
of Metropolitan Community Churches
www.MCCchurc.org . info@MCCchurch.net

June 3, 2009

New Hampshire Becomes 6th U.S. State
To Legalize Same-Gender Marriage
MCC Leader Hails "Advancement In Bringing Equality Under The Law To All People"

New Hampshire today became the sixth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, after a bill enacted by both the state House and Senate was signed into law by Governor John Lynch.

"Today we're standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples by making clear they will receive the same rights, responsibilities and respect under New Hampshire law," Lynch said before signing the bill. Lynch said it was a New Hampshire tradition "to come down on the side of individual liberties and protections and that tradition continues today."

Rev. Nancy L. Wilson, moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, hailed the decision. "We are celebrating with the people of New Hampshire and with LGBT couples across that state at the news of today's advancement in bringing equality under the law to all people. This action heartens people of goodwill everywhere to redouble our efforts on behalf of justice and equality, in general, and marriage equality, in particular."

Metropolitan Community Churches has supported marriage equality for four decades. In 1969, MCC Founder Rev. Troy Perry performed the first public same-sex marriage in the United States. In 1970, he filed the first lawsuit seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages. The courts dismissed that case, but it launched the international movement for marriage equality.

Same-gender marriage is now legal in six U.S. states -- Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, all of the new England states, except Rhode Island -- and in Iowa.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND MCC:

For 40 years, MCC has been at the forefront of the marriage equality movement. In 1969, MCC's Founder Rev. Troy Perry performed the first public same-sex marriage in the United States in Huntington Park, California. In 1970, he filed the first lawsuit in the U.S. seeking legal recognition of same-gender marriages. That case was dismissed, but it served to launch the marriage equality movement in the United States. In 1975, Rev. Freda Smith performed the first U.S. same-sex wedding conducted with a civil marriage license in Denver, Colorado, for Richard Adams and Anthony Sullivan. Their marriage is still listed on the Colorado Bureau of Records website. In 1994, MCC's Rev. Roberto Gonzalez performed the first mass lesbian-gay blessing of couples in South America at the ILGA in Rio. In 2001, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes of MCC Toronto performed Canada's first legal same-sex wedding under Canada's ancient law of the Reading of the Bann's. In 2003, Supreme Court of Ontario upheld MCC Toronto's legal case -- making same-gender marriage legal throughout Canada. Rev. Troy Perry and his spouse, Phillip Ray De Blieck, were legally married under Canadian law in July of 2003. In 2002, MCC members Alejandro Soria and Oscar Benitez became the second couple in Latin America -- and the first clergy couple -- to be united under Buenos Aires' Civil Union provision. In 2004, Rev. Troy Perry and his spouse sued the County of Los Angeles seeking the specific legal recognition of their Canadian marriage and the general recognition of same-gender marriages under California constitutional law. In 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of Rev. Perry's lawsuit, making marriage equality the law in California. 18,000 same-sex couples were legally married before California voters revoked marriage equality in the Prop. 8 vote in November of 2008. Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas serves as president of the interfaith California Faith for Equality, which represents 6000 faith leaders and organizations in California. MCC members have been at the forefront of the marriage equality movements in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, South Africa and the United States.


Jim Birkitt
Communications Director
Metropolitan Community Churches
Tel. (310) 625-4177
E-mail: info@MCCchurch.net