COLAGE Connecticut

The Connecticut Marriage Decision via a COLAGE family Oct 20 08

Last week, COLAGE celebrated the Connecticut Supreme Court’s decision to foster marriage equality. The Lazarus family of Windsor, CT are one of our heroes in this case. Becca has been speaking out about marriage equality and her experiences having two dads for years – educating via the media, testifying for legislators, and visiting with her elected officials. Her dads, Jason and Eric were married in June 2007, have tirelessly supported Becca’s activism while sharing their own experiences as a couple themselves. COLAGE is pleased to share stories from Becca and Eric about the CT Supreme Court Decision.

From Becca:
Friday was Rainbow Day at school, which is part of LGBTQQI Ally week, so we as allies and LGBTQQI students and faculty were dressed in our rainbow colors. You know that I was totally rainbowed out!!

With my internship at Love Makes A Family this summer, I spent a lot of time on my cell with them, so they had my cell phone number to get in touch with me. I was listening to my Honors Science teacher lecture when I received a text message from LMF stating that the verdict was coming in today, and that I should hurry down to LMF headquarters and help for the Rally that night at the capital...whether it passed or not. I forwarded the message on to my Daddy at work from class (big nono), and he responded right back with the news that it passed. I screamed at the top of my lungs...my teacher asked if I was OK, and I screamed, "My Parents can get married!!!!" She came over, congratulated, and said, "that is great, but now is not the time to scream in class".

We had a great Rally at the Capital - hundreds of people were there dancing and celebrating. I was surrounded by friends and allies from the CT community. After all my hard work- speaking in public, talking to everyone who would listen, and trying to help people understand the importance of this legislation- the Court’s decision felt like such a great success.

From Eric:

We were both at work when we found out. It had been 17 months since the legal staff at GLAD had testified in the court case and the legislation had been tabled due to an expected block from the Governor. Therefore, we never expected on that Friday, the day before National Coming Out Day, we would have this amazing decision in Connecticut.

For Jason and I it was extremely emotional. It was beyond excitement... it was absolutely fantastic!!!!!! At the celebration at the Capital we were smiling, tearful, laughing… The feelings there were of joy, compassion and acceptance. For all the negative rhetoric we had been hearing from the opposition, the polls show that the majority of the state is in favor of this. We thanked everyone we knew, and most importantly thanked our daughter for all of her hard work that she has put in to help get this passed.

How YOU can get involved:
Love Makes a Family is asking for all individuals in families in Connecticut to send the Governor and legislature emails showing your support for the Court’s decision. You can do this easily online here.


The Lazarus Family at their Wedding

Marriage Equality Victory in CT! Oct 10 08

COLAGE Applauds Historic Connecticut Marriage Decision
October 10, 2008

We are thrilled to share with you this breaking news. At 11:30am this morning, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued its ruling in Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health, the equal marriage case and the news is great! Citing the equal protection clause of the state constitution, the justices ruled that civil unions were discriminatory and that the state's "understanding of marriage must yield to a more contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection."

COLAGE applauds the efforts of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and Love Makes a Family for their leadership in this case and on marriage equality in Connecticut.

Tonight there will be a rally celebrating this historic occasion at the Connecticut State House at 5:30 pm. For more information click here.
We hope that our members and allies in Connecticut will attend. COLAGE also calls on our community, even in this time of celebration, to continue to fight for marriage equality, particular in California, Florida and Arizona where voters are deciding on ballot initiatives about marriage this November.

For more information about COLAGE and our efforts to promote marriage equality, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director at Meredith@colage.org or 415-861-5437.