A Letter to Rhode Island Legislators

Today the Freedom to Marry organization launched an online lobby to support the marriage equality bill that will soon arrive on the desks of Rhode Island Legislators. For any of you with a Rhode Island address, please follow this link and take a minute to send along a letter. There’s even a form letter you can submit if you don’t have much time. It would mean the world to me if you did so!

Here is the letter I sent:

My name is Julia —-, and I am your constituent living in —–, Rhode Island. I am writing today to urge you to support marriage equality in this legislative session.

I am in a loving and committed relationship with my beautiful partner of two years. Recently, she proposed to me, and, through tears of joy, I said “Yes.” Now as we begin to plan our life together, it would mean the world to us to be able to say our vows to one another in our home state and to have our relationship recognized by the government we so proudly support.

We want similar things that all couples want: the ability to protect and provide for our family. We are just one of the many gay and lesbian couples in Rhode Island that are excluded from the respect and recognition that only marriage provides.

I urge you to vote in favor of the freedom to marry and ensure that gay and lesbian couples like us can share in the responsibilities and critical safety net that their families vitally need.

So, when it comes time to vote on marriage equality, I ask you to think of my partner and I. Picture the smiling faces, the joyful tears, the laughter and love on our wedding day should this legislation pass. Imagine my partner and I celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary, wrinkled hand in wrinkled hand. Please know that our hopes rest in you – you have the power to make our dreams come true.

EDIT: The bill did not pass. Instead, we got a discriminatory civil unions bill; so discriminatory, in fact, that it was the first of its kind to be protested AGAINST by gay rights activists. For this reason, I believe my letter still stands. I’m not giving in until we have full equality.