Thousands Rally At The Capitol
For GLBT Equality!
Participants gather on the Capitol Building steps for
OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day
Additional photos are online in a
special lobby day gallery.
On Thursday, April 7th, approximately 5,000 supporters of basic equality
for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Minnesotans gathered at the
State Capitol in St. Paul as part of OutFront Minnesota's annual JustFair Lobby Day. In addition to attending the rally, over 1,400
people met with over 82% of the Legislature to explain why the amendment
is harmful to Minnesota families and communities. For the third year in
a row, crowd numbers exceeded expectations at what has quickly become
the second best-attended GLBT event in Minnesota following Twin Cities
Pride!
"These thousands of people came from across Minnesota, took time from
work or school, brought their families, and took on the daunting task of
finding parking to make a simple statement: GLBT Minnesotans are
entitled to justice, to fairness, and to full equality under the law,"
said OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Ann M. DeGroot.
A primary reason that people were drawn to this year's event was the
second attempt by legislators to begin the process of amending
Minnesota's constitution to outlaw any form of legal recognition for
same-sex couples and their families. The proposal was endorsed recently
in the Minnesota House, but it has not yet been taken up by the
Minnesota Senate. Rally participants called on the Senate to reject the
proposal as a politically-driven attack on same-sex couples and their
families that doesn't actually help anyone, anywhere.
Speaker after speaker, representing all aspects of the GLBT community
and our invaluable allies; metro, suburban, greater Minnesota, and even
national communities; diverse communities of color and of faith; and all
age ranges, shared not just their opposition to amending the Minnesota
constitution along these lines, but also offered a positive vision of
what our community seeks to accomplish. Each presenter addressed from
his or her unique perspective what a just, fair world would look like
and welcomed rally participants to be a part of the work of making that
vision – encompassing stable families, safe workplaces, schools, and
communities, strong civil rights, and self-reliant GLBT individuals – a
reality.
Special guest Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay &
Lesbian Task Force, brought the crowd to its feet by declaring that
Minnesota's struggle for basic GLBT equality in all aspects of community
life is part of a national effort to hold fast to the historic core
principles that America has embraced for over two centuries.
In the audience, friends, couples, parents and kids, faith groups, and
so many more applauded and cheered the numerous legislative and other
allies appearing on the speaker's platform, as well as moving
appearances by the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus (pictured above) and former Viking and
openly-gay dad Esera Tuaolo.
While OFM's justFair Lobby Day
2005 has ended, we do encourage you to sign-up
with our Public Policy Department to keep informed about legislative
events affecting the Minnesota GLBT community.
Additional photos are online in a
special lobby day gallery. |
