| University raises gay marriage awareness |
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| Written by Dara Barney - Argonaut | ||||||
| Thursday, 12 February 2009 | ||||||
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The right for same sex couples to marry was the inspiration behind the
University of Idaho’s annual Freedom to Marry Week, which began Monday.
“Freedom to Marry Week is a time for people across the nation to observe the fact that we are trying to get marriage equality,” said Rebecca Rod, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender program adviser in the University of Idaho Women’s Center. This program has been at UI for three years, she said. “For Freedom to Marry Week in 2007, we focused on educating about marriage privileges, last year we sponsored a major speaker (Dan Savage) in collaboration with the Core Curriculum and this year I would say we focused more on the legal issues and family aspects,” she said. This year, there were two main events. “On Wednesday, we showed a documentary made in 2004 about the mayor of San Francisco allowing gay marriages and the repercussions that followed,” she said. “We also had students from the UI Law School come in and talk about the different kinds of partnerships available in other states.” The Lavender Lunch program, which happens every Thursday, brought in a guest speaker who talked about growing up with lesbian parents, she said. “Marriage rights for same-sex couples is a huge topic of conversation in the larger culture,” she said. “It is an important issue that people need to be informed about. We have families too, and we work alongside people who are getting benefits we aren’t.” On the Web site www.freedomtomarry.org, Evan Wolfson wrote, “Conversations with the circles of people around us are the prerequisite to winning, the key to helping them push past their discomfort, complacency or indifference to becoming supportive of our equality.” Wolfson, a civil rights representative and lawyer, heads the Freedom to Marry program. The Web site encourages communication as an important role in the path to end gay marriage prejudice. “The observance of Freedom to Marry Week is observed on many campuses nationwide,” Rod said. “It is a hot topic.” This week’s event occurs on college campuses across the nation. “We brainstormed on how to observe and recognize it here,” she said. Everyone needs to be respected and have a voice, she said. “It is my job to bring awareness on these types of topics and issues. Our campus is invested in creating the kind of environment where everyone can feel respected and welcomed,” she said. She said she personally hopes gay marriage will eventually become more accepted. She and her partner have been together for more than 17 years. “We care deeply about having our relationship recognized and being able to protect the life we’ve built together,” she said.  Add as favorites (71) | Views: 1230
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