Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Illinois Unites for Marriage reports on Fall veto session strategies
by Matt Simonette
2013-07-30

This article shared 6613 times since Tue Jul 30, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


The numbers facing Illinois Unites for Marriage activists at first seem daunting. Two million dollars needs to be raised. Four hundred thousand phone calls need to be made. And 71 legislative votes need to be gathered.

But officials from the organization, speaking at Center on Halsted July 29, outlined an ambitious strategy they hope can get SB 10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, passed sometime during the House's fall veto session.

Illinois Unites was formed from a coalition of many activist organizations. Its current, reorganized initiative came after much reflection following SB 10's defeat at the end of March, said Chairman Jim Bennett.

"Many people did not feel like that they had been at the table before, or had skills or resources that we did not utilize, and we did not want to make that same mistake twice," he added. Illinois Unites will focus on building a sustainable momentum for activists and supporters, and mobilize power from outside the Statehouse in order to get the bill passed.

The coalition needs to raise about $2 million, though they are working alongside and sharing resources with other organizations, among them Citizens United, Urban League of Chicago, Human Rights Campaign, Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal and The Civil Rights Agenda. "We formed a committee of people and asked for either $10,000 or $25,000 to get us started. …Between those groups, we've raised about $300,000 in cash and $200,000 in in-kind commitments," said Bennett.

Illinois Unites will hire 20 field operatives to work throughout the state; each will handle two targeted legislative districts. A religious director has also been hired to reach out to African American church communities and

The coalition's various teams were put together over the course of a week, said John Kohlhepp, campaign manager. "It just goes to show how dedicated people are in winning the freedom to marry in Illinois. …We have allies in so many different places that we have yet to activate."

Illinois Unites was a significant presence at Chicago's Pride parade this year. They organized seven floats and recruited many politicians; numerous parade participants held up their signs, according to Kohlhepp. "This was a massive show of unity, showing that even one month after the bill's failure, we were prepared to show the one million people watching the parade that this was the commitment of the LGBTQ community in Illinois."

The veto session consists of two three-day weeks, one in October, the other in November. Kohlhepp said Illinois Unites will try to secure 71 votes for the legislation. He admitted that it would not be easy, but if the bill passes with fewer than 71, it would require an amendment in order to go into effect before June 1 of next year. The amendment would entail floor and committee votes in the House, as well as SB 10 having to be returned to the Senate.

"With 71 votes, there's no amendment. SB 10 becomes law thirty days after the governor signs the bill and SB10 does not have to back to the senate. Seventy-one votes is very, very hard to get, but we should be reaching for that goal. We should not have to go through three votes to get marriage equality in the state of Illinois," said Kohlhepp.

A key talking point will be a Crain's poll taken in May that says about 50 percent of Illinoisans support gay marriage; 29 percent oppose it and 20 percent are undecided, he added. "That's a huge margin of support, and we know that this margin exists in many of the districts in which we're going to work."

Everyone is in our target who has not publically stated that they are a yes vote for marriage equality," Kohlhepp added. "…There is no reason that anyone from any district should be able to say that their district wants them to vote against marriage equality. We know that we have thousands of supporters in each of these districts, and it's our job to contact them and get them to talk to their legislators."

Illinois Unites has pinpointed several thousand voters across the state that they think will be supporters of the legislation. Kohlhepp estimated volunteers and staff will have to hold about 400,000 phone calls and conversations.

"That's just to get people to be supporters—people who would put up a yard sign or a bumper sticker on their car. Field organizers have to get 10 percent of those people to come in on a semi-regular basis to make phone calls and knock on doors—basically, to become activists," he said.

Oak Park resident Pam Cameron also spoke at the forum, describing the activism work that she gradually became involved with after her son came out to her during his senior year in high school. The work was difficult for her, she said, because she is naturally introverted, making reaching out to people uncomfortable. But she views the denial of marriage rights as fundamentally unfair.

"I started this because of my son but now, also, I do this for all of you," Cameron said. "Because everyone is somebody's son and everyone is somebody's daughter, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be protected under the law."

Field Dir. Keron Blair added that there would be a number of strategies supporters can use to raise awareness and encourage their friends and family to get involved, such as fundraising gatherings, for which Illinois Unites will provide party kits, or town hall meetings. He also mentioned the planned March on Springfield Oct. 22. He was not subtle about the importance of the work being proposed for the community.

"There is something about being able to locate ourselves in the annals of history," Blair said. "What we are doing, and inviting you to do, is answer the call of history."


This article shared 6613 times since Tue Jul 30, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Greek legislature approves marriage equality 2024-02-15
- Greece has become the 36th country, and the first Christian Orthodox-majority one, to legalize same-sex marriage. The BBC reported that same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after the 176-76 vote that ...


Gay News

Tenn. legislators back bill that lets officials refuse to perform same-sex weddings 2024-02-15
- Defying a national ruling that authorized marriage equality, Tennessee lawmakers approved a measure that would allow public officials to refuse to perform weddings of same-sex couples, The Hill reported. Tennessee's House Bill 878/Senate Bill 596 says ...


Gay News

WORLD Marriage in Greece, UK politics, cruise death, HRC grants 2024-02-02
- The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece unanimously agreed at a recent meeting that it is "strongly opposed" to the Greek government's promised bill on same-sex marriage and adoption, Balkan Insight reported. The conservative New ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Marriage news, fighting fentanyl, anti-LGBTQ+ crimes, Grindr 2024-02-02
- The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would affirm marriage equality in the state, The Washington Blade noted. House Bill 174, introduced by state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County), passed in the Democratic-controlled ...


Gay News

WORLD Activist honored, marriages in Estonia, Madrid law, trans sports item 2024-01-05
Video below - The National AIDS Commission (NAC) recently honored Caleb Orozco—a leading figure in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Belize—for his instrumental contributions to the national HIV response, BNN reported. According ...


Gay News

Catholic Church allows priests to bless same-sex couples but reaffirms disapproval of gay marriage 2023-12-22
- LGBTQ+ couples can now receive blessings from priests, but the Catholic Church maintained its strict ban on gay marriage, according to a Vatican document approved by Pope Francis Dec. 18. This historic change in doctrine marks ...


Gay News

Greek government vows to back marriage equality 2023-12-22
- Despite opposition from the Church of Greece and within the ruling New Democracy, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government said it will eventually move to legalize same-sex marriage, The National Herald reported. However, no timetable was ...


Gay News

Dignity/Chicago welcomes new rule on church blessings for same-sex marriages 2023-12-18
--From a press release - Dignity/Chicago, the advocacy organization for LGBTQI Catholics and friends, welcomed the news that the Vatican's doctrinal office has officially declared it possible for Catholic priests to bless same-sex unions and ...


Gay News

New Ways Ministry: Pope's blessings approval is Christmas gift to LGBTQ+ Catholics 2023-12-18
--From a press release - MOUNT RAINIER, Maryland—Statement by Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New Ways Ministry: Pope Francis gave LGBTQ+ Catholics an early Christmas gift this year by approving blessings for same-gender couples. The Vatican ...


Gay News

Pope Francis changes policy, allowing priests to bless same-sex unions; GLAAD responds 2023-12-18
--From a press release - GLAAD: "By removing barriers to priests blessing LGBTQ couples, the Pope accurately recognizes that LGBTQ people and our relationships are worthy of the same affirmation and support in the Church, and this strengthens couples in their ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ couple the first in South Asia to have marriage recognized 2023-11-30
- Transgender woman Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey became the first LGBTQ+ couple to have their marriage legally recognized in South Asia after they received a legal certificate in Nepal's Lamjung district on Nov. 29, The Guardian ...


Gay News

WORLD Thai marriage law, French bill, Miss Universe, IKEA, activist dies 2023-11-24
- Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the cabinet approved a draft law on marriage equality and that it would be brought to parliament during a session starting in December, Reuters reported. If the draft law ...


Gay News

Pope: Trans people can be baptized and act as godparents 2023-11-09
- Pope Francis has stated that trans people may be baptized and act as godparents or witnesses to marriage under the same conditions as any other adult—as long as a scandal does not result, according to PinkNews. ...


Gay News

Jamaica court upholds sodomy law; activist ends fight in that country 2023-11-01
- On Oct. 27, the Jamaica Supreme Court upheld the country's anti-sodomy law, claiming that only Parliament could repeal the statute—and the ruling has resulted in a longtime advocate/attorney ending his fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the ...


Gay News

Several dozen people arrested over 'gay wedding' in Nigeria 2023-10-25
- Nigerian security personnel arrested more than 70 young people after accusing them of organizing a same-sex wedding, The South China Morning Post reported. Same-sex marriage is illegal in Nigeria under a 2014 law. Gombe, where the ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.