Marriage equality advocates say 2013 is the year for passing same-sex marriage legislation in Delaware.
Lisa Goodman, President of Equality Delaware, the group behind the state’s civil union law passed in 2011, says momentum for the cause has grown by leaps and bounds since in that short span.
Goodman says, since then, support for equal marriage rights has snow-balled across the country.
“Civil unions when we passed them in 2011 provided important state-level protection, but now that we’ve had so much movement at the federal level, it’s time for marriage equality,” said Goodman.
Goodman points to the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, circuit court rulings against the Defense of Marriage Act, and emerging support from the President and Vice President.
Goodman says support for same-sex marriage rights has also grown among Delaware’s political leadership.
“We believe that 2013 is the right year for a marriage equality bill in Delaware to be successful," said Goodman. "With the support of Governor Markell and the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate and many other very supportive legislators, we think that 2013 is the year to pass marriage in Delaware.”
Goodman says advocates are ramping up this year’s campaign for a marriage equality bill with two town hall meetings this week in Wilmington and Rehoboth. The Wilmington event is Wednesday night at 5:30pm at First and Central Presbyterian Church. The Rehoboth town hall is Thursday night at 5:30pm at CAMP Rehoboth.
More than 500 same-sex couples formed civil unions in Delaware last year.
