Feb 27, 2013
Equality NC Joins 27 Organizations in Multi-state Brief Urging Supreme Court to Strike Down DOMA and Prop 8
The two cases are to be argued before the Supreme Court on March 26 and 27. Follow the oral arguments on Twitter via @equalityNC.
Raleigh, N.C. – (February 27, 2012) Equality NC joined 27 other organizations from 23 states by signing on to an amicus brief filed today in the Hollingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor cases currently before the United States Supreme Court.
CLICK HERE to access the brief.
The document, known as an amicus curiae or "friend of the court" brief, was submitted in support of lawsuits aiming to strike down Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that passed in 2008 banning marriage equality (Hollingsworth v. Perry) and the so-called 1996 federal "Defense of Marriage Act" (or DOMA), barring federal recognition and benefits to same-gender couples (U.S. v. Windsor).
All 23 states represented in this brief in opposition to Proposition 8 and DOMA are considered “Red” politically and currently have laws or constitutional amendments that specifically target gay Americans.
“The fact of the matter is that gays and lesbians live in every state in the nation, including North Carolina,” said Stuart Campbell, Equality NC’s executive director. “We are your neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family and we expect to be treated equally. We directly call upon the Supreme Court to acknowledge that we should not be second class citizens in our home states.”
For the latest on these cases, visit scotusblog.com.
The multi-state brief makes the argument that the US Constitution demands equal treatment under the law, and the current patchwork of anti-gay laws and constitutional amendments across the country single out gay Americans. Even though national and statewide polls show growing support for full equality, laws in many states remain hostile to their gay and lesbian citizens.
“Equality NC joins our brother and sister organizations across the country at this historic moment, urging the US Supreme Court to act now to end discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans,” said Campbell. “Laws of any kind that denigrate gay and lesbian Americans are not only unconstitutional, but harmful for all Americans, and now is the time for the Supreme Court to dismantle these systems of discrimination. This brief calls on the Supreme Court to take action now."
This 28 organizations that signed on to the brief, include:
- Campaign for Southern Equality
- Equality Federation
- Alabama: Equality Alabama
- Arkansas: Arkansas Initiative for Marriage Equality
- Arizona: Equality Arizona
- Florida: Equality Florida
- Georgia: Georgia Equality
- Idaho: Add the Words, Idaho
- Indiana: Indiana Equality Action
- Kansas: Kansas Equality Coalition
- Kentucky: Kentucky Equality Federation
- Louisiana: Forum for Equality Louisiana
- Michigan: Equality Michigan
- Mississippi: Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition
- Montana: Montana Human Rights Network
- North Carolina: Equality North Carolina
- Ohio: Ohio Equality
- Oklahoma: Oklahomans for Equality, The Equality Network
- South Carolina: South Carolina Equality, Gender Benders
- Tennessee: Tennessee Equality Project
- Texas: Equality Texas
- Utah: Utah Pride Center (lead author)
- Virginia: Equality Virginia, People of Faith for Equality in Virginia
- Wisconsin: Fair Wisconsin
- Wyoming: Wyoming Youth Proud
Related News
Corporations urge Supreme Court to embrace gay marriage (February 27, 2013) | Reuters
Republicans Supporting Gay Marriage Write Supreme Court Amicus Brief (February, 26, 2013) | ABC News
Multi-state brief filed *in support of* Proposition 8 in Hollingsworth v. Perry
Multi-state brief filed *in support of* DOMA in United States v. Windsor