| On May 17, 2004, Peg and I were legally married in Brookline, MA, and on September 4th our family and friends came from around the country to celebrate with us. We believe that the right to marry the person of one's choice is a human right. This issue is important to us, and we hope to stem the backlash and help the United States catch up with progress made in many countries around the world. | ![]() |
| MassEquality Robyn is on the Board of Directors of this very important organization. It is a coalition of organizations working as hard as we possibly can to defend marriage equality in Masssachusetts. We achieved a major victory on June 14, 2007 when we won a 3 1/2 year fight to defeat a constitutional amendment in the legislature, 151-45! We need to hold the ground we have gained by making sure that supportive legislators are re-elected and by making sure a new amendment is not re-introduced. Please click here to find out what more about MassEquality and you can do to help. |
![]() June 14, 2007 - Massachusetts: A major victory fo marriage equality! |
Freedom to Marry Coalition / EqualMarriage.org Engages in grassroots education, advocacy, and lobbying in support of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. We believe that marriage rights are not only essential to protect families formed by same-sex couples but we also believe that marriage is a central issue in the struggle for equality for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Only when we have the freedom to choose marriage will we be equal in the eyes of the law and society. We work with other groups in Massachusetts and are part of a growing number of groups and individuals across the nation committed to working for civil marriage rights for gays and lesbians. Individuals and groups are invited to join with us in our important work. This website includes a wedding registry. Please visit the registry and consider a donation in our name to support equal marriage. |
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders Freedom to Marry |
![]() |
| Lambda Legal A national legal group committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of, and combating the discrimination against, the GLBT community and people with HIV/AIDS, through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. |
HomoWeddings.com Website based in the Netherlands that collects articles about marriage equality throughout the world. |
If you live in the United States and want to locate your state's equality group, ask Google: type in the word "equality" and the name of your state and your state's group will show up. Magic! And they need your help -- get on their email list, if you can, send money to support their work, and when they ask people to contact your elected representatives, please do so.
|
See an inspiring article and video Find out how to DEFEND Robyn & Peg's marriage! On September 4th, 2004, Robyn & Peg celebrated with family & friends. View the powerpoint presentation that they showed to tell the story of their wedding and to celebrate the 31 other friends present who had married since May 17, 2004. |
![]() |
What's going on around the world? Lots!
| AROUND THE WORLD | YEAR | WITHIN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| Denmark | Registered Partnerships | 1989 | ||
| Norway | Registered Partnerships | 1993 | ||
| Sweden | Registered Partnerships | 1994 | ||
| Hungary | Domestic Partnerships | 1995 | ||
| Iceland | Registered Partnerships | 1996 | ||
| France | Civil solidarity pacts | 1999 | Hawaii, USA | Reciprocal Partnership Benefits. Info: Hawaii Gay Marriage. |
| Brazil | Stable Partnerships | 2000 | Vermont, USA | Civil Unions. Info: Equality Vermont |
| Germany | Life Partnerships | 2001 | ||
| The Netherlands | Marriage Equality | |||
| Portugal | Civil Unions | |||
| Finland | Registered Partnerships | 2002 | ||
| Belium | Marriage Equality | 2003 | ||
| Croatia | Domestic Partnerships | |||
| New Zealand | Civil Unions | 2004 | Massachusetts, USA | Marriage equality. Info: MassEquality |
| Switzerland | Domestic Partnerships | New Jersey, USA | Domestic Partnerships (see also below!) | |
| Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul | Civil Unions | |||
| Luxembourg | Civil Unions | |||
| Canada | Marriage Equality | 2005 | California, USA | Domestic Partnerships . Info: Equality California |
| Spain | Marriage Equality | Connecticut, USA | Civil Unions. Info: Love Makes a Family | |
| United Kingdom | Civil Partnerships | |||
| Czech Republic | Civil Partnerships | 2006 | Washington, DC, USA | Domestic Partnerships. Info: DC for Marriage |
| South Africa | Marriage Equality | |||
| Australia, Australian Capital Territory | Civil Unions | |||
| Slovenia | Civil Partnerships | |||
| Mexico, DF (Mexico City) | Civil Unions, Nov. 2006 | |||
| Coahuila, Mexico | Civil Unions, Jan. 2007 in this northern state bordering Texas | 2007 | ||
| New Jersey, USA | Civil Unions. info: Garden State Equality. | |||
| Colombia | Feb 2007: court rules same-sex couples entitled to inheritance /property rights; June 2007: Colombia's Congress passes legislation giving same-sex couples most of the same rights as opposite-sex married couples, including social security & inheritance. President Alvaro Uribe says he will sign the bill into law. | |||
| Israel | Highest court rules November 2006 to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other countries. First marriage recognized February 2007. | |||
| Switzerland | Civil Unions | 2008 | New Hampshire, USA | Civil Unions passed April 2007. Went into effect January 2008. Info: NH Freedom to Marry Coalition. |
| Washington State, USA | statewide "domestic registry" law passed in the House and in the Senate in April 2007 and will go into effect January 2008. Info: Equal Rights Washington. | |||
| Uruguay | Civil union legislation offering unmarried couples of any sex property ownership & inheritance rights takes effect January 1, 2008. | Oregon, USA | Domestic partnership law passed May 2007 and was supposed to go into effect January 2008. Currently on hold pending litigation. Info: Basic Rights Oregon. | |
| Hungary | Civil partnerships go into effect January 1, 2008. | |||
| what's next? ... your country or city here? | last updated December 2007 | |||






