The Numbers Are In
The hard work of the LGBT equality movement and its allies is paying off; public opinion continues to shift, relatively quickly and inexorably, in favor of the freedom to marry.
Fifty-six percent of likely California voters now favor allowing same-sex couples to legally marry, according to a poll released today by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The poll represents an increase in public support for the freedom to marry from an identically worded poll of likely voters conducted in September 2011 by Equality California, which marked support at 51%. This news comes on the heels of a Field poll released last week that showing that support for marriage equality had reached as high as 59% among all California adults.
Shifting public opinion and our movement’s recent wins for equality from New York and Maryland to Washington and California demonstrate that we are closer than ever before to ensuring that same-sex couples and their families are treated with dignity, respect and equality.
In the midst of these watershed moments in the movement for LGBT equality, we must remain vigilant and continue our efforts to change hearts and minds to ensure that public opinion continues to keep pace with our legislative and legal victories and that our opponents’ lies about LGBT people harming kids have no longer have any place in the public discourse or power over public opinion.
You can move the fight for the freedom to marry forward by taking three simple actions today:
Share your story. We know that when straight and gay people talk about why marriage equality matters, it makes a difference. (just ask legislators in NY, MD and WA). Tell us why marriage matters to you.
Tell Democrats to say, “I Do.” We’ve partnered with our friends at Freedom to Marry to urge the Democratic Party to adopt a 2012 platform plank in support of the freedom to marry. High-profile democrats, including some of the President’s campaign team have already signed on. Add your voice to the choir.
Make a breakthrough. Together with our coalition partners across the state, EQCA has embarked on the nation’s most sophisticated project to defuse and defang the “harms kids” attack line our opponents continue to successfully exploit to drive down support for equality. Sign up to be a part of The Breakthrough Conversation.
There is no easy path to full equality. We know that no one person or organization can achieve it alone. Please, take these three simple steps and then ask friend and family to do the same on Facebook and Twitter. Our collective passion for freedom and fairness has gotten us to this point and it is what will help us win in the end.
