Thursday 29 July 2010

Want Marriage Equality? You'll Need To Fight For It!!

With the Coalition Government now in place, there is a chance for marriage equality to become a reality. But it's not going to come to us without effort, as this week's events have shown. We are going to need to fight for it.

Other countries take the issue more seriously and have dedicated organisations fighting for it. But that takes time to set up, and money. And I don't think it's necessary in our situation. But with large organisations like Stonewall failing to take up the fight, it's down to small organisations, and us individuals, to form what @LawrenceMills called "a rag tag pressure group".

So I thought my contribution would be a few resources. You can see the links on the right hand side of my site to a few posts and websites for more information on the ins and outs of marriage equality. But simply knowing what's what isn't going to solve the problem. You, and I, are going to need to send some letters, bug some people, to get the message out there. Even a letter to a virulent opponent at least get's the ideas floating in their head, increases their activities to oppose it and brings out the more reluctant supporters to counter them.

In the spirit of this, I've made a couple of templates of letters to make it easier for everyone. They WILL contain mistakes so feel free to edit them or add to them. I make no claims to their perfection but hope they will make sending a letter simple.

The first is for MSPs, as the situation in Scotland is a little different to down here in England and Wales, which can be found here: Letter to MSP

The other letter is intended for MPs at Westminster but can be used for anyone really with some amendments: Letter to MPs and others.

Use WriteToThem to get the contact details of your representatives at various levels. If you think Stonewall's failure to pursue this issue is something to be ashamed of write to them here. Lynne Featherstone seems to be the Minister spearheading the current consultation. She can be contacted via featherstonel@parliament.uk, I contacted her a few weeks ago.

Write a blog? Why not make a post or cross post one of mine (with a link back of course ;) )? It'll help get the message out to a wider audience.

See a news story relevant to it? Leave a positive comment. I know it takes up a few minutes, but every positive comment helps remind people that there is a call for it.

All this too much for you? Then just sign in to Your Freedom and rate my suggestion 5 stars.

Get a move on. The window of opportunity may be short, the time to act is NOW. Don't think others will do it for you, Stonewall serves as an example that sometimes LGBT activists don't do what is right. Copy and paste a letter to your MP now.

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

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