RI Marriage Equality Advocates Not Giving Up

More than 200 marriage equality supporters gathered outside the Rhode Island State House in Providence on Tuesday, May 3, to protest House Speaker Gordon Fox's announcement last week that he would introduce a civil unions bill.

Fox, who is gay, stunned LGBT activists last week with his announcement that lawmakers would not vote on a marriage equality bill this legislative session. The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the bill in February, and the Senate Judiciary Committee held a separate hearing in March.

A same-sex marriage bill has been introduced every year since 1997, but it has never made it out of committee for a floor vote. Marriage equality advocates had hoped this year would be different.

Standing alongside his husband Tony Carparco, state Rep. Frank Ferri (D-Warwick) blasted Fox for going back on his promise to bring a marriage bill to a vote.

"We are hurt and betrayed," said Ferri. "I am very angry."

Providence resident Steve Isherwood said Fox's decision blindsided marriage equality supporters. "He should've talked to us first," he said. "That's why he let us down."

Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed (D-Newport) opposes marriage for same-sex couples, but backs civil unions. She praised Fox for changing his position on the issue-Paiva-Weed also accepted a $500 donation from the National Organization for Marriage, which has spent $400,000 over the last few months to thwart marriage equality in Rhode Island.

State Rep. Peter Petrarca (D-Smithfield) introduced the civil unions bill on Tuesday. State Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Cranston) introduced an amendment to the measure that would replace the language that allows civil unions with that that would provide full marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence has already expressed their opposition to civil unions.

"Government sanctioned civil unions cannot be supported by those who truly understand the unique nature and status afforded a man and a woman in marriage," wrote the diocese in an unsigned published in last week's Rhode Island Catholic. We call upon the members of the Rhode Island House and Senate to cast aside such compromises and rather work to strengthen marriage in our state by passing a Defense of Marriage Bill that clearly defines marriage as between one man and one woman."

Speakers at Tuesday's rally said civil unions are an inadequate substitute for full marriage rights for same-sex couples. They also vowed to keep fighting for marriage equality in the Ocean State.

"There's still a tremendous amount of work to do," said Martha Holt, chair of Marriage Equality Rhode Island. "We are not second class citizens and we deserve to be treated equally."

The Rev. Gene Dyszlewski, pastor of Riverside Congregational Church in East Providence who heads the Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality, also spoke. "We believe civil unions offer neither freedom or marriage," he said.

Longtime LGBT activist Ken Fish said he was "disappointed" in Fox's leadership, but he remains optimistic that marriage equality will happen sooner or later. Handy told the crowd his constituents have praised him for supporting marriage equality.

"They know this is the right thing to do," said Handy, noting he was "disappointed" by Fox's decision to back civil unions. "We are all in this together."