Gay rights advocates in Texas have
launched a new campaign in support of Texas allowing gay and lesbian
couples to marry.
Partnering with national group Freedom
to Marry, Equality Texas has launched Why Marriage Matters – Texas.
“For the first time in a long time,
marriage in Texas is moveable,” Daniel Williams, field organizer
for Equality Texas, told Lone
Star Q. “The public opinion is shifting our way. This is
something we can actually dedicate resources to and have a realistic
expectation of having results. We're gearing up to work in a
concrete way to bring the freedom to marry to Texas.”
“If we're going to be able to push
the changes in public opinion beyond demographic shifts, we're going
to have to go and talk to people about why our marriages matter, in
the language of emotion and the language of human relationships. You
can spit statistics to people all day long, but what changes people's
hearts and minds are personal stories of people affected by the
issues,” Williams added.
A poll commissioned by Equality Texas
in March found that 47.9
percent of respondents support marriage equality, while 47.5
percent remain opposed. That's nearly a 5 point drop in opposition
since 2010.
A federal judge in December set a
February trial date for a lawsuit challenging the state's
marriage ban.
At least two additional states –
Pennsylvania
and Ohio
– have launched similar campaigns.