John Aravosis, a gay activist who led a boycott of ‘Dr. Laura’ Schlessinger’s television show three years ago, recently started a petition aimed at stopping a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.
“We certainly favor gay marriage and are pushing for that, but don’t you dare amend the Constitution,” Aravosis said. “It was the religious right freaking out and attacking us that made us decide now is the time to launch this.”
The Million for Marriage campaign allows voters to sign a vow saying, “I DO: I do support the right of every American to marry, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender couples.”
“What we need is people perceived as staunch Democrats, staunch Republicans and staunch independents who are saying, ‘I’m not even supporting my party,’” Aravosis said.
The quest for marriage is a new frontier in the gay rights movement, and battling opponents requires unprecedented unity among activists and organizations, according to gay activists.
“I think the overriding imperative for our community is to unite against the threat we are facing,” said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force. “If we don’t unite, we’re going to lose, and lose badly.