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Shenna Bellows on Civil Rights |
Shenna believes that coalitions can change the world. In addition to working in coalition to advance voting rights and marriage equality, she was a leader in the Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition, the Maine Choice Coalition, the Women's Leadership Coalition, and the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition.
"I appreciate--as we all should--that Susan Collins joined all of the Democrats in voting for ENDA today, but the measure falls short of full equality. I look forward to the day when both of Maine's US senators have the courage to stand up for full equality, including the freedom to marry, for all Americans."
Bellows was a leader in the 2005 Maine Won't Discriminate campaign when Maine passed a broad anti-discrimination law that prohibits discrimination in employment, credit, housing and education. "It is high time that all Americans are able to live and work freely, without fear of being fired because of who they are. It is, of course, also high time that all Americans enjoy the freedom to marry the person they love," said Bellows.
Brandon and I made the decision to spend our lives together in 2010. But we had made a vow that we wouldn't get married until every loving committed couple could do the same, including our gay and lesbian friends and family members could be legally married.
Last November, Maine made history when our state became the first to pass the freedom to marry at the ballot box. It was an amazing day made even better when the first couples started to wed last winter. But it wasn't until June, when the Supreme Court overturned the outrageously named Defense of Marriage Act, which discriminated against gay and lesbian couples--I don't think they knew it at the time, but when the Supreme Court justices said DOMA was unconstitutional, they were also opening the door for Brandon and I to tie the knot.