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Indianapolis, February 6, 2005-- The future of Indiana’s economic health and viability is the most important issue facing all Indiana families, declared leaders of Indiana’s gay and transgender communities in a press conference the week before an Indiana Senate committee contemplates the adoption of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
"Indiana Equality is greatly disappointed that some members of the Indiana General Assembly have decided to endorse an amendment that would forever write discrimination into the Indiana Constitution," stated Chris Douglas of the Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce. "We are facing high unemployment, diminishing job prospects, a significant budget deficit, and serious threats to Indiana’s public education system and social service programs. A discriminatory constitutional amendment appears to be nothing more than a highly divisive political ploy, distracting Indiana from focusing on our state’s real problems."
SJR 7 would, for the first time, use an amendment to Indiana’s Constitution as a tool of exclusion. It is so extreme that, in addition to banning same-sex couples from marrying, it would bar similar legal structures such as civil unions and threaten such fundamental protections as hospital visitation, inheritance rights, predetermined child custody rights and health care benefits.
"A quick discussion with a person who has lost a job because business is moving out of Indiana will provide a different perspective," commented Tom Maynard of the Human Rights Campaign. "The most important issue facing families around the state is Indiana’s economy."
Indiana Equality, a coalition lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and women’s rights organizations, believes there are more important issues facing Hoosiers than amending the state constitution to discriminate against a group of people. Those legislators who believe that civil marriage for same-sex couples is the most pressing issue facing Indiana are out of step with what is happening.
The group noted that the four words, "legal incidents of marriage," as distinguished from marriage itself, mean that SJR 7 would prohibit any unmarried couple from having any or all of the hundreds of rights included in the compilation of rights known as marriage. There is no reason to include "legal incidents" if the sole goal of the amendment is to have Indiana deny marriage to all same-sex couples.
"These extra words could destroy--and forever prohibit--every single right or protection available to unmarried persons working together to raise their families. The consequences will be severe for the health care, economic security, and probate concerns for thousands of unmarried Hoosiers and their children," observed John Clower, an Indiana University staff member.
In addition to the proposed constitutional amendments, bills have also been introduced which would prohibit state universities from providing domestic partner benefits, and that would restrict the ability of local judges to determine the best interest of the child when making decisions regarding adoption and foster child placement.
Statewide organizations taking part in Indiana Equality include the Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination (ICON), Indiana NOW, Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance (INTRAA), Human Rights Campaign, and Justice, Inc. Regional groups include the Citizens for Civil Rights (Lafayette / West Lafayette), Gay/Straight Alliance (Columbus), Greater Indianapolis Fairness Alliance, Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, LGBT Coordinating Committee (Fort Wayne), LGBTQ Alliance (Terre Haute), Northern LGBT Coordinating Committee (South Bend/Mishawaka), the Bloomington and Seymour chapters of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), and the South-Central Regional Steering Committee (Bloomington).
For additional information regarding Indiana Equality visit the IE website at www.incoalition.org.
