Remarks By: Bernard Cherkasov, Chief Executive Officer, Equality Illinois
Response To: Press Release - October 1, 2009; Illinois Same-Sex Marriage Bill Introduced
CHICAGO, October 1, 2009.
Senator Steans, Representative Harris, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
The time for full equality in the Land of Lincoln is now!
The U.S. Census reports that there are tens of thousands of lesbian and gay couples living in the state of Illinois. Thousands of these committed couples are also raising children. These are real, hardworking families, with the same challenges and hopes as other American families.
As with other couples, these relationships are based on love, trust, and devotion. However, unlike other couples, lesbians and gays in this great state are not allowed to express their commitment though civil marriage.
Of course, this is not an issue of sacred versus secular - there are plenty of synagogues and churches that both recognize and perform same-sex marriages.
Rather, this is about a civil right - plain and simple.
Marriage provides instant recognition in every area of a couple's life: from medical decision-making to hospital visitation, from parenting & taxation to bereavement benefits & inheritance – to name only a few.
And a state – that has a civil institution of marriage - with its plethora of benefits, rights, and responsibilities - cannot exclude from that institution an entire class of citizens.
That is why we applaud today Senator Steans for her leadership on this issue in the Illinois Senate and Representative Harris for his leadership in the Illinois House of Representatives.
We look forward to working with them and their colleagues to ensure that same-sex relationships are recognized in Illinois.
Thank you.
