[WestMALocals] Press Release| Broadhurst Backs Equal Marriage Rights

[Owen Broadhurst]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Owen R. Broadhurst
96 Elbert Road
Agawam, MA  01001-3202
413.786.1508
owen.broadhurst at gmail.com
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org


AGAWAM – Green-Rainbow Party candidate for state representative in the Third
Hampden District, Owen R. Broadhurst of Agawam, reiterated his support of
equal marriage rights in a recent statement, while also noting that "the
continued struggle for basic civil and human rights does not begin and end
there". Broadhurst, an openly bisexual candidate and the very first openly
gay, lesbian or bisexual candidate ever to campaign for public office within
the district, noted that he has been an equal marriage rights activist for
sixteen years and a leader for the cause within his party.



"Long before Goodrich, the Green-Rainbow Party was the very first political
party within the state to support equal marriage rights in Massachusetts ,"
Broadhurst observed, "and I have been instrumental in the creation of the
state party's Lavender Caucus and Equal Marriage Rights Taskforce."
Broadhurst also has been officer within the National Lavender Green Caucus,
and was a Steering Committee member for the Northampton Pride March in 1991.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons have long occupied positions
of leadership in the Green-Rainbow Party – with two notable examples being
the party's gubernatorial candidate and running mate, Grace Ross and Martina
Robinson.



Broadhurst opposes any ballot question on the matter. "This is a question of
religious rights as well as civil rights", Broadhurst argued. "Marital
sacraments have been bestowed upon same-sex couples by various religions for
hundreds and hundreds of years; same-sex couples have been wed by rabbis,
priests, priestesses and imams."

Broadhurst contends that, as a "measure that relates to religion, religious
practices or religious institutions", an initiative to rescind equal
marriage rights is unconstitutional.



Broadhurst insisted opposing candidates must disclose their views on the
subject, and other subjects of concern to people in the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender community. "The views of only two major party
candidates on the subject are known to me. Perhaps other candidates hope to
hide this issue within a closet", he said.



Broadhurst outlined a list of other community civil rights concerns, which
follows:



   - Defending the growing Gay/ Straight Alliance movement in schools
   against continued efforts to level- fund or zero- fund their valuable and
   needed advocacy.
   - Supporting a comprehensive and inclusive health curriculum such as
   that now being advanced in the legislature, while opposing "opt-in"
   legislation.
   - Opposing efforts to demolish the Commonwealth's Youth Risk Behavior
   Surveys.
   - Including gender expression in state and municipal
   anti-discrimination statutes.
   - Opposing legislation that would allow for discrimination on the
   basis of sexual orientation in adoption services.
   - Supporting legislation to grant married same-sex couples the same
   government health care benefits as other married couples, including
   MassHealth benefits.












-- 
Owen R. Broadhurst
Candidate for State Representative
Third Hampden District
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org