Madison march for LGBT equality
MADISON, Wis.--Around 200 supporters of LGBT civil rights marched for full equality here on a frigid afternoon December 5.
The demonstration raised demands on both the state and federal government--full federal equality before the law, and the overturning of the Wisconsin same-sex marriage ban. Activists marched with high spirits down State Street to the state capitol building, chanting, "Hey Obama, can't you see, we demand equality."
The march was organized through an Equality Across America-affiliated coalition named Unified For Equality that included activists from Madison Area Transgender Association, MATC Pride Alliance, International Socialist Organization, UW Madison LGBTI Equality Now, OutReach/OutThere, UW Whitewater PEACE, and UW Whitewater IMPACT.
Ben Daniels spoke for the ISO at the rally and discussed how recent defeats for same-sex marriage in Maine and New York left some activists feeling discouraged, but we can't allow civil rights to be put up for a vote. "There is no reason to wait," Daniels said. "No reason to be patient for bigoted laws and views to slowly wither away before we can have what we deserve. There is no reason for us to endure such disrespect any longer.
Charlene Hanson, a transgender activist and president of the MATC Pride Alliance, spoke for Unified For Equality, making the point that we can't stop at just one or two rights:
We cannot stop until we are given every right in every state for every person. We must demand our right to have equal treatment in the workplace. We must demand our right to housing. We must demand our right to health care that is free of ridicule by insurance companies and health providers. We must demand our right to being equal parents. We must demand out right to be in a legal marriage with all the privileges and rights that are granted with marriage. We must demand our right to be in the military and to have the "don't ask, don't tell" policy thrown out.
Hanson issued a challenge, both to the government to deliver on our demands and to the rally and the community of people who support LGBT equality to fight in unison until equal rights are guaranteed for all.
