Campus groups in support of Mallory’s decision
Mayor Mark Mallory has recently signed on to a campaign that supports same-sex marriages.
By Kyle Stone | Published: 02/16/12 12:12am | Updated: 02/19/12 8:49pm | No comments
Mayor Mark Mallory has recently signed on to the “Freedom to Marry” campaign, which supports same-sex marriages.
“Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” is a “broad-based and nonpartisan group of mayors who believe that all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage,” according to its website.
The group is led by Mayors Mike Bloomberg of New York City, Thomas M. Menino of Boston, Annise Parker of Houston, Jerry Sanders of San Diego and Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles.
“The mayor has long believed in the issue,” said Jason Barron, the mayor’s spokesman.
The LGBTQ community for the University of Cincinnati expressed excitement to know the mayor supports same-sex marriage.
“We definitely feel supported by the mayor and it makes us feel very welcomed,” said Josiah Haller, 21, political science student, spokesperson for LGBTQ at UC. “I definitely feel as if Cincinnati is moving more toward a progressive state.”
UC’s religious community has also taken note of Mallory’s move to support homosexual partnerships.
“The mayor has the right to promote whatever he’d like, but that does not change the opinion of the church about same-sex unions,” said Michael Schreiner, 41, Campus Minister for St. Monica-St. George Parish Newman Center at the UC.
“We do have homosexual couples at St. Monica-St. George, and they are very welcome here,” Schreiner said. “The church teaches to promote dignity to all people.”
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California upheld the ruling of a federal judge that voters could not deprive same-sex couples the right to marry, last week.
In addition to Washington D.C., the only states where same-sex marriage is currently legal are Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Iowa.
A recent proposition in Colorado is questioning whether or not to allow civil unions to same-sex couples, which would give them similar rights to married couples.
It is uncertain if there will be a push for repeal of the 2004 Ohio Defense of Marriage Act amendment, which has prevented recognizing legitimacy of same-sex marriages carried out in other states.
