Welcome to the Tx Foundation for Family and Marriage Equality yahoo group!!

The Foundation for Family and Marriage Equality was organized in 2002 to promote equality for families headed by samesex couples who do not receive the same legal protections for themselves and their children as do other families.

As part of our efforts throughout the year and especially during the week of St. Valentine's, we organize demonstrations, educational seminars, and samesex marriage events (visit www.FamilyMarriageEquality.org for a listing of events). All of our events receive state and national attention, showing real people in real relationships that are honored by our friends, families, communities, and our many diverse faith traditions.

Unfortunately, our government does not recognize our relationships and our rights as Texans and U.S. citizens. In 2005, the Texas Marriage Amendment passed, clearly doing nothing to help traditional marriage but everything to discriminate against samesex couples by denying GLBT families the civil rights given to other Texas families.

SECTION 1. Article I, Texas Constitution, is amended by adding Section 32 to read as follows: Sec. 32. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.

What many people do not understand is that all marriage rights can NOT be contracted and that this amendment would allow others to clearly challenge any contracted rights that look like marriage rights.

We will continue our efforts until all GLBT people are allowed to love freely, protect their families, and share the same civil rights, protections and dignity afforded by marriage.

"A constitutional amendment banning samesex marriages is a form of gay bashing and it would do nothing at all to protect traditional marriages." Coretta Scott King, March 24, 2004, USA Today