Title
To express Council's support for marriage equality and our appreciation for the work of Why Marriage Matters Ohio.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus is a smart and open community that values diversity and celebrates the many contributions that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community makes to the life of our city; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council supports full equality for the LGBT community and has in the past several years extended health benefits to the partners and dependents of city employees, established a domestic partnership registry, added gender identity and expression to the city's nondiscrimination laws, and put before voters an amendment to strengthen nondiscrimination language in the city charter; and
WHEREAS, Columbus is widely recognized as one of the most welcoming and inclusive cities in America and recently earned its second consecutive perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's annual Municipal Equality Index; and
WHEREAS, unfortunately, even as justice and equality sweep the nation, Ohio remains among a minority of states that do not permit loving same-sex couples to marry, thereby denying them the ability to protect and provide for their families while depriving them of the many legal, economic, and social benefits of marriage; and
WHEREAS, Why Marriage Matters Ohio will continue its work to educate the public about marriage equality until all loving couples are finally treated equally under state law; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council will continue to speak out for equality and justice as we eagerly await the day when Ohio takes its place on the right side of history; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council hereby expresses its support for marriage equality and its appreciation for the work of Why Marriage Matters Ohio.