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Freedom to Marry National Event
Where
Across the Commonwealth
When
February 12, 2009
Marriage Equality KentuckyTM, sponsored by
Kentucky
Equality FederationTM
will participate in the National
Freedom to Marry Day; this event is intended to
raise awareness and educate the public on the
importance of securing marriage equality for
same-sex couples and their families across the
Commonwealth.
"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly." -- Abraham Lincoln
"We live in every
community
and want to honor and protect our families like
everyone else." - Kentucky Equality Federation President
Jordan Palmer in an interview with
change.org
Our action
is simple yet profound. It can be done with as
few as just 2 people and be organized in any
locality around the nation. The event consists
of encouraging couples to "get
en
gaged" for marriage equality by asking for
marriage licenses at their local marriage
counters. Nothing better
highlights the state-sanctioned discrimination against
same-sex couples by having long-term
same-couples, often with children and
grandchildren in tow, turned away from the
counter that serves every other heterosexual
couple that approaches - no questions
asked.
Ending marriage discrimination is a
civil rights issue which concerns
everyone. We encourage our straight
allies, single people and supportive clergy to
attend the annual marriage license counters to
show support for the couples and to share why
you support marriage equality.
Though this is a demonstration in support of civil rights for LGBTI people, please understand that this is not an adversarial event. Many of the county clerks are personally supportive of marriage equality. Asking for a marriage license and it being denied is the protest!
We do this annual direct action during Freedom to Marry week to make marriage discrimination visible, it forces our local clerks to have to look us in the eye, see our children, and enforce a discriminatory and unjust law at their counter – it moves everyone who witnesses this sad, but powerful event and gives us the opportunity to tell our stories and show that we live in every community and want to honor and protect our families like everyone else.
If same-sex couples never ask
for the licenses, the clerks' offices and the
public don't ever have to think about the
1,138 federal and hundred of state rights that
any man and woman can just step right up and
receive but that gay couples are categorically
denied. Straight ally couples can join
in the counter action by asking for the license
- and then giving it back - stating "It isn't
fair that same-sex couples can't be married
too. So we aren't going to engage in this
paperwork today, thank you
anyway."
What to say after your license is
denied: We know that everyday more people are
coming to our side and seeing that it is only
fair and just for us to be able to access a
civil marriage license like other families. We
will see this change in our lifetime and are
honored to play a small part in the civil
rights movement for LGBT equality.
Gear up! Click here
to get your official Marriage Equality Kentucky
National
Freedom to Marry Merchandise! 
Click here
to get your Official Marriage Equality Kentucky
Merchandise (non-event specific).
LOCATIONS: Each county will have a volunteer assigned to it; if you do not see a county listed and would like to volunteer to represent it, please email us.
Instructions: What to do, and
what not to do during the Marriage Counter
Action. (download)
BOONE COUNTY
Pending
FAYETTE COUNTY
Fayette County Clerk
162 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
- Fayette County Event Coordinator: Tara Morrison
- Event Time: 4:00PM - 5:00PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Jefferson County Clerk (main office)
527 W. Jefferson
Louisville, KY
- Event Time: 1PM - 2PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
LAUREL COUNTY
Laurel County Clerk
101 S Main St, # 203
London, KY 40741
- Laurel County Event Coordinator: Dean Byrd
- Event Time: 10AM - Noon
- Click here for a map and directions.
MADISON COUNTY
Madison County Clerk
101 West Main Street - Suite 7
Richmond, KY 40475-1415
- Perry County Event Coordinator: Michael Hollingsworth
- Event Time: 4PM - 5PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
PERRY COUNTY
Perry County Clerk
Perry County Hall of Justice
545 Main St.
Hazard, Ky. 41702
- Perry County Event Coordinator: N. C. Couch
- Event Time: 4PM - 5PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
SCOTT COUNTY
Pending
- For a complete list of Kentucky County Clerks, click here.
Instructions:
What to do, and what not to do during the
Marriage Counter Action. (download)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED SOON!
"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly." -- Abraham Lincoln
"We live in every
community
and want to honor and protect our families like
everyone else." - Kentucky Equality Federation President
Jordan Palmer in an interview with
change.org
Though this is a demonstration in support of civil rights for LGBTI people, please understand that this is not an adversarial event. Many of the county clerks are personally supportive of marriage equality. Asking for a marriage license and it being denied is the protest!
We do this annual direct action during Freedom to Marry week to make marriage discrimination visible, it forces our local clerks to have to look us in the eye, see our children, and enforce a discriminatory and unjust law at their counter – it moves everyone who witnesses this sad, but powerful event and gives us the opportunity to tell our stories and show that we live in every community and want to honor and protect our families like everyone else.
LOCATIONS: Each county will have a volunteer assigned to it; if you do not see a county listed and would like to volunteer to represent it, please email us.
BOONE COUNTY
Pending
FAYETTE COUNTY
Fayette County Clerk
162 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
- Fayette County Event Coordinator: Tara Morrison
- Event Time: 4:00PM - 5:00PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Jefferson County Clerk (main office)
527 W. Jefferson
Louisville, KY
- Event Time: 1PM - 2PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
LAUREL COUNTY
Laurel County Clerk
101 S Main St, # 203
London, KY 40741
- Laurel County Event Coordinator: Dean Byrd
- Event Time: 10AM - Noon
- Click here for a map and directions.
MADISON COUNTY
Madison County Clerk
101 West Main Street - Suite 7
Richmond, KY 40475-1415
- Perry County Event Coordinator: Michael Hollingsworth
- Event Time: 4PM - 5PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
PERRY COUNTY
Perry County Clerk
Perry County Hall of Justice
545 Main St.
Hazard, Ky. 41702
- Perry County Event Coordinator: N. C. Couch
- Event Time: 4PM - 5PM
- Click here for a map and directions.
SCOTT COUNTY
Pending
- For a complete list of Kentucky County Clerks, click here.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED SOON!
Related Documents
- National Freedom to Marry Day Instructions
Instructions on what to do, and what not to do on the National Freedom to Marry Day of Events; by Marriage Equality Kentucky.