Civil unions aren’t the finish line: Join our call for full marriage equality in Colorado

Let’s begin with some clarity: The fight to establish civil unions in Colorado was worthwhile.

While it might be easy for some to dismiss civil unions as an unequal “lesser-than” status, the real legal benefits and protections the law provides to spouses are consequential enough that supporting the bill was a no–brainer.

The benefits of civil unions – helping same-sex couples and LGBT families deal with their property, navigate sickness and loss, protect their children and care for each other – far outweigh the issue we take with the name.

We owe a deep debt of gratitude to state Sens. Pat Steadman and Lucia Guzman, state Rep. Sue Schafer and Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino, the four of whom introduced Colorado’s civil unions bill into the 2013 General Assembly.

We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the Republicans and Democrats in the legislature who fought for civil unions from the beginning, as well as those who voted against the bill at first but ultimately came around, sometimes at great political risk.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the Colorado activists and leaders who worked to move the banner forward, and to our fellow LGBT community members who got out and voted.

But civil unions are not full equality – and they are not enough.

Our concern is not only over nomenclature or rhetoric. An Illinois study found same-sex couples in civil unions – even with the state-level rights and benefits almost identical to marriage – are still failed because too many people, including state agencies and private employers, don’t recognize them, honor them or understand what they mean.

There are real benefits of having the most widely–recognized name for your union – marriage – which is still beyond a Colorado same-sex couple’s reach.

Since our community has existed, we’ve known that same-sex relationships are as worthy as opposite-sex relationships. And now, a majority of Americans believe that, too. Out Front supports efforts to enact full marriage equality in Colorado, and urges the community to settle for nothing less.

There are multiple potential paths to full marriage equality in Colorado and nationwide, but our Colorado community’s biggest obstacle is overturning a state constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman.

What to do about Amendment 43 will come into better focus this summer when the Supreme Court rules on two cases regarding marriage equality.

Until then, there is plenty to do: fight for safer schools for queer youth, strengthen health care access for trans people, implement penalties for employers and service providers who discriminate and find help LGBT seniors retire with dignity.

As one journey ends today, May 1, 2013, another begins. Let the jubilation of victory fuel our continued march toward marriage.

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