Colorado gay lawmakers: civil unions a matter of “when,” not “if”

The Colorado civil union legislation that was killed eight months ago by Republicans on the state House Judiciary Committee is starting to be resuscitated by educational efforts and outreach from the bills sponsors and supporters.

More than 70 Jefferson County Democrats and a bevy of elected officials gathered Nov. 12 in Lakewood to hear from the state’s four openly gay and lesbian legislators talk about civil unions and LGBT rights issues. The same conversation will be rekindled at the Capitol in the 2012 legislative session, as Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, will introduce another civil unions bill.

“It’s not a matter of if, but when it will pass,” Ferrandino said.

Earlier in the year more than 100 organizations representing more than one million people organized by One Colorado, a statewide LGBT advocacy organization, supported civil union legislation, Ferrandino said.

That same effort will need to be replicated in 2012 and subsequent years, if necessary.

“Tell your friends to talk to their legislators and let them know that voting for civil unions will not be the end of their political career. But voting ‘No’ might be,” Ferrandino said.

The 2012 election cycle will impact both local and national LGBT issues, but will certainly not overshadow their importance and power, Ferrandino said. If anything, it will help bring about a greater awareness, he said.

Colorado has come a long way in the past three decades to protect the civil rights of the LGBT community, Steadman said.

He outlined the history of legislative ups and downs to further the rights of the LGBT community in Colorado from the passage and eventual injunction of Amendment 2 in the ’90s to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2006.

The state is tied for eight hin the national equality index, which ranks states on a six-point scale for human rights, he said.

“We are what we are today, in a sick way, thanks to Amendment 2,” Steadman said. “There is nothing like a slap in the face to make you work harder.”

And the Democrats are continuing to work.

In June, the Jeffco Dems passed a resolution to support The Respect for Marriage Act, which was sent to the Colorado delegation in Washington.

A Senate committee approved the act which would repeal the federal definition of marriage between a man and a woman but it is unlikely to advance further.

Lauren Fortmiller, who moved to Colorado from New York four years ago with her partner, encouraged the audience with friends in other states to call their representatives and either thank them for supporting the national legislation or to urge them to do so.

“As an individual you can continue to support the RMA by educating yourself,” she said.

Everyday when Fortmiller leaves her house she dons a button that reads, “ Repeal DOMA.”

“People will ask me, ‘what’s DOMA,’” she said. “For me, that is the outreach. I have the most wonderful conversations. I don’t like to be confrontational, but informative.”

Rep. Sue Schafer, D-Lakewood, said she encouraged the Democrats to take Fortmillers approach and reach out to one person at a time.

“We also need to talk about the importance of partnerships and protecting them,” she said.

Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, also an ordained pastor in the Unite Methodist Church said the faith community has come a long way and interfaith alliances are forming to help support LGBT issues.

But, “Laws don’t always change what we think or our opinions,” she said.