LEACH TO PARTICIPATE IN FREEDOM TO MARRY WEEK EVENTS

            HARRISBURG, February 4 – State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Delaware/Montgomery) today announced that he will participate in upcoming Freedom to Marry Week events, and will host a 3 p.m. press conference on Monday, February 8.

            Leach noted that the press conference will serve as the kick-off to the week’s events, followed immediately by a downtown march and rally. Later that evening he will debate Maggie Gallagher from the National Organization for Marriage about same-sex marriage rights at Harrisburg Area Community College.

            “Through legislative initiatives and previous calls to action, I’ve fought long and hard to secure the same rights to same-sex couples that are offered to married men and women,” Leach explained. “At times, it can be a lonely road fighting for what’s right. That’s why I am glad to partner with such esteemed individuals to make our voices heard and celebrate our plans to finally obtain equality for all couples in Pennsylvania.”

            Made up of representatives from the Pennsylvania Diversity Network, UUPlan, LGBT Center Coalition and Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Freedom to Marry Week coordinators have also planned a line-up of events to follow each day through February 16. Events include a candlelight vigil along State Street, Valentine dinner and dancing and a discussion of marriage equality at Harrisburg’s Jewish Community Center.

            According to the group’s Web site, more than 1,138 federal rights and nearly 700 state rights could be granted to same-sex couples through civil marriage.

            “If my bill passes, same-sex couples would no longer be treated as a second-class group of citizens,” Leach said. “I have no doubt that 15 years from now same-sex marriage will be legal in all 50 states, and people will be as ashamed that we ever banned it as they are now that we ever banned inter-racial marriage.”

Back to PaSenate.com