Marriage Equality Becomes a Bullseye

August 22, 2019

The Goodridge decision makes Massachusetts the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Immediately, the Gill Foundation joins others in funding the effort to defend the win against any future constitutional amendment.

However, in an attempt by opponents to increase conservative turnout, anti-marriage constitutional amendments are placed on the ballot in 13 states. In a devastating wave of losses, all 13 amendments pass by the end of the year.

With the rights of same-sex couples under direct attack, the Gill Foundation joins other LGBT funders in forming the Civil Marriage Collaborative, a coalition to advance the marriage equality movement.

The Gill Foundation also helps launch TurnOut, a public education campaign and get-out-the-vote effort to bring attention to the fact that LGBT people can be fired in 35 states simply because of who they are or whom they love.