As some of you may know, I grew up in Maryland. Ive spent most of my life in and out of the Free State and in fact most of my friends and family live in the state still.
Having been active in the Washington, DC equality movement I was elated last year when marriage equality was finally won in the district. For myself, and a number of nearby native Marylanders, it was a bittersweet moment. Though I have marriage equality where I work and hang out, those rights evaporate on the short metro ride to where I sleep.
We now stand on the precipice of winning marriage equality in Maryland and a number of great organizations are working full steam to make this happen.
Equality Maryland is taking the lead in lobbying state legislators to pass SB 116, the “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act”, partnering with Freedom To Marry and others to build a grassroots movement for Maryland marriage equality. Freedom to Marry Political Director, Sean Eldridge (who recently announced his engagement to Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes) did an interview with Swirl Radio outlining the state of marriage equality in the country. In it, he outlines legal and judicial strategies as well as upcoming legislative fights.
Our friends at Friendfactor have launched a click to call campaign called “Pop The Question“. The campaign empowers gay Marylanders to ask their straight friends to advocate on their behalf. Allied friends can then call Maryland legislators and voice their support for marriage equality, and their gay friends, through the passage of SB 116. Pop the Question makes it quick and simple for supporters to take this meaningful grassroots action with just a few clicks.
“Gay friends are much more important to most Marylanders than issues or ideology,” says Friendfactor
Founder Brian Elliot. “Our straight friends want to show support, but they don’t always know how or
when. Pop the Question solves those problems.”
So Friends, are you ready to make a few calls? This vote is coming up very soon and we need all hands on deck for this final push. Use the Friendfactor tool, check out the Equality Maryland wesbite for Volunteer opportunities, and take a few minutes out of your day for Marriage Equality in the Free State.
Maybe soon that short metro ride wont take me out of range of my civil rights.
Talk About Equality 
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