Conservatives and the religious right seem to have beat back an attempt to enact marriage equality in Maryland. The measure died for this legislative year after the House of Delegates declined to vote on it and “sent it back to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.”
Metro Weekly reports that religion figured prominently in both sides of the debate before the measure was shelved:
Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery), one of the eight openly LGBT people serving in the House, talked about her identities as both a lesbian and a devout Catholic.
“I prayed and I prayed and I prayed that it would go away, especially the gay part,” she said of her youthful struggle with her orientation. “By the time I was in college… I realized that never once with my conversations with God did God tell me it was wrong.”
“You can’t stop us from loving each other,” Mizeur said, adding, “what we’re asking for is the ability to protect our relationships and that commitment forever.’’
One opponent invoked God while objecting to using the term “marriage” for gay and lesbian unions.
Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore City) presented an amendment Friday to change the language of the bill to replace “marriage’’ with “civil unions.’’ Glenn said she had promised activists supporting same-sex marriage she would be lead sponsor of legislation providing protections, but only if those protections are legally termed “civil unions,’’ not marriages. “It’s all about the word of God,” she said. “It truly is.”
Another concern was just how strong the religious exemption in the measure would be—giving churches and religious organizations the right to refuse to perform marriages for same-sex couples. The exemption for churches is, and always has been, a total red herring. Churches have always been free to refuse to perform marriages for any reason they choose, and enacting marriage equality would not change that. Some see no danger in tossing the religious right a bone with these exception clauses, but what group will they ask for the legal right to discriminate against next?
The stakes are high for delegates who support the measure, especially Republicans. The National Organization for Marriage has pledged to spend $1 million to defeat any Republican who dared to vote in favor. Catholic bishops in the state have also stepped up pressure on their flock to contact delegates in opposition to the measure.
It seems the pressure has given some delegates reason enough to push the pause button and not make Maryland the sixth state to recognize marriage equality for its gay and lesbian citizens. It could be seen as a defeat, or a cowardly display by supporters—but Equality Maryland sees the move as an opportunity to do more education and mobilizing of supporters.
“We are thankful that our legislative allies have taken such care with this vote,” the group said in a statement. “We commend the thousands of supporters across the state who made calls, sent e-mails and met with their legislators… Folks from all over Maryland stood up and told their stories, got involved and built grassroots support to extend the freedom to marry to all loving and committed couples.”
It’s frustrating to see the legislation die while there is a governor willing to sign it, of course, but the struggle in Maryland also shows that religious arguments—and big money threats to delegates’ job security—can still convince lawmakers to continue to treat some of their fellow citizens as second class.
