Illinois+Unites+for+Marriage

__Nafisa Syed__ Illinois Unites for Marriage

Illinois Unites for Marriage is a statewide coalition that is currently working to pass legislation in Illinois that guarantees the right to marry for same-sex couples (Freedom to Marry).The organization also contains two other groups: Illinois Businesses Unite for Marriage and Illinois Veterans Unite for Marriage. These two entities are not organizations per se, but involve Illinois businesses and veterans publicly advocating same-sex marriage (Illinois Unites For Marriage). The bill that IUM is currently endorsing is SB-10, a bill that authorizes same-sex marriage and grants marital benefits to same-sex couples (Illinois General Assembly). This coalition is working to get this bill passed by encouraging the citizens of Illinois to contact their state legislators through e-mail or by phone. Furthermore, the coalition is hosting a petition in support of SB-10 and same-sex marriages (Illinois Unites for Marriage).

The mission of this organization is to change the second-class status that many same-sex civil unions suffer from in Illinois. In order to do so, they have organized a number of phone banks in communities throughout Illinois. At these phone banks, community members call other community members, asking them to call their local representatives and voice their support of same-sex marriages. Illinois Unites for Marriage is also committed to sharing the stories and experiences of same sex couples through their blog, as well as press releases (Illinois Unites for Marriage).

The Uniting Pride Center of Champaign County is a member of this coalition, and has hosted phone banks in affiliation with Illinois Unites for Marriage. Furthermore, the Illinois Unites for Marriage website mentions Lynn Sprout and Kathie Spegal on the page in which they elaborate on the discrimination and ill treatment that many same-sex civil unions face in Illinois (Illinois Unites for Marriage).

Bibliography

Freedom to Marry. "Illinois." //Freedom to Marry//. Freedom to Marry, n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013..

Illinois General Assembly. "Bill Status of SB0010." //Illinois General// //Assembly.// Illinois General Assembly, n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. .

//I////llinois Unites for Marriage//. Illinois Unites for Marriage, n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2013. .