Marriage is a powerful legal and social institution that protects and supports intimate family relationships by providing a unique set of rights, privileges, and benefits. Same-sex couples are currently denied the right to marry in every state in the United States with the exception of Massachusetts. PFLAG opposes any attempt at either the Federal or the State level to introduce Constitutional Amendments restricting marriage to heterosexual couples thereby rendering LGBT people second-class citizens.

PFLAG’s official policy statement on marriage equality:

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) believes that society at large benefits from an environment that supports committed stable relationships, including same-gender committed relationships, which provide mutual emotional, social, financial, legal and medical support. PFLAG, therefore, supports revision of federal and state statutes to extend to persons in same-gender committed relationships the right to marry with the full legal rights and benefits, as well as responsibilities and obligations.

- Adopted by the Board of Directors, January 17, 2000.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM PFLAG NATIONAL SITE:

• Understanding the Issue

  • Cost of Marriage Inequality

  • Marriage Q and A

  • Rights, Privileges, and Benefits of Marriage

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• Federal Opposition To Marriage Equality

  • Defense of Marriage Act

  • Federal Marriage Amendment

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• State Opposition To Marriage Equality

• State Marriage Amendments

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• Marriage Resources

• Marriage Resources