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‘We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re going to be heard’: Activists rally as Idaho lawmakers seek to challenge same-sex marriage ruling
LGBTQ+ rights advocates protested at the Idaho State Capitol after lawmakers approved a memorial calling for the reversal of federal same-sex marriage protections.
BOISE, Idaho — Dozens of LGBTQ+ rights advocates rallied at the Idaho State Capitol Sunday to protest a legislative petition that calls on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its landmark same-sex marriage ruling.
The demonstration came four days after the House State Affairs Committee approved a memorial asking the high court to reverse its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
“One day, I want to marry someone that I love just as much as my counterparts,” said one of the rally organizers, Cole Lancaster.
Lancaster said his dreams of marriage feel increasingly threatened in his home state.
State lawmakers backing the memorial argue that marriage regulations should be determined at the state level rather than by federal mandate.
“I don’t think marriage is a fundamental right,” said Heather Scott, the petition’s sponsor. “It’s not the federal government’s job to figure out what’s going on in Idaho.”
Scott said the goal isn’t to take away rights but rather to transfer conversations like same-sex marriage to the state level so Idaho lawmakers can decide for themselves.
“What we’re encouraging is that these discussions happen within the state, with our local people, instead of through the federal government,” Scott said.
But protesters expressed deep skepticism about putting their marriage rights in the hands of state legislators. Many wrote letters to lawmakers explaining what their marriages and equal rights meant to them personally.
“Our marriages don’t affect anyone else,” Lancaster said. “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re going to be heard, and we’re not going anywhere.”
Protesters vowed to continue fighting against the memorial and any other attempts to roll back marriage equality.
“We’re telling people in the Capitol building that we don’t want this initiative to continue any further,” Lancaster said.
In a recent move that has sparked outrage among the LGBTQ+ community, lawmakers in Idaho have introduced a bill that aims to challenge the legality of same-sex marriage in the state. In response, activists have come together to rally under the banner of “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re going to be heard.”
The proposed bill, known as HB 396, seeks to nullify the 2014 federal court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Idaho. This move has been met with fierce opposition from advocates of LGBTQ+ rights, who see it as a blatant attack on the progress that has been made in achieving marriage equality.
“We will not stand idly by while our hard-fought rights are threatened,” said one activist at the rally. “We have come too far to allow discriminatory legislation to turn back the clock on marriage equality.”
The rally, which drew a large crowd of supporters, featured speeches from community leaders, allies, and individuals directly impacted by the potential repeal of same-sex marriage rights. Chants of “Love is love” and “Equality for all” echoed through the streets as demonstrators made their voices heard.
As the fight for LGBTQ+ rights continues, activists are determined to stand firm in their commitment to equality and justice. “We will not be silenced,” declared one speaker. “We will continue to fight for our rights, our love, and our families. We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re going to be heard.”
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- LGBTQ rights
- Same-sex marriage
- Idaho activists
- Marriage equality
- LGBTQ community
- LGBTQ activism
- Idaho lawmakers
- Marriage equality ruling
- LGBTQ rights rally
- LGBTQ rights activism
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