Equality Maryland

When Dan Furmansky, 34, steps down from his position as executive director at Equality Maryland next month, gay couples still won't be able to get married in Maryland, much to his disappointment. But there were also victories during his five-year tenure at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, he said, and as he moves on, he remains hopeful about the gay rights movement. What brought you to this advocacy work? In my first job after college, I ran community programs for an animal shelter.

First comes love. Then comes marriage. But first, there's the wedding! This month, two local organizations are hosting events to help same-sex couples navigate the exciting (and sometimes confusing) world of nuptials. First up is “To Marriage Equality and Beyond,” hosted by Equality Maryland, the state's largest LGBT civil rights group. The event will be held Thursday, Jan. 10 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Chase Court in downtown Baltimore. It will feature catering by Chef's Expressions, wine from Barefoot Winery, music by Absolute Entertainment and a wedding cake created by Baltimore Cakery among other sponsors.

Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo said Friday he was surprised that Maryland Del. Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Democrat from Baltimore County, sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti urging him to silence his outspoken player, who has long been a vocal proponent of same-sex marriage. “Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other,” Burns wrote in the letter dated Aug. 29. Burns said Ayanbadejo, a 36-year-old California native, should concentrate on football.

I regret some unintended implications in my quotes in Saturday's story regarding the freedom to marry win in Maryland ("Gay marriage supporters seized victory after tough start," Nov. 10). Whatever the occasional disagreements, we owe a huge debt of thanks to the local leaders and families, campaign manager Josh Levin and his team, Gov. Martin O'Malley and key lawmakers, Equality Maryland, Human Rights Campaign, the ACLU, the NAACP, Republicans and Democrats, and the many, many volunteers and voices who joined in making the case to voters that led to victory alongside our movement's wins in other states.

First comes love. Then comes marriage. But first, there's the wedding! This month, two local organizations are hosting events to help same-sex couples navigate the exciting (and sometimes confusing) world of nuptials. First up is “To Marriage Equality and Beyond,” hosted by Equality Maryland, the state's largest LGBT civil rights group. The event will be held Thursday, Jan. 10 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Chase Court in downtown Baltimore. It will feature catering by Chef's Expressions, wine from Barefoot Winery, music by Absolute Entertainment and a wedding cake created by Baltimore Cakery among other sponsors.

Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has long been a proponent of same-sex marriage, and he penned an op-ed piece on the hot-button issue for The Huffington Post two years ago. With the battle to recognize same-sex marriages continuing here in Maryland, Equality Maryland released a video of Ayanbadejo encouraging Marylanders to join him "in the land of the brave for standing on the side of love. " Here is the transcription of the video, which is embedded below: "Hello.

I regret some unintended implications in my quotes in Saturday's story regarding the freedom to marry win in Maryland ("Gay marriage supporters seized victory after tough start," Nov. 10). Whatever the occasional disagreements, we owe a huge debt of thanks to the local leaders and families, campaign manager Josh Levin and his team, Gov. Martin O'Malley and key lawmakers, Equality Maryland, Human Rights Campaign, the ACLU, the NAACP, Republicans and Democrats, and the many, many volunteers and voices who joined in making the case to voters that led to victory alongside our movement's wins in other states.

Calling the governor's plan too weak, the ACLU urged lawmakers yesterday to pass a more robust proposal aimed at preventing police monitoring of peaceful groups. Dozens of activists gathered at the State House for the organization's "No Spying Day." Susan Goering, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, said Gov. Martin O'Malley's bill "not only has loopholes but condones and protects" the kinds of spying and dossier-keeping that took place in a Maryland State Police operation revealed last summer after an ACLU lawsuit.

It's been a busy week for Ravens players speaking out in support of their respective causes. Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo backed same-sex marriage for Equality Maryland last Tuesday. Wide receiver Derrick Mason said today that " marriage is between a man and a woman . " And on Sunday at the Maryland March for Life in Annapolis, center Matt Birk was a featured speaker at the pro-life event. Birk, a six-time Pro Bowler, told The Catholic Review that faith (he's Catholic)

It isn't what the owner of Chick-fil-A says that makes me never want to eat at his fast food restaurants ("Crowds flock to Chick-fil-A to back owner on marriage," Aug. 2). As far as I'm concerned, he can spout off hate speech at gays, Jews, African-Americans, or anyone else he wants. That's his business to be as rude or as ignorant as he wants, and the appropriate response is just to not listen to his nonsense. This is still America, after all. What I do not condone, however, is that Dan Cathy will take my money that I would spend on his "food" and donate some of it to hate groups who are intent on denying gay people their equal rights as Americans.

Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo said Friday he was surprised that Maryland Del. Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Democrat from Baltimore County, sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti urging him to silence his outspoken player, who has long been a vocal proponent of same-sex marriage. “Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other,” Burns wrote in the letter dated Aug. 29. Burns said Ayanbadejo, a 36-year-old California native, should concentrate on football.

It isn't what the owner of Chick-fil-A says that makes me never want to eat at his fast food restaurants ("Crowds flock to Chick-fil-A to back owner on marriage," Aug. 2). As far as I'm concerned, he can spout off hate speech at gays, Jews, African-Americans, or anyone else he wants. That's his business to be as rude or as ignorant as he wants, and the appropriate response is just to not listen to his nonsense. This is still America, after all. What I do not condone, however, is that Dan Cathy will take my money that I would spend on his "food" and donate some of it to hate groups who are intent on denying gay people their equal rights as Americans.

The two sides in Maryland's fight over same-sex marriage agree on this: It won't be over until November. With the state Senate's approval Thursday night of the governor's bill to legalize civil marriage for same-sex couples, opponents are expected to mobilize quickly to gather the signatures to petition the legislation to referendum. State elections officials say they are already getting calls seeking information on how to start the process. Even the bill's staunchest supporters expect its opponents to easily gather the 55,736 signatures necessary to put the question on the November ballot.

Anne Arundel County Del. Robert A. Costa will never get mistaken for a liberal. The Republican firefighter from Deale is a proud member of the National Rifle Association and aU.S. Army veteran who sports a 78 percent lifetime rating from the conservative-leaning Maryland Business for Responsive Government. But on the matter of same-sex marriage, Mr. Costa was the first, and so far, only, House member from his political party to cast a vote in favor, sending the legislation to the House floor this week on a 25-18 dual committee vote.

Shortly after Jon A. Kaplan and Joel Pearson met, they decided to spend a week together in Florida over the holidays - an extended first date, they call it. The trip went so well that they bought a pair of matching rings while they were there, rings that resemble traditional, pricey wedding bands. "Actually, they cost $10," says Pearson. "They haven't been off our hands since. " That was 18 years ago. The Bolton Hill residents, now in their 40s, plan to use those rings if and when the day comes they can obtain a marriage license in Maryland.

The passage late last month of a gay marriage bill in New York has renewed hope among advocates in Maryland who were disappointed by the narrow defeat of similar legislation here this year. New York's law doubled the number of people living in states where same-sex marriages are legal, it pushed President Barack Obama even closer to embracing gay marriage, and it proved that a gay marriage bill can even succeed in a legislative chamber controlled by Republicans. New York's vote, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's quick signature of the bill into law, unquestionably added to a sense that the issue has momentum nationally.

Two months ago, hundreds of gay rights advocates converged on the State House on a rainy night to push an ambitious agenda: legislation to give them medical decision-making rights; protection under the state's hate crime laws; and defeat of legislation to ban gay marriage. Ninety days later, gay and lesbian lobbyists can boast of a victorious legislative session that some activists say is rivaled only by that of Connecticut, which passed a bill to allow civil unions. "No state thus far has had a year like Maryland," said Carrie Evans, a state legislative lawyer for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington.

Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has been vocal about his support of gay rights and same-sex marriage in Maryland. He filmed a video for Equality Maryland and has spoken about the subject on ESPN. Now another Ravens player has gone public with his support -- and he did it on Twitter, of course. Apparently responding to the news that CNN anchor Don Lemon has come out of the closet , Ravens wide receiver and soon-to-be free agent Donte’ Stallworth called opponents of gay rights “hypocrites.” Well, technically he called them “ hyporcrites, ” but I won’t mock him for ignoring the red squiggly lines.

The storylines were similar: A divided state legislature grapples with the emotional question of whether to allow same-sex couples to marry. But several plot twists - an ambitious Democratic governor as the main character, a multimillion-dollar outreach effort and the involvement of key Republicans - led New York to a different final scene than in Maryland. Same-sex marriage activists in Maryland said Monday that they are studying the success of their counterparts in New York, which over the weekend became the sixth state to allow gay couples to marry.

Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has been vocal about his support of gay rights and same-sex marriage in Maryland. He filmed a video for Equality Maryland and has spoken about the subject on ESPN. Now another Ravens player has gone public with his support -- and he did it on Twitter, of course. Apparently responding to the news that CNN anchor Don Lemon has come out of the closet , Ravens wide receiver and soon-to-be free agent Donte’ Stallworth called opponents of gay rights “hypocrites.” Well, technically he called them “ hyporcrites, ” but I won’t mock him for ignoring the red squiggly lines.