Boston boosted by Gay Marriage while Dallas dithers
The Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, says that same-sex marriages have made the city a better place, while Mayor of Dallas Mike Rawlings avoids taking part in a new LGBT project.
Menino is quoted as saying that Boston is now “a much better place to live” thanks to the changes allowing gay weddings. He is one of over 70 mayors to sign up to the ‘Mayors for the Freedom to Marry’ group. The group will lobby for same sex equality including lobbying for the repeal of the Defence of Marriage Act, which bans federal agencies from recognising gay partners.
“It was nearly 8 years ago that my city was the first large city in the country to marry same-sex couples,” Menino said, adding, “Back then it was a huge deal. Huge. I’m here to tell you that marriage for gay couples has made my city of Boston a much better place to live.”
Meanwhile it couldn’t be an entirely different picture in Dallas as their Mayor Mike Rawlings has failed to show any support towards marriage equality. The Mayor released a statement saying,
“Upon taking office, I made a conscious decision to focus on issues that create a healthy, viable city and not on those that are partisan and social in nature. I was asked to pledge my support to ‘Mayors for the Freedom to Marry’ in an effort to pressure state and federal entities to legalise marriage for same-sex couples. I decided not to sign onto that letter because that is inconsistent with my view of the duties of the office of the mayor.
“To be a world class city, we must be inclusive towards all citizens, including the LGBT community. Personally, I support the LGBT movement and its efforts for equal rights that they deserve.”
However the lack of support for has met with criticism. Cece Cox of the LGBT community Centre in Dallas said in a statement,
“As the executive director and CEO of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community centre in the sixth largest LGBT community in United States, I am concerned that Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is not supporting marriage equality alongside other big-city mayors,”
“Legally recognized marriage is a civil rights, an economic and a legal issue that directly affects the members of the LGBT community where he serves as mayor and who call Dallas home.”
Cox concludes, “I urge Mayor Rawlings to revisit and reconsider his decision.”