More about Evan Wolfson
Photo by: Jeff Sheng
Why Marriage Matters
Simon & Schuster
I just wanted to make sure everyone who is concerned with the issue of Gay marriage, has heard from Evan. His website www.freedomtomarry.org is full of information on the subject. Here’s his bio:
Evan Wolfson is Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, the gay and non-gay partnership working to win marriage equality nationwide. Before founding Freedom to Marry, Evan served as marriage project director for Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund, was co-counsel in the historic Hawaii marriage case, and participated in numerous gay rights and HIV/AIDS cases.
Evan previously served as Associate Counsel to Lawrence Walsh in the Iran/Contra investigation, and as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York. Between Yale College and Harvard Law School, Evan spent two years with the Peace Corps in West Africa.
Citing his national leadership on marriage equality and his appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court in Boy Scouts of America v. James Dale, the National Law Journal in 2000 named Evan one of "the 100 most influential lawyers in America."
In 2004, Evan was named one of the "Time 100," Time magazine's list of "the 100 most influential people in the world."
Evan Wolfson’s first book, Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People’s Right to Marry, was published by Simon & Schuster in July 2004 and was re-released in paperback with a new foreword in June 2005.
Quotes & speeches by Evan Wolfson:
Founder of Freedom to Marry, Evan Wolfson is a civil rights attorney and longtime leader of the movement for marriage equality...
How to explain why civil union is no substitute for the full protections and respect that come with the freedom to marry. Says Wolfson, "The right way to end discrimination in marriage is to, well, end discrimination in marriage."
ATTEND Center Advocates Fundraising Reception with Evan Wolfson
DATE: Tuesday, April 10,2007
TIME: 5:30-7:00 PM
LOCATION: Home of Ray Vahey, 924 E Juneau Ave., #722 Milwaukee, WI
ATTEND an evening with Evan Wolfson in conjunction with the Women's Law Project and the Persad Center
DATE: Thursday, April 19,2007
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: The Kelly-Strayorn Theater
5941 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
BEST OF...
By Evan WolfsonMarriage equality moves forward
TomPaine.com
March 29, 2006
Evan Wolfson
Not only are we seeing the American people moving swiftly (in historical terms) toward marriage equality, but, in fact it turns out that even the third Wolfson considered unreachable on any reasonable timeline are not so adamant.
EVAN WOLFSON
OPINION: Celebrating Freedom to Marry Day with a call for marriage equality and fairness for all families
Wisconsin State Journal
February 14, 2006
Evan Wolfson
As Freedom to Marry Week draws near, Wolfson calls for gay and lesbian families and allies to take every opportunity to address people's concerns, answer questions, and give them the time and information they need to learn why marriage matters.
January 26, 2006
Evan Wolfson
Wolfson delivers the Cal Anderson Memorial Lecture at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, and calls for all of us to engage neighbors and fellow citizens in the personal and informational conversations they deserve – and trust that from that engagement will come marriage. | Download pdf | Listen to the speech.
KEYNOTE SPEECH: Evan Wolfson at the Legal Marriage Alliance
Freedom to Marry
October 16, 2005
Wolfson says, "The best way to end discrimination in marriage is through marriage." Marriage is a statement and symbol of commitment and love. To be denied that statement is unequal and unfair. Wolfson discusses the upcoming court decision due before the end of the year from the Washington Supreme Court which would make WA the second state in the country to legalize marriage.
Why marriage matters: authors debate the right to marry
The Capital Times
September 22, 2005
JUDITH DAVIDOFF
Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family and Evan Wolfson, head of Freedom to Marry debated "why marriage matters" -- also the title of each author's book, last night in Madison, WI. While Stanton believes marriage should remain an "exclusive province of heterosexual couples," Wolfson argues that this denial of marriage to a group of people is contrary to the American traditions of equality and justice. Wolfson stressed that marriage is a powerful statement about the love and commitment between two people, and legal barriers to that commitment "is hurtful and wrong. In America we all have the right to be both equal and different and no one has to give up their differences to be treated equally under the law." A packed theater listened to the debate, as a proposed anti-gay marriage amendment is likely to reach voters in Fall 2006. Wolfson is confident that "fair-minded people will rise to fairness" once they have had a chance to receive and absorb information about the proposed ban.
EVAN WOLFSON: Named one of the "TIME 100"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 22, 2004
GARY ROTSTEIN
"To now have the cause of marriage equality placed alongside champions of other human rights causes, that is what pleases me most."
Leaders debate marriage
The Daily Cardinal News
September 22, 2005
ASHLEY SPENCER
Wolfson and Stanton, experts in marriage, debate the upcoming marriage ban proposed in the Wisconsin legislature. Wolfson argued about the importance of the amendment as it affects thousands of Wisconsinites and "is not a freebie vote about how [the legislature] feel about gays in Massachusetts, but it's about how Wisconsin treats families here," calling for equal access to marriage. Many attendees were students, but most were simply curious and wanted to hear both sides of the argument to absorb on their own.
Marriage equality moves forward
TomPaine.com
March 29, 2006
Evan Wolfson
Not only are we seeing the American people moving swiftly (in historical terms) toward marriage equality, but, in fact it turns out that even the third Wolfson considered unreachable on any reasonable timeline are not so adamant.
OPINION: Celebrating Freedom to Marry Day with a call for marriage equality and fairness for all families
Wisconsin State Journal
February 14, 2006
Evan Wolfson
As Freedom to Marry Week draws near, Wolfson calls for gay and lesbian families and allies to take every opportunity to address people's concerns, answer questions, and give them the time and information they need to learn why marriage matters.
Spain, Canada laws provide valuable lesson for U.S.
PlanetOut
June 30, 2005
LARRY BUHL
The progress of laws ending marriage discrimination in Canada and Spain has given gay advocates a chance to celebrate equality and recommit to the struggle at home. Prominent gay leaders such as Freedom to Marry executive director Evan Wolfson applauded the virtuous example saying, "The victories in these countries show that families are helped and no one is hurt when discrimination ends."
LINKS / RESOURCES
In a 1994 law review article, Evan Wolfson addresses the intra-community differences of opinion and emphasis most recently reincarnated in the "Beyond Marriage" document and press blitz.
Winning marriage
EVAN WOLFSON
Ballot battles are hard to win in the short-term, for reasons explained in this analysis written before the election, but the tighter margins in many of the votes this November indicate that the conversation is winning people over as they absorb the information over time.
Happy, but not satisfied
October 30, 2006
Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry and author of Why Marriage Matters (Simon & Schuster, 2004) speaks with NEWSWEEK’s Debra Rosenberg about the unanimous NJ Supreme Court decision, the upcoming election, and the work ahead to win the freedom to marry.
SEE Rosie O'Donnell on The View talk about the NJ decision, Evan Wolfson, and why marriage matters.
EVAN WOLFSON
Ballot battles are hard to win in the short-term, for reasons explained in this analysis written before the election, but the tighter margins in many of the votes this November indicate that the conversation is winning people over as they absorb the information over time.
Happy, but not satisfied
October 30, 2006
Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry and author of Why Marriage Matters (Simon & Schuster, 2004) speaks with NEWSWEEK’s Debra Rosenberg about the unanimous NJ Supreme Court decision, the upcoming election, and the work ahead to win the freedom to marry.
SEE Rosie O'Donnell on The View talk about the NJ decision, Evan Wolfson, and why marriage matters.
Check him out he’s really nailed the issue involved I think and on his website he offers a plan to see it through and finally have equality for GLBT Americans. I believe in him and I hope many agree. I think it’s time for organization. Time for us all to get on the same page and all of us do what we can to educate our fellow Americans, support people & organizations that are doing this work and learn ourselves what been done already so we don’t just “re-invent the wheel.”
Peace & Love,
Val
AVALON FARMBLOG
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
