US Black Civil Rights Leader Backs Same-sex Marriage
Ben Townley, Gay.com, Feb. 3

One of the leading voices for racial equality in the USA has pledged to support marriage rights for lesbian and gay couples, in what he sees as a "civil rights issue".

Julian Bond, the chairman of the USA's National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and one of the pivotal figures in the 1960s fight for equality announced he was backing the campaign for marriage rights through a statement released today.

"I see this as a civil rights issue," he said, clarifying his statement by adding "that means I support gay civil marriage".

The statement has been applauded by the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a group of black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered leaders from across the USA.

"We are very pleased that Julian Bond has spoken out affirmatively on this issue," said Keith Boykin, president of the board of the NBJC.

"His statement helps to clarify two important points. First, marriage is a basic human right, and second, outlawing discrimination in civil marriage does not change the rules for religious marriage."

His colleagues are now hoping that more African American leaders will back the campaign to "legalise" same-sex marriage, which is fast becoming the hot topic in light of the US presidential race.

President George W Bush is currently in talks to outline an amendment to the country's constitution, limiting marriage to "one man and one woman", although this has angered both gay rights activists and conservatives who are less keen to tamper with the constitution.

The move comes after the state of Massachusetts ruled in its Supreme Judicial Court that it was illegal to block same-sex couples from getting married, because it infringed their right to equality. This decision sparked protests from religious bodies who claimed lesbian and gay marriage would be destructive to society.

Bond's statement comes after a raft of popular civil rights leaders leapt to the defence of LGB activists and publicly stated their support for marriage equality. These include Coretta Scott King, Carol Moseley Braun, Al Sharpton, John Lewis, Henry Louis Gates and more leaders.

A key figure in the civil rights movement, Julian Bond was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960. He later served in the Georgia General Assembly. Bond is Distinguished Professor in Residence at American University in Washington and a Professor of History at the University of Virginia.