Marking ten years since Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to marry, Democrat Warren Tolman, a candidate for attorney general, rolled out his LGBT action plan Thursday highlighting his pledge to protect the rights of all Bay State citizens, regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Marking ten years since Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to marry, Democrat Warren Tolman, a candidate for attorney general, rolled out his LGBT action plan Thursday highlighting his pledge to protect the rights of all Bay State citizens, regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Ensuring equality for all Massachusetts residents, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, is the defining civil rights issue of our time," Tolman said in a statement. "We should be very proud that under the Goodridge decision, Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. But we must remain vigilant in protecting equal rights. As Attorney General, I will be an advocate for every citizen of the Commonwealth, regardless of their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability."
Tolman said his plan to protect the LGBT community includes advocating for equality in other states and on the federal level. He also said that working to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Massachusetts Equal Pay statute would help in preventing institutional discrimination, as would extending rights to transgender citizens by supporting legislation doing just that.
"We must do more to protect equal rights for all of our residents, from expanding our anti-discrimination laws to providing enforcement that ensures Massachusetts remains a leader in civil rights," Tolman said. "From the playground, to the hospital, to senior living facilities, I will be an advocate and a fighter for the LGBTQ community to protect our partners, relatives, friends, neighbors and our children from discrimination and hate."
As a candidate running for governor in 2002, Tolman told Edge magazine in Boston that although he didn't support gay marriage, he supported civil unions. Two years later the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case hat same sex couples had the legal right to marry.
On Friday, Tolman will attend the 10th anniversary celebration of the Goodridge decision in Cambridge. He is competing with fellow Democrat Maura Healey and Republican John Miller to become the next attorney general of Massachusetts.