Lesbian Grandmas Ride Bicycles Across America in Search of Marriage Equality
Mon. April 26, 2004 12:00 AM
Buffalo, NY -
Tired of being treated like second class citizens in their own country, Carrie and Elisia Ross-Stone decided to do something about it. The couple, who are grandmothers and lesbian life-partners, were married in Canada last fall and now they just want the US government to acknowledge their commitment by granting them the rights and protections of a legally recognized marriage.
"We are angry and frustrated because our government insists that our love for one another is not worthy of honor and respect," says Elisia who adds, "and that is just plain wrong."
Rather than sitting at home and waiting for marriage equality to come to them, the Ross-Stones are riding their bicycles from coast-to-coast to gather support for civil marriage equality in cities and towns across America.
The couple recently left their winter home in Florida to head west to San Francisco. There they will meet with Assemblyman Mark Leno and on Sunday, May 2, they will join with Marriage Equality California in Golden Gate Park for a Run to the Altar at 10:00 am with a Rally to follow. At noon, after speaking at the Rally, Elisia and Carrie will hop on their bicycles to begin the 3800-mile ride to Rehoboth Beach Delaware.
As they ride across fourteen states they will stop and speak in towns and cities along their route. Many communities throughout America's heartland are anxiously awaiting the pair and are planning marriage equality rallies and speaking events to coincide with their visit.
Carrie and Elisia have spent the last seven months planning for the ride and in addition to San Francisco, the couple will stop and speak in Reno, Salt Lake City, Ft. Collins, Topeka, St. Louis, SPRINGFIELD, IL, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, Rehoboth Beach and finally Washington DC.
When asked about their motivation for doing the ride, Carrie and Elisia say they want to empower lesbian and gay families who are harmed each day because they are denied basic legal rights and protections. Carrie believes the struggle for equal civil marriage rights is a grassroots effort. She continues, "It is being instigated by ordinary, everyday lesbian and gay couples, like us, who want to participate in the American dream."
Elisia and Carrie say they do not have a choice but to do something extraordinary to defeat the pending constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Doing nothing is not an option, they say.
For a detailed schedule of events or to read the online journal and see photos of the ride, log onto www.RainbowLaw.com and click on the link to the Rainbow Ride Across America.
"We are angry and frustrated because our government insists that our love for one another is not worthy of honor and respect," says Elisia who adds, "and that is just plain wrong."
Rather than sitting at home and waiting for marriage equality to come to them, the Ross-Stones are riding their bicycles from coast-to-coast to gather support for civil marriage equality in cities and towns across America.
The couple recently left their winter home in Florida to head west to San Francisco. There they will meet with Assemblyman Mark Leno and on Sunday, May 2, they will join with Marriage Equality California in Golden Gate Park for a Run to the Altar at 10:00 am with a Rally to follow. At noon, after speaking at the Rally, Elisia and Carrie will hop on their bicycles to begin the 3800-mile ride to Rehoboth Beach Delaware.
As they ride across fourteen states they will stop and speak in towns and cities along their route. Many communities throughout America's heartland are anxiously awaiting the pair and are planning marriage equality rallies and speaking events to coincide with their visit.
Carrie and Elisia have spent the last seven months planning for the ride and in addition to San Francisco, the couple will stop and speak in Reno, Salt Lake City, Ft. Collins, Topeka, St. Louis, SPRINGFIELD, IL, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, Rehoboth Beach and finally Washington DC.
When asked about their motivation for doing the ride, Carrie and Elisia say they want to empower lesbian and gay families who are harmed each day because they are denied basic legal rights and protections. Carrie believes the struggle for equal civil marriage rights is a grassroots effort. She continues, "It is being instigated by ordinary, everyday lesbian and gay couples, like us, who want to participate in the American dream."
Elisia and Carrie say they do not have a choice but to do something extraordinary to defeat the pending constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Doing nothing is not an option, they say.
For a detailed schedule of events or to read the online journal and see photos of the ride, log onto www.RainbowLaw.com and click on the link to the Rainbow Ride Across America.