NAD Releases Statement on Marriage Equality
May 25, 2012
The Board of Directors of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
released a statement on marriage equality for all. In this statement,
the NAD expresses strong support for the rights of GLBT deaf and hard
of hearing individuals to marry, with all the legal protections that
are afforded by marriage.
NAD Statement on Marriage Equality
The NAD affirmatively states its strong support for GLBT marriage
equality, consistent with equal protections under the Fourteenth
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This stance is also consistent with
the NAD mission to safeguard the civil, human and linguistic rights of
deaf and hard of hearing individuals – whose marriage rights have been
suppressed throughout history. Accordingly, the NAD supports national,
state and local policy or legislative initiatives that promote the
right to marriage equality for all people, including GLBT deaf and hard
of hearing individuals.
NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins said, “Our stance on marriage
equality reflects the historic commitment of the NAD to protection of
the rights of all deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Marriage
equality, and the benefits that go with marriage, are a fundamental
civil right that must be accorded to everyone, including GLBT members
of our community who deserve no less.”
The civil rights benefits of marriage equality will be emphasized
during the 51st Biennial NAD Conference/DeaFestival Kentucky to be held
July 3-7, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. On July 5, 2012, the GLBT
Section of the NAD will host its Deaf Equality Luncheon; all supporters
are welcome to register for the luncheon (Deadline: May 31, 2012) and
for the NAD Conference. For more information, see
http://www.nad.org/louisville .
The NAD has invited many presenters to its Conference to advance the
rights of all deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and recognizes that
there is diversity in their views with respect to marriage equality.
Further, the NAD recognizes the need to work with a variety of people
across the nation, including national, state and local policymakers and
legislators, to secure equal rights for all deaf and hard of hearing
individuals – including members of the GLBT community – as fully
participating citizens of the United States.
The National Association of the Deaf is the nation’s premier civil
rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals
in the United States. Established in 1880, NAD was shaped by deaf
leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use
sign language, congregate on issues important to them, and have its
interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true
to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.
The advocacy scope of NAD is broad, covering a lifetime and impacting
future generations in the areas of early intervention, education,
employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth
leadership, and more – improving the lives of millions of deaf and hard
of hearing Americans.
On the international front, NAD represents the United States of America
to the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), an international human
rights organization The NAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
supported by the generosity of individual and organizational donors,
including corporations and foundations.
Source:
http://www.nad.org/news/2012/5/nad-releases-statement-marriage-equality