Caroline Kennedy Becomes 100,000th Signer on Open Letter Urging President Obama to Support the Freedom to Marry

Kennedy Joins Civil Rights Leaders, Hollywood Stars, Musicians, Business Leaders, Pro Athletes in Freedom to Marry's "Say I Do" Campaign

NEW YORK, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Caroline Kennedy became the 100,000th signer on Freedom to Marry's Open Letter urging President Obama to support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples.

"Falling in love, getting married, and building a family is part of the American dream," said Caroline Kennedy. "I believe that all Americans, including committed gay and lesbian couples, should have the opportunity to pursue that dream."

Freedom to Marry's "Say I Do" campaign was launched on March 14th with an Open Letter to the President signed by prominent Americans, including civil rights leaders, Hollywood stars, musicians, and business leaders.  Since then, 100,000 Americans have joined the campaign and signed on to the letter calling on the President to join "the majority of Americans who support the freedom to marry."

"We're honored that Caroline Kennedy has signed on to Freedom to Marry's 'Say I Do' campaign," said Sean Eldridge, Political Director of Freedom to Marry.  "A growing chorus of voices is calling on the President to complete his journey and join the majority of Americans who support the freedom to marry."

The full text of the Open Letter is available here.  Same-sex couples, family members, and other supporters of the freedom to marry will deliver the letter, along with stories and family photos, to the White House later this spring.  

Signers to the letter include civil rights icons Julian Bond, Chairman Emeritus, NAACP, and Helen Fabela Chavez (widow of Cesar Chavez and founder of Cesar E. Chavez Foundation); actors Anne Hathaway, Jane Lynch, Eric McCormack, Martin Sheen, Lily Tomlin, and Verne Troyer; television host Ellen Degeneres and actor Portia Degeneres; musicians Sara Bareilles, Lance Bass, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, Mya, LeAnn Rimes and Rufus Wainwright; award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black; high-tech entrepreneurs Jack Dorsey (co-founder of Twitter), Chris Hughes (co-founder of Facebook), Sean Parker (co-founder of Napster), and Mark Pincus (co-founder of Zynga); media/entertainment execs David Geffen (co-founder of Dreamworks SKG) and Bob Wright (former chairman and CEO of NBC Universal); NFL players Brendon Ayanbadejo and Scott Fujita; playwright Tony Kushner; and Rev. Peter Morales (president, Unitarian Universalist Association ).  For a full list of original signers, click here.  

Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Sean Eldridge
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=101281

Press Contact:
Sean Eldridge
Political Director, Freedom to Marry
[email protected]
212-851-8418

SOURCE Freedom to Marry