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TO: All Media               CONTACTS: Dan Foley, Attorney: 526-9500

RE: Equal Rights                        Carl Varady, ACLU: 545-1722

DATE: June 1, 1993                           GLCC Office: 951-7000



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE





SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

HAWAII EQUAL RIGHTS PROPONENTS URGE 'MAINLAND' SUPPORT



     Riding the crest of the equal rights wave, organizers for the

Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project (HERMP) call for the

participation of the national lesbian, gay, and bisexual community.

With the Hawaii Supreme Court's decision declaring the state ban

against same-sex marriage unconstitutional unless the state can

prove a compelling state interest, Hawaii is on the way to being

the first state to legally recognize same-sex marriages.  With this

will come the entitlement of over 100 civil rights and privileges

previously denied to lesbian & gay couples; health care benefits,

survivorship laws, and tax deductions to name a few.

     If same-sex marriage is legalized in Hawaii, the burden will

then be on other states to to justify not recognizing marriages

performed in Hawaii.  A victory in Hawaii will bring other states

one step closer to full recognition of equal rights.

     Community members and community-supportive people interested

in joining the forefront of the marriage rights pursuit should

contact the Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project (HERMP), c/o the

Gay & Lesbian Community Center (GLCC) of Hawaii, 1820 University

Ave. #8, Honolulu, HI 96822, tel: (808) 951-7000.  HERMP is an all-

volunteer, grassroots, tax-deductible, 501(c)(3) group, striving to

promote loving relationships.
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