Panel argues in favor of gay marriage

Photo by Sarah Breslow

Professor Stanley Katz discusses gay marriage at a forum Thursday featuring domestic partners Sarah and Suyin Lael.

A panel of advocates for same-sex marriage spoke Thursday evening, a day after the New Jersey Supreme Court heard the case of seven gay couples who sued the state for violating its own constitution by denying their right to marriage.

The discussion took place in front of a sparse McCormick 101 crowd consisting mainly of community members and a few students.

Earlier this year, the Princeton Justice Project (PJP), with the support of the student body, submitted an amicus brief to the state supreme court arguing for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

"I really think our brief had a significant impact on the case," Chris Lloyd '06, head of PJP's Gay Family Rights project, said in his introduction to the panel discussion. Lloyd traveled to Trenton to witness the case. Panelists who spoke about the case included Sarah and Suyin Lael, one of the couples suing the state.

The Laels, who are the parents of three young children, have been together for 15 years and got involved in the case after Sarah's job denied healthcare coverage to Suyin. "We want to be treated as the whole citizen, the whole person and the whole family that we are," Sarah Lael said.

Also speaking on the panel were Wilson School professor Stanley Katz, Reverend Dr. Rene Hill of Lambda Legal and Reverend Dr. Thomas Breidenthal, dean of religious life.

Hill, a lesbian reverend who works mainly in African-American communities in New Jersey, spoke of her campaign to get faith communities involved in the same-sex marriage issue. "Yesterday's case was significant but by no means the end of the line," Hill said. "It ain't over!"

Katz argued that individual liberty requires the legalization of same-sex marriage. "Marriage became a civil right after the Civil War," Katz said. "It ought to be distributed equally in society."

Looking at same-sex marriage from the standpoint of a religious leader, Breidenthal said he believes gay marriage has a "spiritual dimension."

In his speech, Breidenthal urged all people, especially Christians, who he said "don't often value life together," to realize that people "need to be in communion with other human beings."

Debra Bazarsky, director of the LGBT center, said she looks forward to hearing the conclusion of the case. "The law will have a great impact for staff, faculty and grad students, some of whom are registered domestic partners through the state or the University," she said. "We are all celebrating what's happening and moving forward."

Hill said the case might not be ruled upon until as late as August. Until then, the seven couples will wait in suspense.

"I am personally very optimistic about the case," Lloyd said. "The lawyers for the couples did an extremely great job presenting the case. I had a pretty optimistic feeling when I left."