As Maryland’s Attorney General bucks marriage equality opponents with the release of a legal opinion to recognize “out-of-state” same-sex marriage licenses and our nation’s capitol solemnizes its first same-sex marriages, new research published in late February illustrates the attitudes of “movable middle” voters around the issue of marriage equality and raises new questions about whether marriage is electorally achievable for gays and lesbians.

Freedom to Marry, a non-profit committed to achieving marriage rights for same-sex couples on a national scale, commissioned research on a divergent set of outcomes from the Fall 2009 elections in Maine and Washington. In contrast, Mainers supported Question 1 53% to 47%, effectively overturning the right to marry for same-sex couples, while Washingtonians approved Referendum 71 by an identical margin, the most expansive domestic partnership law ever passed by an American electorate.

How is it that “movable” voters are overwhelmingly willing to support relationship recognition parity in all but name? And how are those who share the wholehearted belief in equal protection, able to simultaneously reconcile their disapproval of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples?

The authors of the study explain this paradigm shift by coining a new catch phrase, Equality Plus: “The equality argument which advocates have focused on thus far has taken us a long way, but it does not sufficiently address the underlying fears that are keeping the middle from taking that final step to support marriage. We need something in addition to equality—we’ll call it “Equality Plus”—in order to bring the middle along faster,” the study outlines.
 
The authors argue that while equality messaging has worked effectively in garnering domestic partnership rights for same-sex couples at the ballot box, equality as a central campaign tenet is insufficient for moving voters over the last hurdle between supporting equal benefits and endorsing full marriage equality. In Maine, for example, 53% of voters disagreed with the statement “Separate is Not Equal.”
 
Equality Plus as a concept, is defined as a strategy which will enable marriage equality advocates to tap into the “essence” or “spirit” of marriage. Since the movable middle views marriage as an ideal, solemn, life-long commitment - translating our shared values requires that we do the following: Show that gay couples will honor and respect the tradition of marriage; demonstrate that gay couples see marriage as a lifelong commitment; and encourage gay people and allies to talk to their friends and families about why they support marriage.
 
If you’re interested in learning more about the Freedom to Marry study, Let California Ring will host a presentation on this research at The Center – 3909 Centre St. – on Saturday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.

You can read the research text here.

Carlos Marquez is the Director of Community Programs & Public Affairs at The Center, where he oversees public policy and community programs. Prior to joining The Center, he worked in Government and Community Affairs for the Service Employees International Union, Local 221, and has also served as a Public Policy Associate for the United Way of America and a Research Associate for the ACLU’s National Legislative Office. Marquez is active in the community as the local Chair and National Executive Board Member of Pride At Work. Recently, he was named one of the “15 under 30” LGBT political figures to watch by the Gay & Lesbian Times. He currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from San Diego State University.