The Seventeenth Constitutional Convention

This Thursday, June 14, will be the seventeenth Constitutional Convention in Massachusetts to deal with an anti-gay marriage amendment.

This battle has been going on for over five years. We have watched, argued, maneuvered, protested, cheered, sang, cried, yelled, clapped, and chanted for countless hours while our rights have been debated in Constitutional Conventions. We have seen two anti-gay constitutional amendments move forward and we have seen two anti-gay marriage amendments defeated.

We have had to defend ourselves through sixteen Constitutional Conventions and endless hours of debate. Here is the list:

May 1, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention convenes to consider the initiative petition amendment (H 4840) to the Constitution relative to the "protection of marriage". RESULT: Recessed until 6/19/02.

June 19, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention reconvenes to consider the amendment (H 4840) that would ban same-sex marriage. RESULT: Recessed until 7/17/02.

July 17, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention reconvenes to consider the anti-gay marriage amendment. Senate President Birmingham adjourns the convention. RESULT: The amendment is effectively killed.

May 14, 2003 - The Constitutional Conventions meets to discuss a new proposed amendment (H 3190) that would ban gay marriages and marriage-like benefits for same-sex couples. RESULT: Recessed until 11/12/03.

November 12, 2003 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment (H 3190). RESULT: Recessed until 2/11/04.

February 11, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment (H 3190). After much heated debate, the concon recesses until the next day.

February 12, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment. Hundreds of people fill the State House as the second day of the Constitutional Convention heats up. Lawmakers on both sides debate and maneuver. The night ends with pro-gay marriage legislatures conducting a filibuster until midnight. RESULT: Recessed until 3/11/04.

March 11, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes. The legislature votes three times on a gay marriage ban that would also establish civil unions. Maneuvers by both opponents and supporters of gay marriage leave it unclear whether the constitutional amendment would ever get to the voters. RESULT: Recessed until 3/29/04.

March 29, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes and votes in favor of the "compromises amendment" that would ban gay marriage and establish civil unions. RESULT: The amendment passes and moves to the second round with a vote of 105-92.

May 11, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. RESULT: Recessed until 8/24/05.

August 24, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. RESULT: Recessed until 9/14/05.

September 14, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. Pro-gay marriage forces have enough votes to kill the amendment. Anti-gay marriage groups drop support for the amendment in favor of a new amendment that does not include civil unions. Both sides urge legislators to vote against the amendment. RESULT: The amendment is defeated with a vote of 157-39.

May 10, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions meets to take up a new amendment to ban gay marriage. This new amendment does not include civil unions and, because it is an initiative petition, needs only 25% of the legislature's support to pass. RESULT: Recessed until 7/12/06.

July 12, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay marriage amendment. Marriage equality advocates do not have enough votes to win. RESULT: Recessed until two days after the general election, 11/9/06.

November 9, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay marriage amendment. Marriage equality advocates still do not have the votes to win. In a procedural maneuver designed to kill the amendment, the legislature votes to recess until the last day of the session. RESULT: Recessed until 1/2/07. MassEquality declares victory.

January 2, 2007 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay amendment. After a lawsuit filed by anti-gay marriage advocates, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said that state lawmakers have a constitutional duty to vote on a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. The amendment only needs 50 votes to pass. RESULT: The amendment passes and moves to the second round with a vote of 62-134.

May 9, 2007 - The Constitutional Conventions takes up the anti-gay marriage amendment in the second round. RESULT: Recessed until 6/14/07.

Many in the LGBT community, including me, are sick and tired of going to Constitutional Conventions. They can be incredibly draining. I can think of a million things that I would rather do than go to the State House and fight for my rights...again.

However, we can't give up, or even slow down now. We are so close to winning. State House sources say that we are just three or four votes away from winning. We need to be there on Thursday, even if there is not actually going to be a vote. We need to be there to show the legislature that we are not giving up our rights.

We have survived sixteen Constitutional Conventions. We can make it through the seventeenth one as well. See you there!