While light rain began to fall early Saturday evening, some 75 protesters gathered in the heart of Boystown for a rally and march that called for the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and a renewed push for same-sex marriage equality in the state of Illinois.
The rally was intentionally scheduled just over a week after Illinois' new civil union law became effective. The law allows same-sex couples and others to enjoy the benefits associated with marriage within state boundaries. Outside of Illinois, however, a discrepancy continues due to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), legislation passed under the Clinton administration in 1996 that strictly defines marriage, from a federal perspective, as between one man and one woman.
Judy Heithmar, a member of Join The Impact Chicago (JTIC), one of the organizations sponsoring the rally, told Huffington Post Chicago countering the recent "hoopla" that painted the civil union passage as an achievement of equality for the LGBT community was a major motivation behind putting on the event.
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Complete article at Huffington Post : http://huff.to/iWMw7E
