Honoring My Two Moms
Zach Wahls, pictured left testifying before the Iowa State Legislature, is an engineering student at the University of Iowa. He celebrated the marriage of his two moms in 2009.
The message below went out to Standing on the Side of Love supporters on Thursday, February 10, 2011. You can sign-up for these emails here.
Two weeks ago, I took a stand for equality, and for my family. Taking time away from classes at the University of Iowa, where I am an engineering student, I testified before the Iowa House of Representatives in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. “I was raised by a gay couple,” I told lawmakers, “and I’m doing pretty well.”
A young Zach Wahls and his family at his moms’ 1996 commitment ceremony.
More than one and a half million people have now viewed my testimony on YouTube, and a lot of people have heaped an inordinately large amount of undeserved praise on me. As a Unitarian Universalist, my testimony was simply what I was raised to believe – that we all should stand on the side of love.
A few days ago, I found out that the Standing on the Side of Love campaign was launching a new, online map of “courageous love” to mark National Standing on the Side of Love Day and had posted my testimony before the legislature to the map. I am humbled that someone thought my family’s story might be an inspiration to others across the country and have been truly touched by the outpouring of support not just for my family, but for families like mine all across the world.
So, let me ask you — who in your life and your community would you like to honor for the tremendous ways in which they stand on the side of love?
Share a story of courageous love online so that others may be inspired.
The courageous love I want to honor is that of my two moms – Terry and Jackie. Together for 15 years, they created a loving family for my sister and me, despite living in a culture that doesn’t always treat them, or their love, as equal. In 2009, the year marriage discrimination ended in Iowa, they finally were able to get married. As my moms’ best man, I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life. Two years later, I had the opportunity to share my story and to my utter surprise, millions of people responded. I hope you’ll share yours too.
This National Standing on the Side of Love Day, you can shine the spotlight on the courageous love in your life by telling your online community about people you know who exemplify an unshakeable faith in the power of justice and love.
Honor your personal hero by uploading their story online so others may be inspired.
Here’s a TV interview we just did with Zach where he talks about what it was like growing up with two mothers, what led him to decide to go and speak before the House of Representatives, how his life has changed after being thrust into the public eye, and what other young people can do to fight for equality and speak out against intolerance.
http://patv.tv/blog/2011/04/06/talking-with-yale-cohn-with-zach-wahls/