A possible amendment to the Michigan Constitution recognizing only "one man, one woman" marriages ignited lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender concerns when it was proposed Thursday.
The resolution, the Marriage Protection Amendment, states that only marriages between a man and a woman will be recognized as valid. If it receives enough votes from legislators, it will appear on the November 2004 ballot.
The action began partially because of concerns that LBGT couples would marry in Ontario, where gay unions are legal, and then drive back to Michigan.
"Michigan marriages need the strongest possible protection to make sure that judges and laws in other states do not force their policies on Michigan citizens," said Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, who revealed the bill.
Legislation similar to the proposed marriage amendment was passed into Michigan law in 1996. But laws can be overturned by judges and an amendment cannot, as evidenced by recent civil action allowing gay marriages in Vermont.
"Strong marriages are the foundations of strong families," Sen. Bill Hardiman, R-Kentwood, said, acknowledging that some people have circumstances where marriages don't work out and still form strong families.
"There seems to be a notion that a relationship between two gay men or two lesbians is somehow a threat to a heterosexual marriage, and that is completely unfounded," Rep. Chris Kolb, D-Ann Arbor, said in a statement Thursday. The openly gay legislator could not be reached for further comment.
Cropsey said the bill is a "safeguard to the American Constitution" and will not affect the LBGT community.
Members from the LBGT community disagreed, and they debated heatedly with supporters after the conference.
Many questioned how excluding them from marriage would protect male-female marriages.
"They're enforcing things that already exist and just adding other hurdles higher and higher," Beth Bashert of Coalition for a Fair Michigan said.
"There are already 1,000 benefits available to married couples that are not available to same-sex domestic partners."
And the amendment would reverse work done to add domestic partner benefits in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit, Bashert said. Domestic partnerships are not a recognized union under the bill.
Supporters are confident the amendment will be accepted by both parties, though members of Detroit's Triangle Foundation reported that legislators are closely matched for and against the amendment.
Rep. Triette Reeves, D-Detroit, a minister, said she was comfortable supporting the bill from a religious viewpoint because her constituents elected her knowing she was Christian.
"I do not need a political agenda to support or promote the God-ordained institution of marriage between one man and one woman," she said.
