With the recent passage of civil-unions legislation in Illinois, those who attended Lambda Legal's 10th annual "Freedom to Marry" reception on Feb. 8 at the National Museum of Mexican Art had a lot to celebrate.
The event, which took place for the fourth consecutive year at the museum, was buzzing with hundreds of supporters enjoying cocktails and vegetarian appetizers. "I think people feel a little bit closer to the goal. I certainly think a year ago at this time we did not think a year from now we would have had this legislative victory. It's good to take another step up the ladder." said, Jim Bennett, Midwest regional director at Lambda Legal. In years past, the event ,which is free and open to the general public, encouraged people to take action around the issue of marriage equality.
Bennett explained that this year Lambda Legal partnered with Equality Illinois to create the Illinois Civil Unions Tracker, an online registration for gay couples who marry in and outside of Illinois.
Jorge Valdivia, director of performing arts at the museum, enthusiastically introduced the facility's president, who attended the event for the first time. This year the event included a singles mixer message board where attendees were given numbers to write messages to one another that were delivered by guys dressed as cupids.
GayCo members Bennett and Kelly Beeman performed an educational comedy skit about what the civil-unions law does and does not do. They were both followed by singer Stephen Leonard's acoustic performance of his original song Out Loud.
The room, decorated with pink and red hearts, displayed a beautiful wedding cake that was later cut for dessert. Simon Aronoff, community educator at Lambda Legal, chose three couples from the crowd to go up on stage and toss bouquets. For the rest of the evening DJ Harry T had everybody shaking and moving the night away.
For more information on Lambda Legal or any of their partner organizations visit www.LambdaLegal.org .