The Wake

National Freedom to Marry Day was well on its way. The bathrooms were marked “unisex,” assortments of rainbow-colored balloons adorned the room and 150 people gathered in the Great Hall of Coffman Memorial Union Feb. 12 as the Queer Student Cultural Center kicked off its celebration to end discrimination against gay marriage.

This event is the first time the QSCC has thrown a gala in recognition of National Freedom to Marry Day. “This event is usually much smaller,” says QSCC co-chair Jen Mohnkern. “Previously this has been an open house or lunch event mostly focused on the students who stopped by our office,” she says.

The night of merriment, dancing and activism was in support of keeping gay marriage off of ballots and out of the Minnesota constitution. “We want more understanding about gay marriage and to get the word out about gay marriage issues and any discrimination issues against GLBT,” says volunteer Becky Saltzman.

“Putting an amendment against gay marriage [on the ballot in November] is discrimination and gay bashing,” says QSCC co-chair Mike Grewe. This event shows “there is support in the community for GLBT people,” he says.

The QSCC has been planning this celebration for several months, Grewe said. “We bought all of the food and decorations ourselves,” he said. The event was free for students and $5 for community members, Saltzman says. The QSCC raised $140 with the celebration, Mohnkern says. To cover most costs, the organization obtained a grant from the Student Activities Office and partnership grants, but money raised at the event went to costs not covered by the grants, Grewe adds.

The event was co-sponsored by multiple organizations including the GLBTA Network, the GLBT Programs Office, the American Indian Student Cultural Center, Campus Atheists and Secular Humanists, La Raza, Carlson’s Counterculture Club, Coalition for a Respectful U, Disabled Student Cultural Center, Keshet, U of M Minnesota Student Activities Office and Women’s Student Activist Collective.

Speaker Monica Meyer, public policy director for OutFront Minnesota, has been “traveling around the state talking with people about the constitutional amendment and what it means to them and their community,” she says.

“We can fight this issue,” Meyer says. “People are coming together and thinking about how, as a state, we can fight this.”

“Many opponents argue that same-sex couples are ruining marriage,” Meyer says. “If you think that someone’s love is threatening to someone else, explain that to me,” she argues. Meyer added that many politicians are using this issue as a “political smokescreen” so they don’t have to talk about issues like healthcare, employment and affordable housing. “They don’t think they’ll have to talk about ‘hard’ issues,” she says.

“Banning same-sex marriage to protect family is framing by the right side,” said speaker Beth Zemsky, a current adjunct professor at the U and former co-chairperson of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “Our major task is to reframe the nature of the debate,” she said.

“We’re building something long-term,” Meyer said. “On Nov. 8, 2006–whether or not this is on the ballot—homophobia is not going to be dead,” she adds.

Nineteen states have passed marriage amendments and this year “the pressure’s going to be on,” to keep it off of the ballot in Minnesota, Meyer says.

Meyer urged supporters to talk with their friends, families and acquaintances about the issues surrounding gay marriage. “We need to talk about this with people in our life so they can connect this issue to people they know,” she says. “We need to have these conversations.”

“If you are against the idea of GLBTQ people being discriminated against in the document that governs Minnesota, if you are against Minnesota standing for prejudice instead of being open and welcoming … you need to be informed and active,” Mohnkern said. “Contact your legislators because it will affect how they vote on this … You need to sign petitions, talk to people and be a part of this,” she says.

“I hope this only fuels the fire of conversation amongst students and community members so that we do not sit back while our rights are taken away and our community is discriminated against in our constitution,” Mohnkern says.

“This moment is as much of a turning point for the GLBT community as the AIDS epidemic,” says Zemsky.

They have “framed our ability to love as a dangerous and bad thing. They’re worried about us loving each other. This is a really, really sad thought,” Zemsky says.

“Monica Meyer and Beth Zemsky are not only both dynamic speakers, but they are closely connected to the discussion of the Anti-Marriage Amendment in Minnesota,” Mohnkern said. “We wanted to really focus on our state because it is Minnesota that we need to take pride and responsibility in,” she says.

The two speeches were followed by a dance that gave volunteers, students and community members in attendance the chance to celebrate love and acceptance. “This event is about honoring love, companionship and partnership,” Grewe says. “Love is androgynous.”

The QSCC offers individuals seven member groups and four affiliate groups, including Arch (a coming-out support group), for networking and forming connections with others. Go to for more information.