The Standard

Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Matt Kile

Avery Sanger had good reason to attend the Proposition 8 Rally held in downtown Springfield Saturday.

Sanger, a social worker, was there to support her daughter, Anisa Dawn, a graphic designer in Springfield, and daughter-in-law, Billie Marsala, of the Springfield Business Journal.

Dawn and Marsala were married at the Temple Israel Synagogue in Springfield May 10, 2007.

Dawn said that while the marriage is not recognized by the state of Missouri, it meant something to her and her wife.

"We did it for us." Dawn said. "All we want is equality."

More than 100 people attended the downtown rally, which was part of a nationwide movement to protest the passing of the legislation Proposition 8 that restricts the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

The rally organizer, Stephanie Perkins, said this kind of visibility is key to making change happen.

Perkins is the co-president of the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Alliance and the Southwest Missouri regional field organizer for PROMO, a statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization.

"I was a little scared at first that not many people would show up," Perkins said. "But we had a great turnout, and Springfield is such a fun place to do this sort of thing."

Perkins said she was very surprised when she heard the legislation had passed in California.

"I think the misleading media that was put out there and low voter turnout, especially in San Francisco County, helped pass the legislation," Perkins said.

She encouraged everyone to sign a petition to support the Missouri Safe School Act and PROMO.

The Safe Schools legislation is an anti-bullying bill for K-12 public schools. The Missouri Non-discrimination act prohibits discrimination based upon a person's sexual orientation. 

"We want to show that there is equal rights support in a traditionally non-liberal state like Missouri," Perkins said.

Perkins said while many people stopped and talked, opposition was basically absent from the event.

Cierra Gammill, a sophomore in art education at Ozarks Technical Community College, said she expected more opposition, but was happy there wasn't.

She said she was glad people came out despite the cold and were interested in learning about the legislation and how it affects everyone.

"Most people honked their horns when they passed and there was a lot of cheering," Gammill said. "It absolutely made it worth it."

In attendance were students, members of the LGBT community and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

"There were a couple people there from Branson," Perkins said. "The president of the gay-straight alliance at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin was there with nine or 10 other people."

Perkins said there was also a group of people from the Joplin Gay and Lesbian Center and people from Arkansas.

A national moment of silence was held at 1 p.m., which Perkins said was to mourn the passing of the legislation and everything that comes along with it.

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