January 13, 2009 Effort underway to legalize gay marriage in Maine Play video

(Amy Sinclair, NECN: Augusta, Maine) - A new effort to legalize same-sex marriage is underway in the state of Maine. Gay rights supporters gathered at the state capitol today to back a bill that would change the existing definition of marriage.

3-year-old Eli is pretty small for a lobbyist, but he and his parents--birth mother Carla and adoptive mother Victoria-- have come to the state capitol to fight for their family.

Carla: "We have built a life together and plan to grow old together but the law says we are not worthy of marriage."

They, other same sex families and civil rights advocates gathered in the hall of flags to back a new bill that would legalize gay marriage in Maine.

Damon: "today I have submitted an act to end discrimination in civil marriage and to affirm religious freedom."

Sinclair: "the new law would define civil marriage in Maine law as the legal union of two people. It would also remove an amendment--added back in 1997--the specifically banned same sex marriage in Maine."

Gay and lesbian advocates say same sex couples and their kids are at a real disadvantage compared to heterosexual married couples when it comes to household essentials like financial and health insurance benefits.

Mary: "the bottom line is that by conferring marriage the state confers enormous legal rights protections and obligations on a couple

Long time foes of gay marriage, including the roman catholic diocese and the

Maine family policy council say this issue should be decided by Maine people via referendum and not lawmakers.

MIKE: "we will be fighting it with everything that we've got because marriage needs to be maintained as the union of one man and one woman."

But the coalition here today says that definition of family doesn't include them.

Carla: "we want Eli to feel that his family is as strong as any other family."

They hope enough Maine lawmakers are willing to expand the current definition of marriage and family to make room for them too.