Eight years ago more than three out of five Ohio voters agreed to write into state law a definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Next year Ohio voters may change that and legalize same sex marriage. A group called Freedom Ohio are proponents of same sex marriage and canvassing the state to spread their message and work towards placing the proposal on the 2013 ballot. Members of the group feel there is enough of a shift to gain the nearly 368,000 valid signatures needed over the next 13 months. Freedom Ohio volunteer, Amy Holland, said "Even when we're meeting people that aren't supporters if we're still having conversation with them to tell them our story. Possibly persuade them, it helps a lot."
Holland visited the Lima chapter of PFLAG, which stands for parents, family, and friends of gays and lesbians, to talk about getting the proposal on the ballot. And for some it's not just about gay marriage. Lima chapter PFLAG member, Kyle Sackinger, said "For me it's more about equality than it is marriage. Because right now Ohio does not share the same gay rights as a lot of other states."
Same gender couples are missing out on benefits that married couples enjoy, like joint parenting, next of kin visits at hospitals and medical decision, joint insurance, taxes, and inheritance. "My wife and our son, let's say something was to happen to her I would have no say and I would have no rights to our son as well" said Holland.
The Lima chapter of PFLAG wants to educate everyone on their cause. That's why Freedom Ohio was in Lima, so PFLAG members can learn about Freedom Ohio. "We need to find out what we're standing behind and what people are trying to offer us. It could be it's not something that we want to necessarily get behind so it's important for everybody to get educated about these things." said Lima PFLAG president Robin Miller. According to the Toledo Blade, the campaign is circulating petitions in all 88 counties in Ohio as well as online.
