ANNAPOLIS – In a show of support that challenges perceptions of religious leaders on gay rights issues, Maryland clergy convened in Annapolis this morning to advocate in favor of full civil marriage equality for same-sex couples and civil rights protections for the transgender community. These religious leaders -- from many faith traditions -- oppose any proposed and future Maryland constitutional amendments banning any legal protections for gay and lesbian couples, calling this legislation immoral and unjust. They also understand the importance of including protections for gender identity and expression in Maryland's antidiscrimination protections.

"Religious leaders who oppose same-sex couples and their families are free to preach their message from their pulpits and to choose who they will and will not marry. But their particular religious views do not speak for the values of my religious community and they do not speak for many Marylanders who believe in equal rights and equal protection under the law," said Rev. Andrew Foster Connors, Pastor of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, where Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane, lead plaintiffs in a marriage lawsuit against the state, are members. "No religious community should have the right to impose its religious views through legal enactments or constitutional amendments that target minority groups."

Equality Maryland, the state's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, worked with clergy to coordinate the event. After breakfast and a briefing by the Religious Coalition for Civil Marriage Equality, participants delivered to the General Assembly a letter from 245 clergy across the state that oppose the amendment. The signatories represent varied denominations and faiths, including American Baptist, United Methodist, United Church of Chris, Roman Catholic, Unity Fellowship, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Quaker and Unitarian Universalist, as well as Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism.

"If I am silent when it comes to people's constitutional rights being violated, I am not a true American. I support Equality Maryland's fight for marriage equality because, simply, it is right. Those of like minds on this issue must come together and end this injustice sooner rather than later," said Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr., of Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church in Camp Springs, MD.

"Although there is no religious requirement for obtaining a marriage license and clergy will always have the constitutional right to refuse to perform same-sex marriages, these clergy today have shown the breadth of support among religious leaders for civil marriage equality for same sex couples in Maryland," said Equality Maryland Executive Director, Dan Furmansky.