Equality Maryland is moving full steam ahead with our recently launched Marylanders for Marriage campaign, making history in the fight for marriage equality.

With more than 1,500 yard signs, 10,000 bumper stickers distributed, and thousands of people signing the petition across the state proclaiming Civil Marriage is a Civil Right, the campaign is turning heads and raising awareness for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Several media outlets including the Washington Post have written about the campaign.

"We've gotten off to a great start, and more people are requesting campaign materials every day," said Equality Maryland Policy Director Carrie Evans. "People are very enthusiastic about putting the signs in their yards and displaying their support for marriage equality, and many people with signs have told us neighbors have come up to their yard and asked about the signs and about the issue."

"As the proud 88-year-old mother of a gay son, I couldn't wait to get this yard sign," said Montgomery County resident Bernice Melov. "Now I can let everyone know that thousands of Marylanders like my son and his partner of 32 years deserve to have the right to marry the person they love. It's a matter of common decency, equality, fairness, human dignity, and justice."

Equality Maryland's pro-active campaign comes at an important time for state marriage equality. The landmark case Conaway v. Deane & Polyak -- in which the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Equality Maryland filed a lawsuit on behalf of nine same-sex couples and a recently widowed man seeking the right to marry in Maryland -- is currently pending in the state's highest court and could be decided at any moment.

"This is an issue that's not going away," said Rabbi Warren Stone of Temple Emanuel in Kensington. "It's time for the state and the country to acknowledge and affirm the rights of gay and lesbian people for commitment ceremonies -- even weddings."

Although Equality Maryland will receive no early notice on the decision, our team of lobbyists is working alongside our ACLU colleagues to meet with state legislators throughout the summer and educate them on the importance of full marriage equality for same-sex couples.

"It's important for legislators to understand the significance this decision has in our families' lives, and part of this campaign is making sure that importance is conveyed," Evans said.

Along with grassroots activists and LGBT-friendly clergy throughout the state, Equality Maryland is reaching out to local businesses, labor and civil rights organizations and other community members in order to increase our voice in support of marriage equality and ready ourselves for all possible outcomes in the pending court case.

"We have separate contingency plans for every possible result, and we're prepared to move forward in our efforts to bring marriage equality to Maryland no matter what is decided by the court," Evans said.

In order to show your support for marriage equality, sign the petition and order your yard sign, banner and bumper sticker today at MarylandersForMarriage.org! You can also pick yard signs up at our office in Silver Spring (1319 Apple Avenue, 20910), at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Baltimore (241 West Chase Street, 21201), or every Friday between 11 A.M. and 2 P.M. at our new location with LGBT mental health services organization Hearts and Ears (10 W. Biddle Street Suite 1F, 21201).

The time is now. Please join our Marylanders for Marriage campaign and show your support for state marriage equality!

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.

Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org.