Open Letter to LGBTQ+ Communities

PSST: Your Marriage is Under Attack

I’m Ben —writer, actor, and lifelong activist for LGBTQ+ equality. Long before Obergefell became the law of the land, my husband, Marcial, and I took on the State of California, suing for our right to marry (Cable-McCarthy v. California, 1993). Although the California Supreme Court denied review, our challenge helped lay the groundwork for every subsequent victory. Today, as our hard-won freedoms are under fresh assault, I stand with you, armed with the memory of that fight, the strength of our community, and the unbreakable promise that love will always prevail.

It’s Pride Month…and they’re coming for our marriages? While rainbows flood the streets and queer joy lights up every corner, forces in high places are plotting to rip away our most basic right: the right to say “I do.”

Photo by Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr on Unsplash

Look around, our community’s gaze is fixed on celebrations, parades, TikTok moments. But behind the glitter, the Southern Baptist Convention just passed a resolution demanding Obergefell v. Hodges be repealed. That’s right: in the very same weeks we’re honoring our love stories, a powerful religious lobby is telling Congress to undo the Supreme Court’s marriage-equality decision. And Washington is nodding along.

When Pride Becomes a Distraction

It’s June with Pride flags waving on every block, but as we dance and cheer, the Trump administration quietly chips away at the Respect for Marriage Act. They’ve proposed cutting LGBTQ+–specific support from federal programs, refused a Pride Month proclamation, and even rolling back protections for trans service members. It’s the classic bait-and-switch: get us to look at the spotlight, while they sabotage our rights in the shadows.

The Baptists’ Bold, Bigoted Power Play

Let’s name names: today, the Southern Baptist Convention, 13 million strong, voted to carve marriage equality out of the Constitution. They proudly declared gay marriage a “cultural aberration” and want federal law rewritten to match. This isn’t a fringe group: it’s the largest Protestant denomination in America, and they’ve got clout in state legislatures and on Capitol Hill.

Ask yourself: Would anyone dare push for a ban on interracial marriage today? Of course not. Yet here we are, in 2025, fighting off the same hateful arguments we defeated decades ago. They’re wielding “religious freedom” as a cudgel to lash out at queer families, families no different in love, commitment, or resilience.

Trump’s Administration: Turning a Blind Eye—No, Worse

Meanwhile, the White House isn’t just looking the other way; it’s actively enabling the attack. This June, they proposed scrapping LGBTQ+ counseling at the National Suicide Hotline, just as queer youth face skyrocketing rates of mental-health crises. They’ve cut funding for gender-affirming care under Medicare, and their DOJ refuses to enforce federal protections in workplace discrimination cases.

This isn’t governance, it’s a coordinated squeeze play on our lives. They hope we’ll be too busy celebrating to notice.

Why This Matters Right Now

Gay marriage isn’t some niche issue. It’s the bedrock recognition that love deserves dignity. When marriage equality falls, every other LGBTQ+ right, employment, housing, and healthcare, come under threat. They start with our weddings, then move on to our job protections, our families, and our freedom to live openly without fear.

And let’s be crystal clear: the Respect for Marriage Act is only a statute, not a constitutional guarantee. A Congress hostile to queer rights can repeal it with a simple majority. That’s why the push to overturn Obergefell is so urgent: they want to shove same-sex marriage back into legal limbo.

Our Pride, Our Power

So what do we do? We roar in defiance. Call your senators and representatives this week. Show up at your local LGBT center’s phone bank. Donate to Lambda Legal and the ACLU’s marriage-equality fund. Make your wedding plans public: post your invitations on social media and share your vows on your blog. Flood their offices with proof that queer love isn’t going anywhere.

Organize a “Marry Me” flash mob in your town square. Host a virtual panel on marriage equality’s history and future. Make courthouse halls echo with our voices, our vows, our joy, and our unshakable promise that we will not back down. Join a No Kings Protest this Saturday, June 14th.

Because Pride isn’t just one month of parades, it’s every day we wake up and choose to love out loud. And if they want a fight over marriage, let’s give them another one they’ll never forget.

This Pride Month, let’s protect our right to say, “I do.” Let’s stand shoulder to shoulder, armed with rings, vows, and unbreakable spirit, to ensure that love always wins.