NEW YORK – ACLU Action, a new initiative of the American Civil Liberties Union, launched a campaign today urging "Modern Family's" producers to script a wedding episode for popular gay characters Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker. The campaign comes as Americans await the Supreme Court's decisions on two important marriage equality cases, the DOMA and Prop 8 cases – the ACLU is direct counsel in the DOMA case, United States v. Windsor – and as a stream of states pass marriage equality measures. The campaign can be found at ModernFamilyWedding.com.
"The freedom to marry is being advanced in American living rooms as much as in court rooms," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "As we wait for the Supreme Court to rule, we want to keep this issue on the minds and screens of Americans everywhere."
ACLU Action aims to activate the ACLU's 750,000 online supporters to have a political impact through social media and new grassroots organizing tools, and to reach out to new audiences, with its message of equal rights for all. By calling on Americans to "RSVP" that they will watch Cam and Mitch get married, the campaign will let the "Modern Family" producers know that a wedding episode would be a ratings hit. The campaign will put marriage equality before new and younger audiences through social media channels.
ACLU Action plans to deliver the "guest list" created by this RSVP to the producers of "Modern Family," Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd. The delivery will be timed to capitalize on the energy arising out of the landmark Supreme Court cases to be decided this summer, as the writers and producers are scripting the next season of "Modern Family."
Twelve states and the District of Columbia already have marriage equality, with Rhode Island, Delaware and Minnesota passing legislation within the past two weeks. Illinois is widely expected to follow shortly. A March ABC News/Washington Post poll showed that 58 percent of the nation supports marriage equality with only 36 percent opposed. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the two marriage equality cases in June.
"The ACLU has been working since 1936 to guarantee the rights of lesbian and gay people, and we see sending Cam and Mitch down the aisle before 13 million American viewers as the perfect next step," added Romero.
(ACLU press release)
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