All Out: Put a ring on it!

26.6.2013 Today, the US Supreme Court ruled at last: all legally married couples will finally be equally protected by the law – including gay and lesbian couples. It means that all legally married couples in the US will now have the right to visit their husband or wife if they’re sick or dying in hospital. And for couples where only one person is an American citizen, they can now marry and stay together in the US, instead of being torn apart. This is huge news within the US, but the march toward equality is accelerating all over the world. All Out members and our partner organisations in many countries are building incredible momentum towards winning equal marriage in many more countries, like Brazil and Mexico. The decision today, and recent successful marriage campaigns led by organizers in Argentina, France, New Zealand and Uruguay show that the message of love and equality is taking hold. We can celebrate this moment together, as we keep working to build a world where no person has to sacrifice their family, safety, freedom or dignity because of who they are or who they love. Messages of joy are flying around the world on Twitter and Facebook, will you join in? If you use Facebook, help break the news by clicking here and then clicking SHARE, to share the image below with friends and family. The US has taken a step in the right direction to join the community of nations around the world where every person can marry the one they love. If you use Twitter, tweet your thoughts with the hashtag #AllOut4Love by clicking here.The best words and stories will be shared to reach millions. You could also forward this email to spread the news to family and friends. This is a wonderful moment, though even as we celebrate, lots of All Out members across the world know there’s so much more to do. Even in the US, you can still be fired for being gay in more than 30 states. And there are many countries where things are going from bad to worse. Nigeria is on the verge of passing one of the world’s worst anti-gay bills. It could send people to jail for 10 years simply for holding hands. And Russia has just passed a new law that makes it illegal even to say the word “gay” publicly to people under 18. To change the world we need to keep working together. And we need to keep shouting out about the beauty and wonder of love, to help break down the silence and fear that are destroying lives in so many countries. So today, as millions of us across the US and the world are celebrating, let's join in. And let's keep working together to build a world where no one has to sacrifice their family, freedom or safety because of who they love. Thank you for building this 1.7 million-strong movement, and for asking those you know and love to join in this historic moment. With love and hope, Andre, Jeremy, Marie, Sabelo, Joe, Tile, and the rest of the All Out team. PS: It’s just an incredible day. Let’s send ripples of All Out love and celebration around the world. We’ve made it easy: just click to share on Facebook or Twitter.