St.Paul - Hundreds rallied on the Capitol lawn today for the country's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lobby day.
Supporters at the OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day hoped to send a strong message to lawmakers and the governor to support GLBT-friendly legislation.
A bill that would allow local governments to offer their employees domestic partner benefits has already passed the full Senate and is waiting to be heard on the House floor.
If passed in the House, it will head to Governor Pawlenty's desk where a veto is likely. Gov. Pawlenty has said he opposes any legislation that grants benefits to same sex domestic partners.
Last year the same bill passed both Houses only to be vetoed by the governor.
Senator John Marty, DFL - Roseville, was among the over twenty legislators from both houses that came out in support of GLBT legislation. He said the rally is both a call to action and a time to celebrate society's move from a time of hatred to a time of understanding.
"Attitudes in the public are changing, not decade by decade but year by year, as straight people are finding out just how many of their friends are GLBT", said Sen. Marty.
"In the past when a person saw a gay couple sitting in church they may have thought they were either roommates or friends, but now they look and realize they're actually a gay couple".
Domestic partners Misti Germundon and Danielle Petroske were among those in attendance.
Petroske said she is hoping to get pregnant this fall and add a child to their family.
"We're here for our family and future family, to be seen and heard", said Petroske.
"We are real people and we have real issues".
The First Unitarian Church of Duluth, Mayflower Church UCC, Minneapolis, Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis and Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church, Golden Valley, were among the handful of churches that showed up to support the GLBT cause.
"Every single one of us has been on the receiving end of hate and we have an obligation to make sure we don't treat others in that way because we know what it feels like", said Rabbi Jared Saks from Temple Israel, Minneapolis.
(Copyright 2008 by KARE. All Rights Reserved)
