BOSTON, JULY 21, 2010 — Statement by MassEquality Interim Executive Director Paula Herrington on the retirement of SJC Chief Justice Margaret Marshall

“SJC Chief Justice Margaret Marshall accomplished much during her 14 years on the state’s highest court. But she will rightly be remembered for authoring the majority decision in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health. In that decision, Justice Marshall asserted, in plain and simple language, that ‘The Massachusetts Constitution affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals.It forbids the creation of second-class citizens.’ Those lines have been recited countless times since in the weddings of couples previously denied the basic right of marriage. When the full history of marriage equality is written, Justice Marshall deserves prominent mention for convincing her colleagues to have the courage to set aside centuries of bias, and leading them to extend the full rights of humanity to the Commonwealth’s lesbian and gay citizens.”

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MassEquality works to achieve full equality for the LGBT Community. We're protecting marriage equality and promoting a full Equality Agenda in Massachusetts and supporting other states in winning marriage equality.