For Immediate Release
Contact:
Merrill Miller, 202-238-9088 ext. 105, merrillmiller@americanhumanist.org
(Washington, DC, Nov. 21, 2016)—In solidarity with the social justice community, 74 humanist celebrants endorsed by the Humanist Society, an adjunct of the American Humanist Association, will offer free weddings to LGBTQ individuals, immigrants and other marginalized communities that fear they will be negatively affected by a Trump presidency.
This initiative will aid individuals afflicted by racism, homophobia and religious discrimination by offering them the comfort and security found through becoming legally connected to the one they love without worrying about financial hindrances. It will also allow people to focus on marriage as a celebration of the humanist values of love and kindness in a time when the country is feeling torn apart by hatred. Humanist celebrants across the nation are taking part in the initiative, which will continue until Inauguration Day on Friday, January 20, 2017.
“We are proud of our humanist celebrants for standing up as allies for the marginalized communities that will be most negatively impacted by the uncertain political climate and the prejudices of the religious right, homophobia and white supremacy,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “In officiating weddings, a time of love and joy, we are demonstrating the strength of love and compassion, values that resonate not only with humanists but with all people.”
Humanist Celebrants conduct Humanist, secular, nonreligious, non-theistic and interreligious weddings, memorials, baby naming, and other life-cycle ceremonies. Click on this map to see a listing of celebrants by state. Note: Humanist Celebrants participating in the Free Weddings to Marginalized Communities Affected by Presidential Election program are indicated with a safety pin icon after their name.
The American Humanist Association is also fostering social justice through its adjuncts, the Black Humanist Alliance, the Feminist Humanist Alliance, and the LGBTQ Humanist Alliance, which is currently engaged in Humanists Optimizing and Upholding Shelter Equality (HOUSE) a program to combat religiously-based discrimination against transgender and gender nonconforming individuals in shelters. Since the results of the 2016 election, the American Humanist Association has had an outpouring of volunteer interest in its social justice adjuncts.
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Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming philosophy of humanism, which—without beliefs in any gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.
The Humanist Society aims to bolster growth at the grassroots level by supporting the all movement efforts to develop strong communities and community leaders. Strong humanist communities will empower local humanist groups with the ability to reach out to a greater population of people by providing educational programs, regular communal celebrations, and meaningful social interaction with fellow humanists.