The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

Wednesday night volunteers from across the state joined us for our first ADOPT EQUALITY phone bank. First timers and seasoned volunteers alike committed 2 hours and made hundreds of calls to Florida voters to ask where they stand on Florida's shameful adoption ban.

Right now, these conversations are crucial.

The Florida 2010 legislative session will begin in just a few short weeks and an appeals court ruling is expected any day on a Miami judge's ruling that Florida's anti-gay adoption ban is unconstitutional. Judge Cindy Lederman ruled in 2008 that there is "no rational basis to prohibit gay parents from adopting" and that the law violates equal protection rights for the children and their prospective parents based solely on anti-gay prejudice.

No matter the decision, win or lose, we must prepare to fight.

Unless we educate Florida voters on this issue, this discriminatory ban could be permanently enshrined in our laws or even the Florida Constitution. Right now Florida is the only state with a statute that specifically names and excludes gay people from adopting. It is a law the anti-gay industry would like to export.

No matter where you live, if you care about ending this ban and putting the needs of each child ahead of prejudice, we need your help.

Sign up for a phone bank today. We will be making calls every Wednesday night from 6:00-8:00pm. You can make calls right from your home, all you need is an Internet connection and a phone.

Give 2 hours and help us end this ban once and for all.