In an unconventional Valentine's Day event, Tucsonans will shout out against a proposed Arizona amendment to deny homosexual rights and same-sex marriage in a protest rally Sunday.
The date of the protest is no coincidence - the day before Valentine's Day is also the first anniversary of San Francisco legalizing same-sex marriages in the city and county.
More than 300 people are expected to attend the rally, to be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at El Presidio Park, North Church Avenue and West Alameda Street, said Cathy Busha, a rally organizer.
Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as well as "straight allies" will speak at the protest, which is endorsed by more than 18 institutions, including Wingspan and the First Congregational United Church of Christ.
"It's one event in a long line of many that we've got," said Busha, director of programs at Wingspan.
UA speakers include Rep. Ted Downing, D-Ariz., a research professor of social development, and Edith Auslander, vice president for diversity.
Motivation for the protest arose from the amendment proposed by the Center for Arizona Policy. If passed, any official recognition of same-sex couples in Arizona would be made illegal, Busha said.
"It would ban things that don't exist and take away rights that people currently have. We have had phone calls because people are terrified that that's going to happen," she said.
Busha said the fact that many speakers are straight allies emphasizes the importance for all people to understand the issue "as one of civil rights, as one of fairness."
"It's impossible for the gay community to defeat it alone. We started early, but we should have started yesterday," Busha said.
In order to make it on the Arizona ballot, the Center for Arizona Policy has to collect 184,000 signatures. At of now, similar amendments have passed in 11 states, Busha said.
Karren Seely, a studio art and pre-medicine senior, said she could see the law passing in Arizona.
"It's hard to say, right now Napolitano is governor, and she is a voice," said Seely, a Pride Alliance member. "But Arizona is still a pretty conservative state."
Even though Pride Alliance, which is a student organization devoted to promoting diversity and individuality, is not allowed to participate in politically motivated actions, Seely thinks some members may go to the rally.
"Getting the issue known in public could always potentially help," Seely said.
Explaining the matter helps people understand the issues because many think the rally is only about same sex marriage, Busha said.
"(But) this is about civil rights this is about fairness and unequal treatment," she said.
Tucsonan Damien McNeal has been with his partner for 22 years and said he will probably rearrange his schedule to go to Sunday's rally.
"The importance is to get the message across. This is for fairness for all families regardless of what they consist of," McNeal said.
If the amendment passes, McNeal said his partner would no longer qualify for the health insurance he currently receives from McNeal's employment.
"It would be devastating and it would take away something we worked for," McNeal said.