VCU Hosts Forum on Marriage Amendment

By Tom Gresham

Virginia Commonwealth University will host a forum on Oct. 24 on the marriage amendment that will soon go before Virginia voters.

The forum will be held at 4 p.m. in the VCU Student Commons Theater at 907 Floyd Ave. Panelists are Delegate Robert G. Marshall, R – Manassas, a sponsor of the proposed amendment; Pat McSweeney, an attorney and an adjunct professor of political science at VCU; Geoff Dankert, vice president of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association; and Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, campaign manager of the Commonwealth Coalition, a coalition of groups opposed to the amendment.

The proposal would amend the Bill of Rights of the Virginia Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. In addition to banning gay marriage, it would also prohibit civil unions and other formal domestic partnerships that approximate marriage between unmarried couples.

Each of the panelists will have an opportunity to state their arguments regarding the amendment at the forum. Audience members will also have a chance to ask the panelists questions. Paula Otto, associate director of the VCU School of Mass Communications, will moderate the discussion.

The forum is sponsored by the VCU School of Mass Communications Diversity Committee and the VCU Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

For more information, contact Debora Wenger at 804-827-0250 or dhwenger@vcu.edu.