Shannon Fortner has been kept from her partner for too long. The lead singer of MeteorEYES has organized an equal rights rally in downtown Sarasota Nov. 14 in part to voice her frustration with discriminatory immigration policies.
“I plan to shed light on the United American Families Act which would allow U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for family-based immigration,” Fortner said in a press release.
The United Kingdom, where Fortner’s partner is a citizen, recognizes same sex marriages.
Currently there are 117 co-sponsors of the UAFA in Congress and the upcoming rally is an effort to get Sarasota Congressman Vern Buchanan to join that list.
It’s unknown how many people will actually show up for the 10 a.m. rally, which will be held at Bayfront Park near downtown, but Fortner is very optimistic. So much so that she changed the rally’s locations from the smaller Fire Points Park to Bayfront to accommodate more participants.
Besides speaking out about immigration laws, Fortner said the rally will address other LGBT sensitive issues like lifting the Florida ban on gay adoption and creating a Florida initiative to repeal The Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a legal union exclusively between a man and a woman.
Fortner will likely speak at the rally along with other notable names including columnist and filmmaker Anthony Paull, recording artist Scott Lightwine, MeteorEYES’ Andrew Sink, and members of Equality Florida, the Human Rights Campaign and ALSO Out Youth.
The organization of the rally began in early October with a grassroots calling on social networking sites the MySpace and Facebook. On those sites alone, more than 200 people have agreed to attend the three-hour event. Fortner says members of the LGBT community as well as a number of straight allies are expected on Nov. 14.
Those attending are asked to meet at Five Points Park, 1331 First St., at 9:45 a.m. and then March to Bayfront Park at 10 a.m. Signs are encouraged. For more information contact Fortner at ShaiHabits@Hotmail.com.
