Ways to be Unmarried
| Living Single |
| Living Together |
| GLBT |
| Polyamory |
| MarriageFree & Boycott |
| Parents & Children |
| Commitment Ceremonies |
| Domestic Partner Benefits |
Syndicate
| Fall 2004 |
|
|
|
|
Alternatives to Marriage Project Update - Fall 2004
IN THIS ISSUE: Double Dare Campaign Launches with Fireworks 
As you know, AtMP recently announced its most ambitious growth targets ever, our Double Dare Campaign. We are trying to double everything about the Alternatives to Marriage Project, to double our number of donors, our budget, the size of our staff, and most importantly, to double the number of people we can reach and the amount we can accomplish. And AtMP friends have been stepping up to the plate. So far this year, we've received contributions from 46 new donors and renewal gifts from 79 past donors, 19 of whom have at least doubled their donations. But we have a long way to go to meet our goals. You may receive this newsletter for free, but it costs us money to maintain our website, to return phone calls from the public and from journalists, to research the issues and print reports, and to reach for even bigger goals. Our entire budget was $29,000 last year. Please help us double it - every gift adds up. Donate today:
Online with a credit card (secure site) Thank you! Opinion: Requesting Respect for Unmarrieds, by Amy Hayden Amy Hayden, an unmarried, partnered mother with children, has something on her mind, and in "Requesting Respect for Unmarrieds" she spills it. Read what Hayden feels her government might do to support unmarried parents with children. Letter to the Editor: Bumper Sticker Power
We thought of you the other day as we were innocently driving to the grocery store. The people in the car behind us (then beside, as they pulled up) were pointing excitedly toward my car. I figured I'd left the gas thing open, but then they yelled to us..."Love does not equal marriage?!" The slogan on my AtMP bumper sticker! "What does it mean?" Well, I tell you, we were very ill-equipped to explain AtMP's mission at 40+ mph (I actually missed my turn). But luckily, we were both stopped at a red light further down the road, and when the same gent proceeded to leave his car, walk up to our window, and inquire yet again, we were prepared with a 15 second synopsis: "It's-this-nonprofit-organization-you-see- that-advocates-for-the-rights-of-unmarried-people- against-the-pro-marriage-bias-of-society-hospital-visitation- insurance-benefits-you-know-and-the-welfare-marriage-incentives"
with barely a pause for breath before the light turned green and we
proceeded to Stop 'n Shop. Praising the power of the bumper sticker,
as a medium which informs, challenges, and unites strangers. Well
done! Want your own "Love does not equal marriage" bumper sticker to inform, challenge, and unite strangers? Check out all five AtMP bumper sticker slogans. Book Review: Continuity and Change in the American Family, reviewed by Madeline Holler
Seeking Writers on Race & Marriage, Book Reviewers AtMP is continuing to expand our list of available newsletter and website writers. For the next issue of this newsletter we are looking for one page opinion pieces on the broad theme of race and alternatives to marriage. (Deadline: October 2004). We also need book reviewers (and will suggest/provide books as necessary.) If you're interested in contributing, please fill out our contact form and let us know! Let AtMPers Know About Your Services Want to reach 7,000 AtMP readers around the world while supporting the work of the Alternatives to Marriage Project? We're exploring inviting professionals (lawyers, financial/tax advisors, counselors, coaches, nonprofits, etc.) to pay an annual fee to have a listing in this newsletter and on our website. If you're interested, contact us. Seeking Massachusetts Couples Who Could Lose Benefits Now that Massachusetts is recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples, some employers have announced plans to withdraw their domestic partner benefits plans. AtMP has led a coalition of major GLBT organizations that are strongly opposed to this (to read why). A Massachusetts journalist is interested in writing about the issue, but needs the stories of employees who are at risk of losing benefits for a domestic partner. If this describes you, please contact us with a brief description of your situation and a phone number where you can be reached (daytime if possible). Got Something To Donate to AtMP Auction? The Alternatives to Marriage Project is exploring holding a national online auction. If you have a product or service that may of interest to others anywhere in the country, and you'd be willing to donate it to the auction to support AtMP's work, please let us know. This could be an item that you could ship to someone anywhere in the country (or the world), use of a vacation home that people could travel to stay in, or a local product or service if you live in an urban area where there are likely to be lots of AtMP supporters. We'll want a diversity of things to auction, both high-end things with significant value, and also more affordable items. To let us know about something you'd be willing to donate, let us know! New York City News: Party, Chapter, Art Exhibit
Annual Fundraising Houseparty THIS SATURDAY!
NYC Chapter Plans First Gathering
Art Exhibit: The Wedding Project
When: September 11-November 7, 2004, Saturday through Sunday from
12-6 or by appointment The co-curators of The Wedding Project would like to travel this exhibition to different cities around the U.S. If you know of an art space or institution that would be interested in hosting this exhibition, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 917-703-5779. Want to see change in the U.S.? Collectively, the voice of AtMP's supporters can help bring about a world more supportive of family diversity. Once election day arrives, it may be too late to register to vote. If you're not already registered, it's quick and easy to do so today. Changes to AtMP's Privacy Policy In order to be able to work in coalition with like-minded groups, the Alternatives to Marriage Project is implementing a change to our privacy policy. This will allow us to share the mailing addresses and phone numbers of people on our mailing list in order to let them be notified about proposed legislation they can take action against in their state. In the future we may also share or trade mailing lists with like-minded organizations in our efforts to expand our mailing list and seek new donors, as is common practice among non-profit organizations. If at any time you request that we not share your name or contact information, we will absolutely honor your request. Simply respond to this message with "privacy policy" in the subject line, and write, "Do not share my contact information." We are committed to respecting your privacy and confidentiality requests. You can read our entire privacy policy. AtMP's Sacramento chapter is in the process of getting up and running, and it has created its own Yahoo group (online list) for area members to be able to stay in touch. To join the Sacramento chapter Yahoo group, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Newsletter Editor: Karen Sosnoski Articles written by individuals are the opinions of the authors, and not necessarily the opinions of the Alternatives to Marriage Project.       |
Madeline Holler finds the statistics to support the validity of her
allegedly non-traditional family in Casper and Bianchis'
Continuity and Change in the American Family. Learn about how
this book may or may not meet your research needs in 