Alternatives to Marriage Update:
September 1998 

In this issue:

Upcoming Workshop
Are You on the Staff of a Publication?
Are You a Financial Consultant?
Recent News About Unmarried People
Recent ATMP Actions and Accomplishments

Our first six months of existence have been incredibly exciting. We just got back from giving a workshop at the Loving More East Coast conference in New York and will be giving another this Saturday in Burlington, Vermont. We've really enjoyed giving the workshops and hearing the stories of those who attend. We would love catch up with you at one of our upcoming events or speak in your city or at an upcoming conference you know about! E-mail or call us to discuss the possibilities.

Upcoming Workshop:

Cambridge, MA:
Workshop being given through the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle Street, Cambridge.
See description above (under Burlington, VT)
Thursday, October 8th, 8 p.m. $8
For more information or to register, call the Cambridge Center at 617-497-6789 and reference course code MARR, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Are You on the Staff of a Publication?

If you are on the staff of a newspaper, magazine, or newsletter and could include a small announcement about our research to help us find interview subjects (particularly to reach people who aren't online), please let us know!

Are You a Financial Consultant?

ATMP needs one! If you would be willing to do some pro bono consultation with us about taxes, incorporation, and related issues, please let us know! If you are familiar with Massachusetts laws, even better.

Recent News About Unmarried People:

In July, the United States Census announced that the number of unmarried cohabiting couples had reached 4.1 million, an all-time high.
In August, the United States Census announced that for the first time, the majority of first births (women's first children) are babies born to unmarried women.

Recent ATMP Actions and Accomplishments:

We've been out and about in the print media world lately.

In August, we wrote an op-ed that was printed in the Boston Globe pointing out the bizarre logic Massachusetts Acting Governor Paul Cellucci was using in willingness to provide domestic partner benefits to gay and lesbian couples but not male-female ones. Our letters to the editor about this subject also appeared in the Patriot Ledger and In newsweekly.

Also in August, our letter to the editor of The New York Times was published, pointing out the flaws in some research that had alleged to prove how marriage is for people. In newsweekly, "New England's Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual News Source" wrote an article about us in August for their weekly "Newsmakers" column entitled, "Solot and Miller Are Not Getting Married - And Fighting for Choices."

In the world of advocacy, we've been working closely with the Spectrum Institute in California and the Magnus Hirschfeld Center for Human Rights in New Jersey to support policies and legislation that will reduce marital status discrimination. All three organizations have been busy writing letters and making phone calls to the good guys, the bad guys, and the ones who need some educating about the issues of unmarried people. We've been in touch with non-profit organizations (including the National Organization for Women and the American Civil Liberties Union), corporations (including American Express and Merrill Lynch) and a list of politicians.