TRENTON – Today, Len Deo, president of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, called on anti one man, one woman marriage advocates to stop exaggerating the truth to advance their agenda. 

“We are well aware that opponents of conjugal marriage have long attempted to portray their viewpoints as mainstream,” Deo stated.  “The latest claims by Steven Goldstein and his allies in the gay camp, however, have shed even more light on the falsity of their spin.”

Recent complaints by Garden State Equality (GSE) Chairman Steven Goldstein suggest that hundreds of same-sex couples are being denied their rights under New Jersey’s civil union law.  Additionally, Goldstein has in the past claimed, “New Jersey has seen a stunning boom in the population and political power of its LGBTI [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex] community.”  

The reality, however, is that according to state records, only six official complaints have been filed with the New Jersey Commission on Civil Rights, which is charged with overseeing same-sex union law compliance.

Moreover, according to data from the American Community Survey, there are 1,631,349 married-couple families in New Jersey.  Based on GSE’s numbers indicating 1,514 same-sex couples, the actual percentage of same-sex couples among all New Jersey’s legally-joined couples is 0.092%. This means that 99.9% of all legally-joined couples in the state are one man, one woman married couples.

Governor Corzine has already publicly stated his support for same-sex marriage, and some speculate that the legislature may take up the issue during its upcoming lame-duck session. 

“With this dangerous prospect on the horizon, it’s time New Jersey voters knew the truth,” Deo said.  “Study after study proves that one man, one woman marriage remains the healthiest mainstay for families and society.  The NJ Legislature granted the rights and benefits that the same-sex couples said they wanted.  Clearly, that is not what they really wanted, and it’s time for the anti one man/one woman marriage advocates to stop spinning the numbers in order to advance their radical agenda.”

###