IU comes out against gay marriage ban

IU announced Monday it will join a grassroots campaign opposing a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage in Indiana as strictly between a man and woman.

Freedom Indiana, which was formed in August, was created to oppose House Joint Resolution 6. The resolution calls for an amendment banning same-sex marriage and asks Hoosiers to vote on the issue in November 2014.

If signed into law, the amendment would ban all protections for same-sex couples and their families and remove existing protection for unmarried Hoosiers. It would also prohibit future legislatures from passing a law that would allow same-sex couples to legally marry
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"HJR6 sends a powerfully negative message of Indiana as a place to live and work that is not welcoming to people of all backgrounds and beliefs," IU President Michael McRobbie said in a press release. "As a major employer in the state, IU competes with universities and companies around the world for the very best talent, and HJR6 would needlessly complicate our efforts to attract employees to our campuses around the state.”

The Indiana General Assembly is expected to consider the issue in its next legislative session, beginning in January.

"Equality, compassion and respect for individuals have long been the bedrock of Indiana University's educational mission, and the lack of tolerance implicit in HJR6 runs counters to IU’s deeply held values," McRobbie said. "We are proud to join the Freedom Indiana coalition and, in doing so, stand with some of Indiana’s most respected employers and organizations on the side of fairness."

This story will be updated.


— Mark Keierleber