HRC Blog

NYT Story: A Father’s Unconditional Love

June 15, 2012 by Dan Rafter, Online Campaigns Manager

Our personal stories can be incredibly powerful in making the case for equality. President Obama and former Secretary of State Colin Powell cited personal stories of friends when announcing their support for marriage equality.

The New York Times has the story of Dominick Zarrillo and his son, Jeff. Dominick recounts the bond he forged with his son early on – from helping him clean his plate at meal time to guiding him on how to deal with bullies on his walks home from school.

Shortly after college, Jeff came out to his parents. He had found happiness with his partner, Paul – and Dominick and his wife immediately embraced the couple.

Jeff and Paul can’t marry in their home state of California – a reality they weren’t content to passively accept. Jeff and Paul went on to become one of two couples who are plaintiffs in the historic Proposition 8 case, sponsored by American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER). HRC’s president, Chad Griffin, co-founded AFER and led the efforts to recruit the legal dream team of Theodore Olson and David Boies to successfully argue the case.

Jeff and Paul’s case is now headed to the Supreme Court. Check out the full New York Times story and share it with your friends and family – it sends an emotional message about the undeniable bonds we form with our families and friends, and is an inspiration for LGBT people who must stand up to adversity on a daily basis.