Boston.com – By Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff
MassEquality, the gay-marriage advocacy coalition, created one of the most effective political campaigns Massachusetts has ever seen, leading a battle that attracted national attention and culminated in a historic victory last June, when the Legislature defeated an amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
But four months later, the group is agonizing over a question born of its own success: What, if anything, should it do now?
The debate is creating tensions among onetime allies. Some gay leaders believe MassEquality should broaden its mission to include issues such as transgender rights and HIV/AIDS, while others disagree and say expanding Mass-Equality’s agenda to other gay and lesbian causes could dilute its effectiveness, crowd out smaller groups that advocate for gay rights, and alienate some lawmakers and donors who supported same-sex marriage. They believe the group should stay focused on its original mission and perhaps share its expertise with gay-marriage advocates in other states.