Pathways: Mary Bonauto ’87

"I believe in the promise of liberty and justice for all. It’s an unbelievable privilege to spend my professional life helping make those promises come true." — Mary Bonauto ’87

“My first job after law school was at a small firm in Portland, Maine, where most of the attorneys were former legal services lawyers with a social justice bent. I handled all kinds of cases there: from commercial transactions to custody cases where a parent had  kidnapped the couple’s children. As I became known in the gay and lesbian community, I began to bring business to the firm.

“Then in 1989, Massachusetts passed a non-discrimination law addressing sexual orientation discrimination in jobs, housing and public accommodations. GLAD [Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders], a leading legal rights organization in Boston, was hiring an attorney to enforce that law. I applied and got the job. At GLAD, I work throughout the six New England states, doing litigation, legislative lawyering, and public education.

“What keeps me going is that we are making progress. In 2003, I was lead counsel in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, the first case to end marriage discrimination against same-sex couples in the United States. That case broke a historic barrier and forever changed the standard by which future efforts to treat lesbian and gay citizens will be judged. Today, 18 states have non-discrimination laws, and I hope the day for a federal non-discrimination law is at hand. I want to help take this movement over the finish line so that there is a single standard of justice in this country regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Mary’s Pathway