WASHINGTON – The future victory of LGBT equality has long been visible in demographic data. Public polling reveals that support for LGBT equality among so-called “Millennials” is currently between 70 and 80 percent and continues to grow. This broad support is mirrored across demographic groups, but it’s especially stark among American Catholics of all ages who support equality at a higher rate than the general public. A recent poll from New York Times/CBS News found that more than six in ten American Catholics support marriage equality compared to roughly 53 percent of the country as a whole.

But you don’t need a single statistic to see the future on display at a Catholic high school in Sammamish, Washington.

After senior administration officials pressed Vice Principal Mark Zmuda to resign his position at Eastside Catholic High School for marrying his long-time boyfriend, students at the school into action—texting and tweeting to organize protests. As reported on Buzzfeed, what began as a small sit-in by a group of friends quickly grew to include virtually the entire school. Before long, hundreds of Eastside Catholic students were occupying the gymnasium to protest the administration’s decision, and the protests are spreading to other Catholic schools in the area. Now, a group of the students is reaching out to Pope Francis on social media for help.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin issued the following statement:

“The students of Eastside Catholic High School are proof of why the future belongs to the friends of equality. To young people coming of age in the time of Modern Family and Pope Francis, there is simply no argument that can justify discriminating against a beloved member of the community or any LGBT person. To the next generation, the Golden Rule always prevails, and I am inspired by the example the students of the Seattle-area Catholic high schools are setting.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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