The lesbian couple leading a fight for same-sex marriage rights in Maryland will explain their stance in “The Same-Sex Marriage Debate” 7:30 p.m. March 29 in McDaniel College’s McDaniel Lounge.

The panel discussion is free and open to the public. For more information, call 410-857-2294. The event is the first in what will be an annual Political Science/International Studies Lecture Series.

The same-sex marriage issue sparked a firestorm among lawmakers in Annapolis, after the ACLU won a lawsuit in January challenging Maryland’s Marriage Law on behalf of Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane (Deane and Polyak v. Conway). Calling it unconstitutional, the judge struck down the law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The couple, who have been together 23 years and have two children, want marriage rights in order to protect their relationship and family, and to ensure that no loving couple will have to be torn apart because of political borders.

In addition to Polyak and Deane, the panel will feature ACLU Attorney David Rocah, Equality Maryland Executive Director Dan Furmansky, radio personality and Associate Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church the Rev. Anthony McCarthy, and Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies Christianna Nichols Leahy.