Chad Allen chats with Greg In Hollywood about marriage equality: “We need the constitution to stand up for us.”

Chad Allen is a wonderful actor whose recent film credits include Hollywood, je t’aime,  Save Me and the Donald Strachey series of private detective films. He’s also starred in stage productions of Looped opposite Valerie Harper and in The Little Dog Laughed.

Chad was a busy child actor on TV’s  Our House, St. Elsewhere and other series then became a star when he was just a teenager  on Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman.

He also came out as a gay man several years ago paving the way for such TV stars as TR Knight, Neil Patrick Harris, Luke Macfarlane and others who have come after him.

As good as an actor as Chad is, he’s also just as good at expressing himself when it comes to LGBT civil rights and has put in the time working for marriage equality and raising money for HIV-AIDS.

When I saw Chad at the GLAAD Tidings event a feew nights ago, I was eager to get his take on the recent vote in Maine in which same-sex marriage was outlawed by voters.

“I’m not going to lie to you, it hit me in the gut,” Chad admitted. “I was extremely disappointed. I really thought we had a good chance. I think the bottom line is, if we walked away with a lesson, it’s that we still have hearts and minds to change but at the same time, nobody’s interested in waiting around to let our rights rest on the laurels of people who get to vote on whether or not we get to be free.”

He believes the issue needs to be addressed federally just like other civil rights battles have been and enough with these individual state votes.

“I think we all hoped we could go the easier softer route but the fact is, nobody has the business of voting on people’s rights,” Chad said. “The constitution exists to protect minorities like us from majority  votes. We need the constitution to stand up for us. We need politicians and like-minded, fair-minded people to stand up and insist that the constitution protect us the way it’s designed to do. I really am looking forward to some [federal] legal battles that are coming up. We need legal precedent. It’s time that those who claim that they’re on our side from the president on down stand up to protect us because we’re getting a little bit thrown to the wolves and I’m personally getting sick of it.”

I also asked Chad about the recent LA Times poll which showed that in California – where voters banned gay marriage by passing Prop. 8 last year – a majority of voters say they are not ready to vote on the issue again next year which is when some groups want to attempt to overturn Prop. 8.

“The fact is, I don’t know if we got to vote in 2010 that things would be any different,” Chad said. “Maybe it’s not enough time to change people’s hearts. But is that the right way for us to get there anyway? I think we all know that in the end, we have this thing won. It’s a question of how long. How long do we have to sit around and be treated unfairly until we see justice served? I’m more interested in the quickest way we get to that end.”

Chad is very direct about what he thinks is going on with some who say they support civil unions but stop short of supporting marriage: “People seem to feel like it’s time that we have equal civil rights as long as we don’t call it marriage and I think that’s a disgusting and unfair way to hide their bigotry. We need to start calling it for what it is.”

I’m telling you, I’m glad this guy is on my side because he is dynamite!

I also talked to Chad about his latest acting projects and he is very excited about a film called Spork which he produced and has a small part in. It will be hitting the festival circuit sometime next year.

“It’s one of the strangest parts I’ve ever played. I play a hillbilly, trailer trash guy [named Loogie]. Definitely an odd part for me to be playing. But primarily I produced the picture and I’m really proud of it. It’s a sweet little, funny, tender picture about a 14-year-old hermaphrodite and her journey of self-acceptance. She in many ways represents that part in all of us that feel like they’ll never fit in. I’m excited to get it out there.”

Chad is also going to New Jersey to act in the film Under the Influence but can’t reveal too much about that – yet!