AUGUSTA, Maine—Gay rights advocates are protesting a proposed referendum question submitted last week aimed at banning gay marriage and repealing Maine’s gay rights law.

The Maine Civil Liberties Union, Equality Maine and the Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders claim the proposal would “take away every basic right that gay and lesbian Mainers have.”

The Christian Civic League of Maine on April 4 submitted the proposed referendum question: “Do you want to protect traditional marriage and eliminate special rights laws in Maine?”

The groups opposing the referendum said in their letter that it would “take away every basic right that gay and lesbian Mainers have.”

“We may ultimately be forced to debate the wisdom, let alone humanity, of denying legal protections to same-sex couples and repealing the few humane protections that do exist,” Mary L. Bonauto, civil rights project director for GLAD, said in a press statement.