California’s Proposition 8 is headed to the Supreme Court. Hundreds of companies and families as well as Republicans are submitting briefs urging the 9 judges to allow gay people to marry. I thought that was ridiculous. Why would judges want all of that underwear? Then, after a quick talk with some people, I found out what a brief was. I’ve never filed a brief to the Supreme Court, so I thought I would post mine here. I’m sure someone will tweet it to them. Portia and I have been married for 4 years and they have been the happiest of my life. And in those 4 years, I don’t think we hurt anyone else’s marriage. I asked all of my neighbours and they say they’re fine. But even though Portia and I got married in the short period of time when it was legal in California, there are 1,138 federal rights for married couples that we don’t have, including some that protect married people from losing their homes, or their savings or custody of their children. The truth is, Portia and I aren’t as different from you as you might think. We’re just trying to find happiness in the bodies and minds we were given, like everyone else. Coming out was one of the hardest things I ever did. I didn’t intend to be on the cover ofTime magazine saying, “Yep, I’m gay.” The truth is, I don’t even remember saying that. I mean, I definitely said the “I’m gay” part. It’s the “yep” I don’t remember. I’m not really a “yep” person. “Yes siree Bob” maybe. But not “yep." In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “We’re here, we’re queer, get over it.” And there’s another famous quote that says “A society is judged by how it treats its weakest members.” I couldn’t agree with that more. No one’s really sure who said it first, so if anyone asks, tell them I said it. I hope the Supreme Court will do the right thing, and let everyone enjoy the same rights. It’s going to help keep families together. It’s going to make kids feel better about who they are. And it is time. I was just told Benjamin Franklin did not say that first quote. I apologize and see that I have a lot to learn about stuff.
A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled that Proposition 8 violates the 14th amendment. I'm not sure what that amendment is but finally this awful form of hate will end. Here's what the judge Stephen Reinhardt had to say about his decision:All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same sex couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation 'marriage.' Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in California.
Adam Levine has always been a supporter for gay rights and his latest move makes me love him even more. He boycotted a Mexican restaurant that supported Proposition 8 and let everyone know how he felt about it.We used to go to this Mexican restaurant to celebrate after the Grammys but the place supported the movement to make gay marriage illegal in California so we bailed on that.
The beautiful Mollie Thomas will be the first openly gay woman running for Miss California. I hope she sweeps the competition and I'm sure this will reopen the proposition 8 debate! I can't wait for the bathing suit portion :)
When proposition 8 was passed in 2008, Elton John said he wasn't a big fan of the word marriage, and that he and his partner David Furnish were happy not to get married. He was pretty clear on the fact that if gay people should be happy to be recognised as a civil partnership. Now he has changed his mind and had some nasty words for gay marriage opponents. Elton told the crowd at an equal rights fundraiser how pissed off he was at people responsible for stopping gay marriage and making him feel like a second class citizen. It's about time he changed his tune.It seems so ridiculous I could be with my partner for 17 years and we have a son, and my partner and I can't get married. Fuck you.
Sacha Baron Cohen is being sued for an incident that took place during the filming of Bruno. The actor is accused of attacking his gay cameraman Mike Skiff at a Proposition 8 Rally in 2008. The cameraman claims that Cohen shoved, pulled, and wrestled him while in Bruno character, which caused him serious injury. For some reason this doesn't surprise me.
Cali governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has formally opposed the Proposition 8 idiots that want to block marriages for same-sex couples pending an appeal in court. This statement was released by his office:The Administration believes the public interest is best served by permitting the Court’s judgment to go into effect, thereby restoring the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. Doing so is consistent with California’s long history of treating all people and their relationships with equal dignity and respect.Right on!
This really makes me sad. I thought we were more forward thinking than this, and I'm disappointed in the Supreme Court for being so closed minded. Everyone.. gay, straight, bisexual, transgendered, EVERYONE should have equal rights to marry who they want to. I have many gay friends and all I want is for them to be happy, yet this is just another obstacle in their way. Now they must continue fighting to be granted a basic civil right that many people take for granted. Shame on you, California! We must all continue to fight the h8!- Kim Kardashian on her blog.
They decided to be indecisive. It was a ruling that doesn't resolve anything because there is still inequality. It's like [George Orwell's Animal Farm] -- some pigs are more equal than other pigs. We're more equal than some of the other gays and lesbians.- George Takei to TV Guide on the decision to honor the pre-existing marriages.
- Sir Elton John to Access Hollywood. (For the record, there are only four states that allow gay marriage at present.)
That's just awful. I mean, when you see places like Iowa saying yes and there's now five states in America ... and California is supposed to be a progressive state. It just defies logic to me and I'm very disappointed with that.
- George Clooney to E!
This just should invigorate people to get it back on the ballot in 2010 and 2012 and every two years until all people are allowed a basic civil right.
- Miss California, Carrie Prejean
No comment.
So, will anyone be sleeping better tonight? Those full of hate and fear will surely be disappointed that 18,000 same sex couples will be living in wedded bliss, kissing their spouses goodnight, checking off those little ' married ' boxes on all those forms we fill out nowadays. That’s really going to drive them crazy. Then there are those of us like me who still dangle in ' domestic partnership. ' We can adopt our own children, but we can’t bring our partners who might be citizens from out of the country, here. We can’t file joint tax returns. I could go on. Who will be happy tonight? How do I explain this to my children? Well, you know Ellen? She is married but Mommy and I are not. That is liberty and justice for all? I am hopeful as I see more and more states turn to the inevitable future of equality, California will get there. Change takes time.- Melissa Ethridge to Radar Online.
The decision to uphold Prop 8 is deeply disappointing. I can only hope to one day live in a country that grants equal rights, opportunity, and freedom to all citizens.- Lance Bass (from Radar Online).
- Reichen Lehmkuhl (Season four winner of The Amazing Race with his then-partner Chip Arndt) to Radar Online.
This is yet another sad day for our state and our country, on which we’ll look back in shame, forever. I held some hope that today’s CA Supreme Court ruling would NOT uphold the discriminatory amendment known as Proposition 8, denying equal marriage rights to the LGBT community of our great state. I believe that Proposition 8 was born from misinformation, mis-education, and, ultimately, fear. My hope was that we would at least maintain our current 18,000 California LGBT marriages of love and commitment, which we did. I fear this ruling will delay the positive political momentum shown nationally in recent months, toward the non-discrimination of our LGBT citizens. However, overall we continue to make steady progress, which I find reassuring. I believe in the good nature of Californians and Americans, in general, to find it unacceptable to recognize two classes of citizens. I know that, eventually, everyone will see the light, understand that this issue is about equality for all, and that we will do the right thing to accept, love, and support each other in all forms of equal rights.
We're grateful this court did not overturn the civil rights of all Californians to amend our own constitution. The 7 million Californians who worked hard to protect marriage as the union of husband and wife are breathing easier today.- Brian Brown, executive director of NOM (National Organization for Marriage).
Marriage is worth protecting because it is the way we teach the next generation: children need mothers and fathers. This victory for Prop 8 is a victory for children, for civil rights, and for the common good.- Maggie Gallagher, president of NOM.
Phyllis Lyon (the surviving partner in the first legal same sex marriage in California) to LA Times.
It may not be while I'm alive, but eventually it will work out that if two people want to get married, they can get married and it won't matter to whom. We went through this before with people of color. It will be OK.
Hi dolls. The California State Supreme Court announced yesterday that it will be releasing its decision regarding the fate of Prop 8 this coming Tuesday, May 26.
This is a day that hundreds of thousands of both gay and straight people have been waiting for, a moment that people will always remember...a moment where gay couples are told whether they share the same civil rights as any straight couple, or a moment where they are told they have to continue fighting for their equality.
It disgusts me that this is something that has to be fought for in the first place. Love is love...and the people who voted for Prop 8 cast their vote for hate.
After the decision is made on Tuesday, no matter the outcome, marriage equality advocates will rally all over the country.
Click HERE to find a demonstration near you!!!!!
Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.
Okay, cool I don’t mean to get too personal here but there is a lot I can do with the extra half a million dollars that I will be keeping instead of handing it over to the state of California. Oh, and I am sure Ellen will be a little excited to keep her bazillion bucks that she pays in taxes too. Wow, come to think of it, there are quite a few of us fortunate gay folks that will be having some extra cash this year. What recession? We’re gay! I am sure there will be a little box on the tax forms now single, married, divorced, gay, check here if you are gay, yeah, that’s not so bad. Of course all of the waiters and hairdressers and UPS workers and gym teachers and such, they won’t have to pay their taxes either.
Oh and too bad California, I know you were looking forward to the revenue from all of those extra marriages. I guess you will have to find some other way to get out of the budget trouble you are in.
…Really?
When did it become okay to legislate morality? I try to envision someone reading that legislation “eliminates the right” and then clicking yes. What goes through their mind? Was it the frightening commercial where the little girl comes home and says, “Hi mom, we learned about gays in class today” and then the mother gets that awful worried look and the scary music plays? Do they not know anyone who is gay? If they do, can they look them in the face and say “I believe you do not deserve the same rights as me”? Do they think that their children will never encounter a gay person? Do they think they will never have to explain the 20% of us who are gay and living and working side by side with all the citizens of California?
I got news for them, someday your child is going to come home and ask you what a gay person is. Gay people are born everyday. You will never legislate that away.
I know when I grew up gay was a bad word. Homo, lezzie, faggot, dyke. Ignorance and fear ruled the day. There were so many “thems” back then. The blacks, the poor … you know, “them”. Then there was the immigrants. “Them.” Now the them is me.
I tell myself to take a breath, okay take another one, one of the thems made it to the top. Obama has been elected president. This crazy fearful insanity will end soon. This great state and this great country of ours will finally come to the understanding that there is no “them”. We are one. We are united. What you do to someone else you do to yourself. That “judge not, lest ye yourself be judged” are truthful words and not Christian rhetoric.
Today the gay citizenry of this state will pick themselves up and dust themselves off and do what we have been doing for years. We will get back into it. We love this state, we love this country and we are not going to leave it. Even though we could be married in Mass. or Conn, Canada, Holland, Spain and a handful of other countries, this is our home. This is where we work and play and raise our families. We will not rest until we have the full rights of any other citizen. It is that simple, no fearful vote will ever stop us, that is not the American way.
Come to think of it, I should get a federal tax break too…
Sounds good to me.
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