San Francisco, CA – More than 1000 GLBTQ activists and allies rallied in the Castro District here to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on June 26 to strike down the anti-gay, homophobic Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Demonstrators also celebrated the Court’s decision to uphold a 2012 ruling by the California Supreme Court that found Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in the state, unconstitutional.

“Marriage equality was a demand. Now it’s becoming a reality,” said a 60-year-old demonstrator, who got engaged to his partner earlier in the day following the ruling.

The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that DOMA is invalid for specifically denying same-sex marriages recognized by 12 of the 50 states. DOMA was passed in 1996 by a Republican-dominated Congress and signed into law by Democrat President Bill Clinton. It effectively denied same-sex couples more than 1100 federal benefits offered to heterosexual couples, including tax deductions crucial to gay and lesbian working-class families.

After the ruling, activists marched through the heart of the Castro District with signs reading, “Prop 8 is dead!” and “Marriage equality now!” As one of the first largely gay working-class neighborhoods in the U.S., the Castro remains an important symbol in the struggle for GLBTQ equality.

California’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in a June 2008 ruling, which was overturned less than five months later by Proposition 8, commonly called Prop 8. Backed by right-wing hate groups and wealthy conservatives, Prop 8 stripped gay and lesbian couples of their rights. Following massive protests across California and a successful state Supreme Court challenge, Prop 8 reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that the California court’s decision to overturn it remained valid. This decision effectively reinstates same-sex marriage in the Golden State.

The rally paid tribute to freedom-fighters of the queer liberation struggle and international struggles against oppression. Activists chanted for South African leader Nelson Mandela, reportedly in critical condition, and several leaders on-stage reminded the demonstrators that South Africa is the only country with GLBTQ protections written into its constitution.

The rally assembled in front of a stage, where demonstrators listened to activists and other speakers talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling.

#SanFranciscoCA #Proposition8 #LGBTQRights #DefenseOfMarriageAct

While I was too young to participate in the Civil Rights movement, I can remember the racial segregation that was commonplace in California in the early 1960s. I remember my parents complaining about the realtor who kept three lists of homes for sale – one for whites, one for Blacks, and one for “other” (meaning Asian Americans); and how a Asian American high-school friend of mine told me how her parents were visited by racist neighbors who offered to buy them out of their home in a formerly all-white neighborhood. When a Jewish synagogue was being built in our neighborhood flyers appeared on our porch in protest. I went with one of my best friends in elementary school who was African American to an all-Black swimming pool since many pools had banned Blacks. And I still remember my father's quiet anger after having to walk out of a restaurant that sat us for dinner and then acted if we weren't there and refused to take our order.

Until Barack Obama won the Iowa Democratic caucus in January, I never thought that the United States would elect an African American as president in my lifetime. Despite the growing number of high-profile Blacks in the government, military and corporate world, I could see the government's disdain for the masses of African American people in their response (or lack of one) to Hurricane Katrina and what has come to be ethnic cleansing of whole African American neighborhoods of New Orleans.

Many (including myself) worried about the so-called 'Bradley effect,' named after former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. Bradley, who was African American, was ahead in many polls in his campaign for governor of California in 1982, but lost to a white candidate. While there was little of this evident in the presidential campaign, and not enough to swing the election, there did seem to be a 'Bradley effect' at work in Proposition 8. While polls showed a narrow defeat for the same-sex marriage ban, it passed by a narrow margin (52% to 48%). While Californians were willing to elect a Black president by a large margin (61% to 37%), they were not able to back equality of marriage the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

I was shocked to hear supporters of Proposition 8, some of whom were oppressed nationalities, use the same reasoning as the segregationists of the 1950s and 1960s. They railed at the California Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn the law banning same-sex marriage as going against the people's will. What do they think the historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court ruling was but overturning the Jim Crow segregation laws? Supporters of Proposition 8 also (falsely) claimed that California domestic partnership laws provided all the benefits of marriage. This is nothing but the old segregationist “separate-but-equal” argument in support of racial segregation in public schools.

At the same time I think that the 'No on 8' campaign was too dependent on an expensive media campaign and did too little grassroots organizing, especially in oppressed nationality communities. Some No on 8 organizers were told that all the signs were in English early in the campaign, and even into the last week before the vote, all in the information in languages other than Spanish and English had to be downloaded and printed by oneself. Supporters of the same-sex marriage bans were going door-to-door in parts of liberal Berkeley with no apparent similar efforts by the marriage equality advocates.

The struggle for marriage equality is not only an important civil rights struggle for the LGBT community, but is also a key battle against right-wing forces who are licking their wounds after the Democrats' victory. The one bright spot for the right were anti-same sex ballot initiatives, which passed in Arizona and Florida in addition to California.

Still, progressives did make gains in that the margin of defeat (4%) was much smaller than another same-sex marriage ban that passed in California just eight years ago by a 22% margin. Supporters of marriage equality have filed a lawsuit against Proposition 8, arguing that it was actually a constitutional revision (that is to say a fundamental change, that needs passage by the legislature to put on the ballot) and not an amendment. While I support this move (which from my reading of the California constitution is valid), we cannot solely rely on the courts. I have been heartened by the mass protests following the passage of Proposition 8. I have seen young people, who represent the future, get involved and politically active. I am happy that my middle-school daughter and my church are talking about the issue. I am confident of victory.

No H8! Overturn 8!

#BerkeleyCA #Proposition8 #SamesexMarriage #CivilRights

The victories in Iowa, Vermont and Maine come on the heels of a difficult fall for the LGBT community. Last November the queer rights movement took a hit with the passage of Proposition 8 in California, a ballot initiative that overturned the California Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage. The right wing used queer rights again as a rallying cry for their conservative agenda around the country and won a victory in California. However, these defeats made the comeback this spring that much sweeter.

More victories are expected. Washington D.C. passed a gay marriage bill on May 5. Congress and the president have 30 days to decide whether or not to override the District’s decision. The next day, New Hampshire’s state legislature passed a gay marriage bill that is now awaiting the governor’s approval. According to the Los Angeles Times, it is expected that New York and New Jersey will also legalize gay marriage within a year. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed “a sharp shift in public opinion on same-sex marriage. 49% said it should be legal for gay people to marry.” This demonstrates an eleven-point shift from a similar poll conducted by the Washington Post just three years ago.

Public opinion is shifting because of the hard work of the LGBT rights movement. More than ever, queer people have come out of the closet and gone public with their sexuality. LGBT people and our allies are organizing and demonstrating for marriage equality and against laws like Proposition 8. Marriage will not become a right for all without a strong and public movement demanding it. Filing briefs in lawsuits and voting for progressive politicians will not be enough to continue these victories. This fight needs to be waged in the streets, not merely in the courtrooms and legislatures.

Even as we fight for the right to marry, it is important to recognize that it is only one of the battles ahead. No one, queer or straight, should have to be married to have health care. All forms of family should have social and economic acceptance in our society, not just married couples. As we mark the 40th anniversary of Stonewall this summer, it is important to recognize how far we have come, while we continue to struggle for true equality and human rights for all.

#UnitedStates #News #Proposition8 #GayMarriage