U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled on Wednesday, August 4th that the California's Proposition 8 ballot initiative denying marriage rights to same-sex couples was unconstitutional. Walker ruled that Proposition 8 is "unconstitutional under both the due process and equal protection clauses."
This ruling happened exactly ten days before the wedding of my sister and her girlfriend of six and a half years. What timing. I feel like I need to re-write my wedding toast, aim more for hope and less for blame. Part of me, the hurt and angry part of me, has been wanting to confront the hypocrites in public, and give them a piece. But really what I want to do is to express the importance of my sister and her love and her rights. My sister and her girlfriend are not second-class citizens, and I need people to see that. Let's toast to the brides! And three cheers for Judge Walker!
Last night I ventured out to the Castro to celebrate the ruling, and it felt so good to be surrounded by such joy and hope. The Castro is notoriously crazy for holidays like Halloween, and for Pride weekend, but last night was a different kind of crazy. The crowds were not bridge and tunnel, nor were they out of control like weekends past, but rather there was this flow to everyone and everything. A current of smiles and dancing and kissing and hugging and all around benevolence. It is absolutely amazing what a little hope can do.