Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMay 15th, 2008
UPDATED: See language from the ruling here
By a 4 – 3 vote, the Supreme Court of the State of California has legalized marriage equality.
The court ruled the state’s one man-one woman marriage laws violate the civil rights of same-sex couples.
More information will be provided as details come in. I still don’t know if the out of state restriction was overturned or whether the court’s declared the change immediately effective or is requiring the legislature to do so.
And this is not the final word. We are not yet sure whether a ballot initiative to ban gay marriage in the California Constitution received enough signatures to make it on the ballot in November.
But whatever you are doing right now, stop for a moment to celebrate an important change. Now one of ten Americans live in a state in which gay people are accorded full equality under the law.
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Jim Burroway
May 15th, 2008
As I understand it, the out-of-state restriction was a unique quirk of Massachusetts law from 1913. I don’t think it applies here.
Finally! My dreams of marrying Brad Pitt are one step closer.
Timothy Kincaid
May 15th, 2008
Jim,
What I was referring to is Prop 22.
Anti-gays claimed that it prohibited gay marriage. Pro-marriage advocates argued before the court that it only restricted gay marriages from out of state, due to its location in the code.
I am not sure how this case settled that issue. Ironically, if they agreed with the pro-gay side it is possible that CA still does not recognize marriage from Massachusetts.
crazymonk
May 15th, 2008
“Now one of ten Americans live in a state in which gay people are accorded full equality under the law.”
I think you mean “are accorded full equality under state law.” Even married couples in Massachusetts don’t have full federal rights, such as immigration benefits.
cowboy
May 15th, 2008
Yeah…Jim, those dreams (or fantasies) are just that. Marrying Mr. Pitt would take some huge steps. Taking steps over being Daddy-to-be to twins, being married to Ms. Angelina Jolie and being a hunky hetero are some mighty big steps to get over. But I appreciate your fantasy. I have a couple pictures of Mr. Pitt as one of the choices for my cell phone wallpaper. One from the Thelma & Louise era and one where he does a mighty fine impression of an architect in a hardhat. (sigh)
But let’s celebrate the possibility we can marry someone LIKE Mr. Pitt.
Timothy Kincaid
May 15th, 2008
This ruling today may well have an impact on whether Brad Pitt gets married. In 2006 he said:
Brad could probably get away with revising his vow now and have a California wedding. I wouldn’t hold it against him.
Ephilei
May 15th, 2008
Woo hoo!
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