More than 200 people took to the streets Tuesday to celebrate the ruling of a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals striking down Proposition 8. Braving the rain, participants gathered at 6 p.m. at the corner of 6th Ave. and University Ave. for a short march to the Joyce Beers Community Center where, at the same time a meeting of the Uptown Planners was considering a proposal to construct a 65-ft. Pride flag at Normal Street at University Ave.
While marching participants chanted slogans such as “Give up NOM, you lost! How much more will the next one cost?” referring to the anti-LGBT rights group, the National Organization for Marriage, which fights against marriage equality across the nation. While participants marched and chanted, car horns blared as drivers cheered the marchers.
Upon arriving at the Beers Community Center, the crowd had grown to an estimated 250 people. Speaker Sean Bohac from the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (SAME) read a short statement from the ruling which read, “Proposition 8 serves no purpose and has no effect other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite sex couples.” Also among the speakers was Jersey Deutsch, Field Director for the organization Canvas for a Cause. Speakers reminded participants about ongoing and upcoming fights – specifically the fight to protect California’s FAIR Education act and the movement to repeal discriminatory laws in 38 other states in the United States.
Some participants went into the Joyce Beers Community Center where the Uptown Planners gave approval to the Hillcrest Pride Flag project in an 8-6 vote while the rallying and celebratory voices were heard from the crowd outside.
For more in-depth coverage about the ruling striking down Proposition 8, and the Pride Flag Project be sure to pick up next week’s San Diego LGBT Weekly Newsmagazine and for daily updates on stories of interest to the LGBT Community make sure to check LGBTweekly.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter @LGBTWeekly.
