In February, San Diego LGBT Pride announced the theme of the 39th annual Pride celebration weekend – Freedom to Love and Marry.
At the time of the announcement, San Diego Pride Public Affairs Director Fernando Lopez said, “We are standing at a critical moment in our movement when the very question of our ability to love is before this nation’s highest court. It is our goal to demonstrate that freedom, love, and commitment are shared values for all Americans, no matter your gender or sexual orientation. Pride joins the call of our mayor, our governor, our president, and the majority of Americans that the time for equal rights, for equal love, is now.”
At that time nobody knew what the Supreme Court ruling would be; we all wished, hoped and speculated, but nobody knew.
Amicus briefs were filed, children of same-sex parents wrote to the Supreme Court justices, LGBT organizations lobbied, activists demonstrated, people Tweeted, Facebooked and stayed motivated.
All this direct and indirect action kept the pressure up and demonstrated that this issue was now an issue for the whole of America and beyond. Polls showed that the majority of Americans supported marriage equality and that opponents were increasingly being marginalized. Throughout the world the tide in favor of marriage equality is turning – 13 countries have passed marriage equality laws with more than 10 others with proposed bills which have passed at least one legislative body.
In November 2008, more than 20,000 people marched and rallied in the streets of San Diego in a show of direct action to protest over Proposition 8 – the ban on same-sex marriage that California voters approved by a slim margin. Since then peaceful direct action has become more and more important involving everyone from grass roots level to the highest person in the land.
Then came the Supreme Court ruling, declaring Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional and that the Prop. 8 case was not appropriately brought before the court. Gov. Jerry Brown and The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals did not disappoint either, reacting more quickly than anyone could have imagined, bringing the reality of marriage equality back to California almost immediately.
As we all truly celebrate the Freedom to Love and Marry this Pride, let us also remember the hard work and the peaceful direct action that happened to get us to this point. Remember also, that there is much work still to be done. Work that won’t be finished until every state, and indeed every country, celebrates the freedom to love and marry.
Have a safe and happy Pride.
STEVE LEE
EDITOR
