JUNE 17, 2008 -- OUR WEDDING DAY -- WE ARE LEGALLY MARRIED!
Photo copyright Kate Schermerhorn
MAY 15TH -- CALIFORNIA MAKES HISTORY
The state Constitution's guarantees of personal privacy and autonomy protect "the right of an individual to establish a legally recognized family with the person of one's choice," said Chief Justice Ronald George, who wrote the 121-page majority opinion. He said the Constitution "properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples."
Allowing same-sex couples to marry "will not deprive opposite-sex couples of any rights and will not alter the legal framework of the institution of marriage," George said.
Marriage, George said, is not just a bundle of rights, but is a relationship uniquely honored by the state and society. Confining same-sex couples to a different category marks them with "second-class citizenship," the chief justice said.
MARCH 4TH: THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT HEARS THE HISTORIC CASE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
The March 4th hearing was amazing. It was very exciting -- and a bit nerveracking -- to hear Tuesday's oral argument. Our very lives were before the court, and the justices seemed to understand our community's relationships, couples, and families. Ultimately our case is about love, and it was very romantic to be there together -- we held each other's hand as we listened to our legal teams masterfully field the justices' questions. We're going to be on pins and needles for the next 90 days as we wait for a ruling, but we have renewed hope that love will prevail. This case can only make California a better place where all loving couples are treated with fairness and equality.
My parents were an interracial couple who were only free to marry legally after California Supreme Court overturned the state law banning marriages between people of different races. It was in 1948 -- exactly 60 years ago - that the court declared that marriage is the fundamental right to marry "the person of one's choice." Now John and I turn to the same court for our freedom to marry. We are hopeful the court will do the right thing for our generation, just as they did the right thing for my parents generation.
2008 IS THE YEAR FOR EQUAL RIGHTS! The California Supreme Court will decide the marriage equality case in 2008, and we have to elect a President who supports equality for all Americans. At the same time, extremists are organizing in California put LGBT rights up for a popular vote. Now, more than ever, is the time to speak out for marriage equality! Just send us a message and we'll send you all the details.
June 24, 2007: PRIDE was FANTASTIC! We were joined by our parents, brothers and sisters, cousins and nieces. Four generations of the family came out in support, plus many dear friends, neighbors and co-workers too!
It was wonderful to parade for our love and relationships together with Marriage Equality USA and Out4Immigration!
Thanks to all your support, we had the honor of being elected as Community Grand Marshals in the 2007 San Francisco Pride Parade! There were many great candidates, and we were quite honored to be among them.
Click here to read the profile in San Francisco 7x7 Magazine.
Click here to read the news story in the Bay Area Reporter.
2007 is the year the California lawsuit for equal marriage rights was fully briefed before the California Supreme Court, and it is a great statement of community support to have one of the plaintiff couples leading the 2007 Pride Parade!
Here is our official statement from the voter guide:
Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis
Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis are spearheading the fight to end marriage discrimination in California, as plaintiffs in the marriage lawsuit before the California Supreme Court this year, and as leaders of Marriage Equality USA and Asian Equality. Together for 20 years, this dynamic duo has appeared on NPR, CNN, and the New York Times. They have engaged in years of activism, legal work, and policy research on HIV/AIDS, and made numerous films on HIV/AIDS, LGBT and Asian American identity shown at film festivals worldwide.
May 27, 2007: A month before the San Francisco Pride Parade, we joined the Pride contingent in San Francisco's Carnaval Parade over Memorial Day Weekend and had a blast!
March 3, 2007: Happy Year of the Boar! We celebrated Chinese New Year in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade:
We wished everyone a Happy Chinese New Year!
We joined four other LGBT couples at this year's 2007 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade aboard beautiful "Love Around the World" float of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA). It was a wonderful evening, and the crowds were wonderfully supportive!
February 14, 2007: Valentine's Day Three years ago we were married in San Francisco City Hall. This year we received a "Certificate of Inequality" from a sympathetic County Clerk who would like to marry us but can't under current discriminatory state law.
November 8, 2006: Arizona has become the first state to reject a discriminatory marriage amendment! The campaign in Arizona has shown that the forces of anti-gay discrimination can be defeated in a popular vote. Now is the time to get involved in working for equal rights for all!
Please join and support Marriage Equality USA:
My husband and I were one of the first ten couples to get married in San Francisco City Hall in February 2004 -- after 18 years together! My parents were an interracial couple who were only free to marry legally after California overturned its law banning marriages between people of different races. Later when they moved to Missouri they were informed that their marriage was against the law in that state. Two generations in our family have faced marriage discrimination.
Here we are on our wedding day at San Francisco City Hall:
I'm a Policy Analyst at the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies.
I'm an experimental film/videomaker.
I'm Hapa (of mixed Asian ancestry) -- to learn more about the Hapa Project and the new book "Part Asian, 100% Hapa," click on the link below:
The Thorons - Don't Eliminate Marriage For Anyone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6dBUCi32c8
Newsweek: A Gay Marriage Surge
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboa...