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California votes to ban gay marriage

One step forward, one step back

Thursday, 6 November 2008

On a day where the US took one giant step forward California took one step back as it voted to ban same-sex marriage, months after it was legalised by the state's top court. Coming in with 52% of the popular vote – over 5.1 million votes - the decision sees California join twenty-seven US states that have already banned same sex marriage. Although May 2008 saw California rule in favour of gay marriage, the vote on the 4th November sees that overturned.

A subject of great emotion activists from both side of the argument spent over 70 million dollars on what at times was a bitter campaign. The vote on what was called Proposition 8 represents a crushing political defeat for gay rights activists. They had hoped public opinion on the contentious issue had shifted enough to help them defeat the measure.

It also represents a personal loss for the thousands of couples from California and others states who got married in the brief window when they could. Legal experts have said it will have to be resolved in court whether their unions still are valid.

Commenting on the news campaigner Gino Meriano of Pink Weddings said “It’s now time for change, we have rights - human rights and under no circumstances must we accept anything less that equal rights when couples look to seal and protect their relationship”.

Change may be coming to America but it appears change for lesbians and gay men in twenty-eight states will have to wait.