the overturning of gay marriage ban

i can't go any longer without posting about the california supreme court's decision last week. i am THRILLED! if you haven't heard, the california supreme court has ruled that a law banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, stating that everyone has a fundamental right to marry.

the court's opinion said that any law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation will from this point on be constitutionally suspect in california in the same way as laws that discriminate by race or gender, making the state's high court the first in the nation to adopt such a stringent standard.

"Our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation," Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote for the majority. "An individual's sexual orientation -- like a person's race or gender -- does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights."

thank you! this seems like such an obvious thing to me. your race or gender does not affect your ability to love or parent. are heterosexual couples really more suited for marriage? why should britney spears or pamela anderson be allowed to marry when a couple who has been together for 30 years is not? it doesn't make sense! let people be happy!


this photo just makes me cry. this is del martin, 83, and phyllis lyon, 79. in 2004, when san francisco issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples (they were later revoked), they were the first couple to be married. they had been together for 51-years. can you imagine waiting 51 years to marry the person that you loved? it breaks my heart. it's simply not right.

so i am so thrilled that the california supreme court made the statements that they did & made the decision that they did. i really really hope that this decision stands and that other state will follow suit. it's overdue.

in related news, ellen degeneres announced that she will be marrying her long-time girlfriend portia de rossi. congratulations, ellen!