Disclaimer: This is a variation of what I posted on queertoday.com.
n a 4-3 ruling the California Supreme Court has ruled that the voter approved initiative used to block same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
California has become the first state to offer full legal equality to LGBT people. (They offer trans protections MA does not.)
The QueerToday.com team stands in solidarity with those who fight the radical right-wing’s attempts to divide our community and deny us our basic rights. We congratulate those who may gain vital protections for their families and loved ones due to this victorious court ruling.
The QueerToday.com leadership has also signed Beyond Marriage, (http://www.beyondmarriage.org) a document supported by hundreds of leaders in the queer community. We strongly believe in working towards a broader, more social justice oriented agenda that addresses the needs of all families, combats racism, classism, transphobia, and all other forms of oppression.
During this moment of victory we must remember not to be complacent enough to think the right-wing will stop attacking our youth or gender variant people. We must not be fooled into thinking securing same-sex marriage rights will lower the rates of queer youth suicides, make youth safer at school, or less likely to be kicked out of their homes. We must remember to spread education and understanding about HIV/AIDS and the other issues affecting our community. And we must remember that issues of war and occupation and environmental destruction affect our community too.
Let’s have our cake and eat it too – then let’s continue the struggle for deep societal change that will lift us all up.
“Instead of presuming the validity of the statutes defining marriage and establishing domestic partnership, in effect the majority presumes them to be constitutionally invalid by characterizing domestic partnership as a ‘mark of second-class citizenship.'” – California Supreme Court
“An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is likely. ” – CNN
The current ballot initiative can move forward. Signatures will need to be verified, etc. then it could e on the ballot this fall. The governator says he will help fight it.
They offer trans protections MA does not.
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p>For those of us unaware of what you’re talking about, can you elaborate on this throw-away statement?
that calif explicitly includes gender identity and expression in it’s non-discrimination law. massachusetts does not.
While certain cities and towns in MA have laws that protect people based on gender identity and expression, California has it statewide.
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p>Here is a great resoruce: http://transgenderlaw.org/ndla…
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p>It shows each place that protects people based on gender identity and expression – which by the way protects everyone from being discriminated against because of how feminine or butch you may be. To me it is the most important protection of all because most of our violence, harassment, and discrimination come from assumptions and stereotypes based on our outward expression.
lgbt + allies are trying to give our youth more support than ever. wasn;t there just a huge youth pride say in boston? that’s just one “for example”, but i think it is a good symbol of just how on all our minds lgbt youth concerns are.
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p>did you read about the mt. si highschool kerfuffle out in snohomish, washington? it really demonstrates to me how lgbt youth issues are becoming made common knowledge and people are becoming more sympathetic all the time (still lots to be done, naturally).