(San Francisco, CA, November 5, 2008)— Roughly 400,000 votes separate yes from no on Prop 8 out of 10 million votes tallied. Based on turnout estimates reported yesterday, we expect that there are more than 3 million and possibly as many as 4 million absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted. Given that fundamental rights are at stake, we must wait to hear from the Secretary of State tomorrow how many votes are yet to be counted as well as where they are from. It is clearly a very...
Tag
marriage equality
(Sacramento, CA, October 10, 2008)—Connecticut today confirmed the right to marry for same-sex couples. Preventing same-sex couples from marrying was found to violate the state constitution. Statement by Geoff Kors, NO on Prop 8 Executive Committee Member: “Today, another state recognized that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry,” Kors said. “We believe as do millions of our fellow Californians that laws should not treat people differently, and we’re thrilled that loving...
Beloved civil rights leader to be honored at San Francisco City Hall; Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others to pay tribute (San Francisco, CA, September 24, 2008)—Family, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, elected officials, community leaders, and performers will honor the life of Del Martin, one of the nation’s first and most visible lesbian rights activists, on Wednesday, October 1 at 2:00 p.m. in the Rotunda of San Francisco City Hall. Martin’s many contributions shaped the modern lesbian, gay, bisexual, and...
(San Francisco, CA, August 27, 2008)—Today, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community lost an iconic leader and a beloved friend. Del Martin, 87, passed away in San Francisco. Martin was one of the nation’s first and most visible lesbian rights activists who dedicated her life to combating homophobia, sexism, violence, and racism. Martin’s many contributions to the LGBTQ movement will resonate for decades to come. “Today the LGBTQ movement lost a real hero,” said Kate...
Company Encourages Other Businesses to Join Business Council to Protect Freedom to Marry for All Californians (San Francisco, CA, July 29, 2008)—NO on 8—Equality California today received a significant contribution of $250,000 from Pacific Gas and Electric Company to help secure the freedom to marry for all Californians. PG&E is partnering with Equality California and the NO on 8 campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the November statewide ballot initiative that aims to treat same-gender...
(San Francisco, CA, July 29, 2008)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) today announced the launch of a new political action committee (PAC) to defeat Proposition 8, the marriage ban appearing on California’s November ballot. Through the No on 8 / NCLR Social Justice Fund, NCLR pledges to contribute significant dollars to the campaign to defeat Proposition 8. “Proposition 8 seeks to deny LGBTQ couples the right to marry, but the stakes go far beyond that critical issue. If the...
In June 2008, three California voters and Equality California, an organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ people, filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court to remove Proposition 8 from the November ballot. Proposition 8 was a measure to change the California Constitution to eliminate the right to marry for same-sex couples. The lawsuit argued that the proponents of Proposition 8 did not follow the appropriate rules for revising the California Constitution. The...
(San Francisco, CA, July 16, 2008)—Today, the California Supreme Court issued an order in Bennett v. Bowen, S164520, denying a petition to remove Proposition 8, the proposed marriage ban, from the November ballot. Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, and the American Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement: “We’re disappointed, but this ruling does not affect the campaign against Prop. 8 in any way. We have been focused on continuing the...
(San Francisco, CA, June 20, 2008)—Three California voters and four organizations dedicated to protecting the civil rights of gay and lesbian people filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court today about an initiative that seeks to change the California Constitution to bar gay and lesbian couples from marriage. That initiative is currently slated to appear on the November ballot. The lawsuit argues that the rules for revising the California Constitution were not properly followed. “We...
Iconic leaders Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin honored on their wedding day for five decades of historic leadership (San Francisco, CA, June 13, 2008)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights congratulates iconic lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights leaders Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin on their upcoming marriage. The legendary couple, who have been together for 55 years and were the first to wed in February 2004, will marry with the full weight of the California...