Prop 8 Plaintiffs marry on short notice as hundreds converge on San Francisco City Hall
By Melanie Nathan, June 29, 2013.
For the first time since that brief moment in 2008, all Californians are able to marry. Yesterday, with mere minutes notice, same-sex couples converged on San Francisco City Hall, as word spread through social media that the Ninth Circuit had lifted the stay on California marriages.
The swift move to reinstate the inherent marriage rights to same-sex couples came after Attorney General Kamala Harris ensured that the Ninth Court acted urgently and that the court order lifting the stay received its well deserved swift implementation.
And who better to be first married than Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, two of the Prop 8 Plaintiffs.
The marriage stays were lifted after the Supreme Court of the United States dismissed the Perry v. Hollingsworth case on the basis that the Defendant’s had no standing.
I rushed down to City Hall as soon as we heard the news with our filmmaker for GAY U.S.A. the Movie, which I am co-producing and we filmed the Plaintiffs at City Hall. After the Plaintiffs were married by the Attorney General, City, State and County officials showed up to be on hand to marry the many ecstatic couples.
Amongst the officials was State Senator Mark Leno who was on hand to marry couples. The late afternoon flow was filled with love and happiness as many of the pictures on the BLOGS reveal.
San Francisco’s Gay community scrambled like fighter jet pilots to the call, as hundreds of people converged on City Hall – marrying couples, to last minute witnesses, to officiants – pastoral and civil alike – State, County, and City representatives – politicians and a whole lot of well wishers.
What was so amazing is that people dropped everything and ran down to City Hall including the San Francisco Gay Man’s Choir, which showed up in force to sing to the Plaintiff couple. People were dressed as if they had run from their poolsides or just left the beach – and there they were – casually dressed – yet just content to have that chance to be married, many having waited many years.
Crowds formed in circles around couples being married at various parts of the Rontunda, as TV crews, photographers circled around each couple for that shot of the day.
Prop 8 Plaintiffs Kris and Sandy with Mayor Ed Lee after being married by AG Kamala Harris.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Choir sings for married plaintiffs
State Senator Mark Leno Marries Gay Couple (This one the Senator’s 4th marriage for the day)
San Francisco Deputy Marriage Commissioner Jared Scherer marrying a Gay couple who showed up from Chicago to enjoy Pride weekend. After Wednesday Court’s announcement they became engaged and then ran down to City Hall to marry after hearing the stay had been lifted.
Jae keitamo and Rob Keitamo just married
Former supervisor Bevan Dufty marries a couple on SF Rotunda balcony.
Lesbian couple married after many years together
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JUST SO PROUD OF YOU MELANIE AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO….
Awesome!!! To have been there ….. long, uphill climb for Florida! Thx for sharing those pics. One can feel the love and excitement!!
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
One can feel the love and excitement!!
Thanks for this posting. I had to choke back tears of joy so I could read/see the rest. Now, the rest of the country.
I wish the Court would have done their research prior to listening to arguments, isn’t that what the lowly-paid clerks are for? t should never been placed on the docket, raising hopes for all.
Now that DOMA has been, in part negated, regarding assignment of Federal rights to those legally married, want to bet that will be blamed as a balanced budget remains out of reach? “But for those … heathens, we might have a surplus and allocate further funding for education.” Right. Grover Norquist will make the Sunday Circuit, accusing the “liberal/activist” Court of imposing further taxation on Americans.
If only it were an activist Court, willing to completely wipe out DOMA while extending the right to marry nationwide instead of this patchwork we currently see.
‘Til then, we can dream.
Funny thing, by failing to support appeal of the Federal District Court judgement, and eventual appearance before the Supreme Court, Gov. Schwarzenegger saved the remainder of the country from a landmark decision. Those who hated him then are quietly thanking him for this great favor.
My thoughts: “Damn you, Arnold!”
Keeping our eyes on the dream, hoping to get another case to appear before the Court. That’s the best those of us “legally” restrained by legislation and Constitutional Amendments can hope for.
Tim
Sorry about that, my edit should have resulted in: It (Prop. 8) should never been placed on the docket. This device has a mind of its own, sending without my selecting “Send.”
Sorry for the jumbled thoughts; it’s hard to be appreciative and sad/mad at the same time.
Tim