I wrote quite a bit about Proposition 8 in the fall, on my old blog (one piece by the same title as this, and some others like this one and this one). It was an eye-opening and frightening experience to see how much ignorance and prejudice still exists, especially in the Bay area, of all places!
It was a huge disappointment when Proposition 8 passed this fall. But it wasn't unexpected, given the polls and the plethora of Yes On 8 signs that I saw around my neighborhood.
It was another huge disappointment when the Supreme Court upheld Prop 8 this morning, but again, not a surprise. I don't know all the intricacies of the law, but given that this is the same group of people that ruled that same-sex marriage should be allowed and invoked strict scrutiny as one of their key arguments, I imagine there must be some pretty compelling legal reasons why they ruled the way they did, and I suspect some (many?) of them did so reluctantly, with a heavy heart. At least I like to think so.
The good news is that the 18,000 marriages that took place before the November election last year will continue to be recognized. I'm thrilled about this on a personal level-- it means DashingBoiSuperTech and her wife, GorgeousEmergencyNurse, will remain legally married. They are trying to start a family, so it is important that their relationship be legally recognized as it will make things much easier for them. I don't know anyone else who married during that time period, but I'm glad those marriages were not revoked nonetheless.
On an even more personal level, I am moving to the more liberal Northeast, where opportunities for gay marriage abound. I am optimistic that New York will allow gay marriages during my stay there.
However, I can't imagine marrying again. In fact, ironically, I was in the family courthouse in Santa Clara as the Supreme Court's ruling was being announced, getting a certified copy of the judgment for my divorce and changing my name from my married name back to my maiden name. Given that I consider my marriage to be the biggest mistake of my life, it is not something I will undertake lightly again, if at all.
Despite my cynical view of marriage, today's ruling and the election this fall were heartbreaking. The wound is still raw for me. I liken politics to relationships-- every time I get emotionally invested, I get my heart broken. Hence, I try not to get emotionally involved with politics. This time I couldn't keep my distance. And this time I got my heart broken yet again.
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I can't believe 18,000 of us are legally recognized as being married, but no one else can marry. Somehow that doesn't seem equal, now we are segregating the single homosexuals. I am happy that my marriage is legal though so thanks for the shout out!
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