Prop 8 Upheld

Unfortunately, the California Supreme Court has upheld the 2008 ballot measure (Prop 8) to take away previously-existing marriage rights of same sex couples in the state of California.

Evidently, couples who were married before Prop 8 passed on the November ballot are still legally married.  However, it would certainly seem that not ALL are equal under the law. 

According to CNN, CA Attorney General Jerry brown criticized Prop 8 for putting "the fundamental rights of a minority group to a popular vote."

In his dissent, Justice Carlos Moreno (the lone dissenting voice on the bench) argued that the measure "violates the essence of the equal protection clause of the California Constitution and fundamentally alters its scope and meaning."

How incredibly sad.  More to come soon.

Photo credit: Getty Images, CNN.com

Be FREE! International Women's Day at UCLA

This was written by Myra Duran - FMF West Coast intern and UCLA Bruin Feminist for Equality:

The month of March - Women’s History Month, and home of International Women’s Day - is the month when feminists around the world can commemorate years of activism and celebrate our achievements in the name of women’s equality. From taking action against the war in the Congo, to the oppression of women in Afghanistan and Iran, women all over the world are mobilizing to establish solidarity against sexism, racism, homophobia, gender inequality, and sexual violence.

Since the recognition of International Women’s Day in 1900, it has been a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. These days, more and more college students are taking on more responsible roles, showing they care about international women’s issues, and are not afraid to express their political ideology on campus.

I am currently involved with a student group at UCLA called Bruin Feminists for Equality. We are a group that seeks to develop bold, new strategies, and programs to advance the social, political and economic equality of all people. Most importantly, we try to focus on the empowerment of women and girls in all sectors of society. So, when March rolled around we decided that we had to put on an event that would embody the true essence of what International Women’s Day is.

If you have been a part of any student group where many different minds, opinions, and thoughts all come together, then you will agree that hosting an event that is supposed to capture a global mindset can be a trying feat to accomplish. We finally settled on a theme we felt confident in: “Taking Back What’s Ours”. It was set to include three workshops: one on women’s self defense, one on gender and sexuality in the workplace, and the last on transnational feminism, with a keynote speaker to close. Through these workshops, our goal was to draw attention to the various ways women can reclaim their rights against patriarchy, violence, homophobia, and other forms of oppression.

Stress and panic arose when two weeks before our event we still didn’t have a keynote speaker. We didn’t just want anyone to speak; we wanted someone who has really made true strides and accomplishments in transnational feminism. One woman stood out for us: world-renowned Chicana poet, playwright, and writer: Cherrie Moraga. In the words of one of my women’s studies classmates, “Cherrie is Chicana feminism - it’s like Shakespeare for English literature. Cherrie Moraga is the definition of what Chicana feminist writing is.” We only hoped that she would want to come out from her Stanford abode and honor us with her presence.

Did we get Cherrie or did we not?……….Yes, we did! We were E-C-S-T-A-T-I-C that this true pioneer for women of color was actually going to speak at our event. All of our hard work paid off when we heard Cherrie was coming, and we knew our event would genuinely embody what International Women’s Day is all about. We knew the event was a great success when over 80 students came to listen to her speak! Listening to Cherrie’s inspirational words and picking her brain for ideas on how we, as young adults, can become the new revolutionaries of our generation was the highlight of the day and her words are still flying in my mind. In the words of Cherrie, “you can only feel joy if you are free, so be FREE!”

California Prop 8 Hearing on Marriage Equality Tomorrow!

November’s California ballot initiative, Prop 8, has been making headlines all over the nation, sparking controversy over the issue of same-sex marriage for months. In May of 2008, the California Supreme Court deemed a pre-existing ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional and granted same-sex couples the right to marry. Thousands of couples who had waited years for this day rushed to the altar. To the dismay of millions, marriage equality in California didn’t last for long. A mere five months later, on Nov. 4, Prop 8 passed with 52% of the vote, restricting the definition of marriage to a union between one man and one woman, effectively taking the right to marry away from same sex couples in the state.

As devastating as the passage of Prop 8 was, equal rights advocates wasted no time in the fight to win back marriage equality. On Nov. 5^th, The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal and the ACLU filed a petition to overturn Prop 8 on behalf of Equality California and six same-sex couples who are not yet married. On the same day, the Cities and Counties of San Francisco, Santa Clara and Los Angeles, and a private attorney, filed two additional challenges to Prop 8. Since then, 60 friend of the court briefings in support of overturning Prop 8 have been filed; one by yours truly, The Feminist Majority Foundation. And now, the long-awaited hearing date is finally here! The California Supreme Court will be hearing the case tomorrow – Thursday, March 5. A decision will be issued within 90 days.

Arguments to overturn Prop 8 hinge on the Court’s duty to protect minority rights from a simple majority vote, and more specifically, on constitutional technicalities that differentiate an amendment from a revision. Anti-Prop 8 backers will be making the case that by assaulting and successfully eliminating rights that were previously guaranteed by the CA Constitution, Prop 8 was not just an amendment, but was actually a revision to the Constitution, in that it changed an integral part of its composition. A constitutional revision can only be placed on the ballot by a two-thirds legislative vote and Prop 8 did not go about obtaining this. Prop 8 would therefore be invalid.

The anti-Prop 8 forces mentioned above have been joined by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, both houses of the Legislature, and Attorney General Jerry Brown, who will not be assuming his duty of defending the Proposition in court tomorrow, but will actually be advocating against it. The defense for Prop 8 is led by Kenneth Starr, representing Protect Marriage, the initial sponsor of Prop 8. The majority of media attention and speculation is centering around the histories, past views and voting trends of the seven California Supreme Court justices. The questions they ask throughout the hearing are said to be key indicators of how they’ll end up voting. To watch for yourself, check out the live webcast of the hearing, from 9am – 12pm PST, tomorrow, Thurs. May 5, at www.calchannel.com.

And, most importantly, show your solidarity no matter where you are!! Today, on the eve of the hearing, there are solidarity marches happening all over California. To find one near you, visit www.eveofjustice.com. Tomorrow, show your support for marriage equality through a t-shirt, button, armband or sticker. Spread awareness of the issues at stake and the discrimination same-sex couples and LGBT communities continue to face in our society by sparking a conversation in your classes, dorm, or circle of friends, tabling on your campus during lunch hour, or hosting a speak out, open mic, or poetry slam for all to attend.

The Feminist Majority Foundation is a proud supporter of Gay-Straight Alliances, LGBT and Queer Student Groups and Resource Centers on college campuses across the nation and stands in solidarity with the formation of the GSA at Los Angeles City College. For resources or information on how to get involved on your campus, contact your FMF Campus Organizer.

Love from Perez! No on 4 & 8!

Now, I like to consider myself a somewhat "serious" feminist at times but every once and a while I do divulge in a little frivolity. Case in point: Perez Hilton. I was probably the last person to even know of the existence of his world of celebrity gossip and, like so many of you, visit more than I care to admit.

But shame no more! Why you ask? Because Perez just posted our video for "No on 8!" If passed, Proposition 8 would amend California's constitution to eliminate the right for same-sex couples to marry -- a fundamental human right that we all should have.

And that's not the only attack on the ballot this year. Californians must also vote on Proposition 4, an additional amendment to the constitution to ban abortions for women under the age of 18 without parental notification. Heard this one before? That's because California voters have already voted against two similar laws in the past.

But this year's amendment is even more deceptive and dangerous than those in the past. Requiring a 48-hour waiting period, involving the courts to prove your "maturity," making it a crime if you falsify documents, and require victims of rape or incest to officially report a crime or report your family before seeking an abortion.

It's imperative that California voters say "NO on 4" and "NO on 8" this election! Want to learn more? Visit our website to find out just how dangerous both of these amendments would be if passed. Share your knowledge with your friends and family -- especially those who live in CA -- so we can all be aware of the attacks on equality and choice this November.