Unconstitutional! The Road to Marriage Equality in California

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Brendan Behan

Ninth Circuit Rules Prop 8 Unconstitutional

Today is a landmark day in the road toward marriage equality in the state of California. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a previous ruling which declared that Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional under federal law. It is widely anticipated that the ruling will be appealed to the United States Supreme Court.

Today’s victory is a significant milestone in what has been an uphill battle for same-sex marriage supporters in the state of California. Follow the timeline below to see the mountains we’ve climbed to get to this day.

2000

March 7, 2000
California voters approved Proposition 22, also known as the Knight Initiative, with 61% of the vote. Prop 22 added to California’s Family Code, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

2004

February 12, 2004
At the direction of then-Mayor Gavin Newsom, Continue reading →

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SF Pride Membership Making Grand Marshal Nominations This Month

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Imani L. Brown
Celebrity Guest Calpernia Addams

Photo Credit: Charles Morelo

This month, Pride’s Membership will be making nominations for the membership’s choice of one Community Grand Marshal for this year’s Celebration and Parade.  Nominations will open at the February General Planning Meeting, on the 21st at 7pm in the SF Pride offices. [MAP] Nominations for the membership’s choice for Community Grand Marshal will remain open until February 28th.

Pride members and members of the public are invited to attend the meeting to discuss who will be on the public ballot and to hear recommendations for Continue reading →

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Criminal Genders: Police Abuses against Transgender Women in Kuwait

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Imani L. Brown
LGBT Flag Map of Kuwait

Photo Credit: Darwinek

Since a change in the law in May of 2007, life has become even more difficult for transgender women in Kuwait. What was once a rather generic public decency law was altered to stipulate that anyone “imitating the opposite sex in any way” could face one-year imprisonment, fines or both. The new law now criminalizes physical appearance, which has been left up to the interpretation of individual police officers.

The amendment to article 198 of the Kuwaiti penal code has led to torture and Continue reading →

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Community Grand Marshal Nominations Open

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Brendan Behan

Photo: Juan Carlos Pometta Betancourt

The public has until the end of January to nominate a local champion of LGBT causes to be a Community Grand Marshal at this year’s San Francisco Pride Celebration & Parade.

San Francisco Pride’s Grand Marshals are the public ambassadors of Pride. Grand Marshals are recognized in all of the following categories:

  • Individual Community Grand Marshal:
    A Bay-Area based individual or couple who has made a significant contribution to LGBT causes or the community. Nominations open to the public. Voting begins in March.
  • Organizational Community Grand Marshal:
    A Bay-Area based non-profit organization dedicated to LGBT causes or to supporting the LGBT community. Nominations open to the public. Voting begins in March.
  • Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal:
    A Bay-Area based individual who has made substantial contributions to LGBT causes or the community over a lifetime. Public input is sought; nominations are made by the Board of Directors based on community feedback.

With the help of community input, Pride selects these groups and individuals as Grand Marshals to honor their work toward furthering the cause of LGBT people.

Pink Brick

Pink Brick nominations are also being accepted until the end of the month. The Pink Brick is Continue reading →

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Bayard Rustin: A Gay Civil Rights Leader

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Brendan Behan

Bayard Rustin was an African-American gay man who served as a trusted advisor of and strategist to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Rustin played a central role in the civil rights movement and helped organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. A pacifist, Rustin helped organize the 1947 Freedom Ride to protest racial segregation in interstate busing.

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Lesbian Couple Makes History with Navy Homecoming Kiss

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Brendan Behan

As is tradition, the Navy holds a lottery to choose the sailor who receives the honor of being the first off the ship to kiss a loved one when the ship returns home from duty.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta won her ship’s lottery and in doing so made history yesterday with her girlfriend. Their homecoming kiss is the first of its kind since the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). You can catch the historic kiss and the interview that followed in the video below:

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CA Supreme Court Grants Standing to Prop 8 Defenders

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Brendan Behan

The California Supreme Court came out with its opinion yesterday on whether the defendants of Prop 8 have legal standing to be able to defend the initiative in court. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals asked for California’s highest court to weigh in on the issue of standing after Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision striking down Prop 8 was appealed.

California’s Supreme Court justices were unanimous in their determination that ballot initiative proponents in the state have a “legitimate concern” when it comes to representing the interests of a law arising from the passage of a ballot initiative, especially when the state’s governor and attorney general choose not to defend the law in court. California’s unique ballot initiative process required that California’s judiciary advise the 9th Circuit on how standing is conferred under state law when it comes to the ballot initiative process.

Here is what the California Court’s decision on the matter states about the issue: Continue reading →

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San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parades 1970-1980

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Brendan Behan

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IRS Recognizes Tax Deductions for Gender Transition-Related Medical Care

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Brendan Behan

This past Wednesday, the IRS formally announced its intent to comply with an historic 2010 decision of the U.S. Tax Court in O’Donnabhain v. Commissioner. The Tax Court’s decision overturned IRS policy which prohibited tax deductions for medical care related to gender transition including, among other forms of treatment, sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy.

The case had been filed on behalf of a transgender woman after she was denied the ability to claim as a tax deduction expenses related to medical care for her transition. In its denial, the IRS cited Continue reading →

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Service with Dignity

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Brendan Behan

Lately, the LGBT community has won some important battles for our rights. History was made on September 20, 2011 when the military’s 18-year-old “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy officially came to an end. This was an important milestone for our community and a major victory for lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell began on December 21, 1993, under President Clinton and prohibited people who “demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts” from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because their presence Continue reading →

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