Images by the incredible rick, from this gorgeous set of the No on 8 protest last Friday here in San Francisco. See also: pups against 8.
My SF Chronicle column went live last night and the comments exploded (630 as of this post). Some beautiful, some hateful — I am being called anti-straight (which amuses my boyfriend), and anti-Semitic (for calling Mel Gibson “Mel Gibstein”). And other things — but the most inspiring comment on Fear of A Gay Planet: Violet Blue knows the real reason prop 8 passed, and it’s distasteful is this zinger: “It’s sad and embarrassing to see the ignorance on display in the responses to prop 8. If not for “activist judges” we would still have separate but equal education… but I suppose some of you bigots would welcome that? If any of you who rail against same-sex marriage had more than a primary school understanding of American history and our founding father’s vision for our government then perhaps you would see that ratifying prop 8 flies in the face of the American dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… for ALL.”
Read the column — I’m dying to podcast it; when it went live last night I danced around the house in a petite little salvo of victory and voice. Our voice. Loud. And this column is topping the traffic chart! Snip:
Yes, the family-packed Proposition 8 protest last Friday night, with estimates of between 15,000 and 25,000 marchers, was quite peaceful. Unless you saw the look on 8-foot-tall Miss Trannyshack 2007 Pollo Del Mar‘s face. She looked like she was about to slam a size 15 open-toed high heel into the back of some Mormon’s head. No one – and I mean NO ONE – is taking her bridal registry away.
Last week, San Franciscans, Californians, and the rest of the country was pretty much shocked when Proposition 8 (“Eliminates right of same-sex couples to marry”) was voted into law. Although it’s not terribly shocking when one considers that several other states and heavily moneyed (and tax-exempt) churches poured millions of dollars and a very un-family-like campaign that scared 500,000 voters to nail down nuptials in our state constitution as, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
The Mormon (LDS) church, as we all know, was the biggest supporter of this actual threat to true family values. Well, and Mel Gibson helped Prop. 8 a little, too. (Or Mel Gibstein, as I like to call him.) But if you take the KPIX estimate of 25,000 San Francisco protesters – that’s the exact same number of Mormon volunteers who were going door-to-door in our fair state warning voters about the homosexual menace. What the hell were they saying? I’m pretty sure the script went like this:
“Save the family … blah blah blah … two penises together … blah blah blah … you’re either for traditional marriage or against it … blah blah blah … dirty man on man anal sex … blah blah blah … your marriage will be meaningless if gays can do it … blah blah blah … sweaty hairy naked manly women with giant dildos … blah blah blah … protect the sanctity of a man and a woman making babies … blah blah blah … this will make your children gay and expose them to gay sex … blah blah blah … vote yes on 8 … filthy poophole sex … have a nice day!”
We all know what it means when someone goes way, way out of their way about gayness. It’s because they can’t stop thinking about all that hot gay sex. That’s the real message behind the Protect Marriage agenda. It’s not the people getting married because they really love each other for life. When the anti-gay marriage people say they’re “saving marriage” what they really mean is that gay sex is like totally gross and strange and diseased and not okay and it’s gonna get you, possibly on a toilet seat. Or a water fountain. (…please read more, )
Images by the incredible rick, from this gorgeous set of the No on 8 protest last Friday here in San Francisco.
Update: Comments are now over 1300 and this column has ruled the Chron all day. It means something when you beat the news, you know? In the meantime, I’ve been emailed about how Cinemark (Landmark Century) Theaters / Sundance contributed significantly to the yes on 8 campaign and people are talking boycott — and telling Cinemark what they think. And all the Mormons for 8 donors are here — scary. There is also the Courage Campaign.
Excellent article. Thanks for the links in your follow up – I can always count on you for this :)
Did you catch Dan Savage’s interview on the Colbert Report? I loved how he pointed to older voters as the biggest supporters of Prop 8 and said, “we will outlive you.” Indeed.
I hope this is an unfortunate bump in the road to equal rights for all Americans. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for using my photos in your excellent blog! I’m greatly honored. :)
thank you!
You say everything I want to say, and you say it beautifully. Excellent column!
i dont really get it aye….protect family values? as if we got values to give away when like 1/3 of people get divorced in my country. marriage isnt so sacred. then again im not sure why anyone thinks it is any more so thus the issue is non. i think though we all should have the right to be able to make the decision for ourselves.
not to mention i totally agree with your point that things like quickie marriages already happen due to the chick getting knocked up. how does this make marriage something to be valued only for us straight kids?
but i guess this is is peoples beliefs. i dont want to attack the mormons. as long as they dont enforce it as rule for other people or the rest of the country….if we respect you thinking tha tits only guy on girl well then you respect each individuals right to hold their own opinions.
that said i believe there is adifference between sex and making babies and love. we are have our falacies. gay or straight. my only belief is that its not right to have many people in a relationsionship (more than two). i think the whole real thing that makes marriage last is love and commitment. its hard enough loving one person for life, than to add more to the equation as well as power embalances. i think no matter our sexual preference this is something we all have to work on.