Wingspan Statement on the California Supreme Court's Prop 8 Decision

The California State Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage in their state. The ruling, however, does not invalidate the over 18,000 same-sex marriages in California that happened prior to the passage of Prop 8 last November. The following is a statement from Jason Cianciotto, Executive Director of Wingspan, Southern Arizona's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community Center:

"We stand in solidarity with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight ally citizens of California and across the nation bitterly disappointed by today's ruling upholding Proposition 8. The founders of this country never intended for minority rights, including the right to legally marry, to be determined by a popular vote. This is the epitome of majority tyranny.

While we take some comfort in the fact that this ruling does not invalidate the over 18,000 same-sex marriages solemnized in California prior to November 2008, millions more will be denied the basic right to legally protect their loved ones.

Despite this setback, we need only look at the historic steps toward equality that recently occurred in Iowa, which began providing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in April, and Maine, which will issue them in September, to know that equal access to civil marriage for same-sex couples is not just possible, it is inevitable."

For more information and to see and share stories about LGBT families in Arizona, go to www.familiesyouknow.com.