Nov 14, 2008  |  By: AMY CAVANAUGH  | COMMENTS     

Gay and lesbians plaintiffs from California’s landmark marriage case said they are disappointed yet determined following last week’s passage of Proposition 8.

“It was a very confusing and almost schizophrenic moment,” said Jewelle Gomez, who married Diane Sabin on Nov. 1. “At the same time we were elated about Obama winning, but then we were horrified and surprised and not surprised at the same time about Proposition 8.”

John Lewis, who married Stuart Gaffney on June 17, agreed with Gomez.

“It is really difficult to have your marriage and your dignity and humanity as a gay person put up for a popular vote,” he said. “We’ve felt anger and disappointment and all sorts of things, but I think the thing we felt most strongly is determination. I wouldn’t necessarily have expected that, but we’ve felt very determined that this vote cannot stand.”

Jeanne Rizzo, who married Pali Cooper on Sept. 5, criticized the campaign waged by Proposition 8 supporters and said it’s “disheartening to think people were tricked and fooled by that horrible ad campaign.”

“Someone who voted for Barack Obama voted yes on 8, and people who voted to oppose Proposition 4 [a measure that would have restricted the ability of minors to get an abortion] voted for Proposition 8,” she said, “and that’s disturbing.”

IIt remains unclear whether the 18,000 same-sex marriages that were performed in California over the past four months would remain valid.

Proponents of same-sex marriage filed three court challenges on Nov. 5, arguing that Proposition 8 constituted a dramatic revision to the California Constitution and was not an amendment. Revisions must go before the Legislature before going to voters.

Gomez said that there’s a “level of arrogance” among the supporters of Proposition 8.

“A group of people who don’t know me or anything about me get to decide that my marriage is not legitimate, when the Supreme Court of California said it is,” she said.

Rizzo also noted that because so much money was donated to the “Yes on 8” campaign from out of state, “this isn’t just a state issue.”

“Marriage is controlled by each state but money came in from out of state, especially from Mormons,” she said. “There’s a culture war. We came up against so much money, as well as lies that churches would lose their non-profit status. It’s hard to combat. They played to a faith-based group that were afraid their church would lose its non-profit status and they were turned off to the civil rights part of it.”

‘Our marriages have been put up for a popular vote’

Gaffney said his parents are an interracial couple, and they were only able to marry because California overturned a state law 60 years ago that barred marriage between interracial couples.

“My mom is Chinese-American and my dad is English and Irish-American,” he said. “Thank goodness there was no Proposition 8 that put my parents’ marriage up for a vote, because my parents’ marriage and our family could have been voted out of existence. Their civil rights were not put up for a vote, and a generation later, it’s unthinkable that interracial couples were not allowed to marry.

“Unfortunately, our marriages have been put up for a popular vote. We’re doing everything we can to see that Proposition 8 does not stand, and that people’s civil rights should not be put up to the whim of the electorate.”

Gomez and Sabin’s marriage was featured in The New York Times on Nov. 2, on a Weddings and Celebrations page that featured a number of wedding announcements for same-sex couples, who were rushing to the altar before the vote on Nov. 4.

Gomez said that her wedding, which was held at the San Francisco Public Library, was well attended by family and friends, and the reception was a “No on 8” rally.

“A wedding is all about building community and creating a network of family that didn’t exist before,” Gomez said.

Rizzo said her wedding, which included San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officiating in his chambers, was a “fantastic” event that featured 40 family members and friends.

“We ordered leis from Hawaii and our families exchanged them,” she said. “There’s a Hawaiian tradition of completing the circle and we all wore them. Then we had a big reception for 100 people at a local restaurant in the community in which we live and asked everyone to donate to ‘No on 8’ and not bring gifts.”

Gaffney said his marriage helped him through the fight against Proposition 8.

“Throughout the campaign, I tried to be guided by the memory of our wedding day and how wonderful ...