SAN DIEGO LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT DECISION TO DECIDE GAY MARRIAGE LAW -- CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSITION 8
Today, the United States Supreme Court has decided that it will review and rule on the Perry case regarding Proposition 8 in its current term. Proposition 8 was the 2008 California ballot measure that rescinded marriage equality for same-sex couples in California.
(Jan Garbosky (left) and Bonny Russell (right), who have been a couple for 20 years were congratulated yesterday by Caroline Dessert, a staff member at The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center in Hillcrest.)
“To have the opportunity to have this case heard before the United States Supreme Court is an historic step forward in our movement for full equality,” said Dr. Delores A. Jacobs, chief executive officer of The Center.
“This is one of the most significant civil rights cases to reach the high court since , and provides an opportunity for the Supreme Court Justices to affirm the promise of liberty and justice for all, and the Constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law,” Jacobs said.
The Supreme Court should hear oral arguments and issue its ruling later this term. The Court’s term typically runs until late June/early July.
“It is our hope that the Supreme Court will again – as it has 14 times before – rule that marriage is a fundamental right, and will issue a decision that provides our country with a much-needed resolution to this issue,” Jacobs said. “Same-sex couples should no longer be subject to differing treatment under the law depending on what state they live or travel in. We have seen a consistent and growing tide of support for the equal treatment of same-sex couples under the law. The Supreme Court can enshrine that protection by ruling – as the Federal District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals did – that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.”
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The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center, Inc. (The Center) is the nation's second oldest and third largest LGBT community center. Functioning as the LGBT community's anchor organization, The Center is led by a 16-member board of directors, employs over 40 paid staff and utilizes more than 800 community volunteers to achieve its twin goals of promoting LGBT health and human rights. The Center provides direct program services to the many different facets of the LGBT community, including youth, seniors, families, LGBT Latino community members and their families, and those struggling with HIV. Last year, The Center provided more than 50,000 service visits to San Diego community members, and through its events, activities and advocacy, touched the lives of thousands more.
