Q is for Queer and V is for Victory

May 15th, 2008 proved to be a monumental day in the state of California and across the nation. If you listen very closely, you can hear the gasps of fascist conservatives across the land, and ain't it grand?

In a nail biting 4-3 decision, the California Supreme Court ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and discriminatory. The ban will be lifted and the ruling is expected to go in full effect within the next thirty days. This isn't a green light for civil unions or partnerships. This is the real deal.....marriage and all the bells & whistles that come with it. Hell, even Governor Aaaahnold vowed that he would uphold the ruling. He also stated that he would not support any amendment to the Constitution overturning the ruling.

This ruling is a small victory, but there are many small battles still to be won. Expect a strong rebuttal from one angry 'family value' posse. This ruling has the religious right and morale majority absolutely shitting kittens. Rumor has it that the Nazi coalition rounded up and submitted nearly 1.1 million signatures that support a constitutional amendment. 763,790 signatures were required to qualify for a spot on the upcoming ballot. The amendment adds fourteen crucial words to the California Constitution. "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California".

If this makes its way on the ballot, gay advocates in California will be in for a long, drawn out battle. The ruling could also have a substantial effect on the upcoming presidential election. If McCain shows strong opposition against same sex marriage, then he takes the risks of losing the more middle to leftist Republican voters. The same goes for Obama should he choose to support same sex marriage. At this point, the majority of voters are more focused on the crumbling economy and tiresome, endless war. Advocate groups need as much support as they can get. The score is currently - Crazy Christian Crusaders 27 Queer Nation 1, which means queers need to get to steppin'. 27 of 28 attempts to uphold this state ruling have failed. One step at a time....

Here are some interesting statistics I was able to sniff out regarding the acceptance of gay culture in our society.

Prior to the California announcement, Massachusetts was the only state that actually recognized same-sex marriage. Vermont, Jersey, Connecticut, and New Hampshire have all recognized civil unions but not marriage. California, Hawaii, Maine, Washington, and Oregon currently acknowledge domestic partnerships, which includes a handful of the perks associated with marriage.

A whopping 26 states have approved a ban on gay marriage. If I list them all, I doubt you would be surprised. However, I am proud to state that my beloved home state of Illinois is not on the list. The state I currently reside is on the list, but we all know MO sucks a fat one.

Ahh....what the hell? Here's the list. Yee f*ckin' haw!

....and the winners are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and last but never least Wisconsin.

Now for the sunny side of the street...

• The acceptance of same-sex relations has increased from 11% to 31% between 1973 and 2004.
  
• The acknowledgement that gays should have equal employment rights has increased from 56% to a staggering 89% between 1977 and 2004.
  
• The validation and approval of gay marriage has increased from 27% to 39% between 1996 and 2005.

There is hope within these numbers. The acceptance of gays in society has made dramatic improvements since the days when marital standards were determined by Ozzie and Harriet.

Ellen (DeGeneres) announced on her show (Ellen...duh) that she would definitely be getting married to her long time partner Portia de Rossi. Bless her sweet, little heart. You go, girl!

Stay tuned.....more to come.

Much thanks to the following resources....

The San Francisco Chronicle

CBS News

Towelroad.com

Los Angeles Times

The Age

Associated Press

New York Times