Stars out in force to oppose Prop 8 ruling
Celebrities such as Kelly Osbourne, Perez Hilton, Pete Wentz, and Emmy Rossum joined the vocal protesters who marched on Los Angeles yesterday to demonstrate their opposition to the California Supreme Court’s decision not to overturn the ban on gay marriage.
Kelly Osbourne, accompanied by boyfriend Luke Worrell, posed for pictures with fellow supporter Perez, who proudly held a banner stating ‘Demand Equality’.
Tuesday’s ruling in favour of Proposition 8 created widespread outrage and disappointment in the gay and lesbian community. While the marriages which took place between May and November 2008 are still considered valid, same-sex couples are no longer allowed to wed after Tuesday’s ruling.
Ellen DeGeneres, whose marriage to actress Portia de Rossi is still valid, said: “One day, when everyone is treated with full equality, we’ll look back and realise how wrong this was”.
The singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge has also expressed her dissatisfaction at the Supreme Court’s ruling, which means she cannot marry her partner Tammy Lynn Michaels.
In a statement, she said: “So, will anyone be sleeping better tonight? Those full of hate and fear will surely be disappointed that 18,000 same sex couples will be living in wedded bliss […]. That’s really going to drive them crazy.”
Etheridge went on to tackle the matter of the differences in rights for married and unmarried same-sex couples, adding: “Then there are those of us who still dangle in ‘domestic partnership’. We can adopt our own children, but we can’t bring our partners, who might be citizens from out of the country, here. We can’t file joint tax returns. I could go on.
“How do I explain this to my children? Well, you know Ellen? She is married but Mommy and I are not.”
Looking towards the future, she concluded: “I am hopeful as I see more and more states turn to the inevitable future of equality, California will get there. Change takes time.”
