Students protest Prop. 8 ruling with mock marriages
Megan Belchamber handed her carton of chocolate milk to a friend to hold while she “married” Natalie Salagean in a lunchtime ceremony Tuesday at Palm Springs High School.
After the ceremony, the sophomores tied a gold ribbon around each others’ ring fingers to symbolize the bond.
The two are members of the Palm Springs High School Gay-Straight Alliance.
They joined about 70 other couples in mock wedding ceremonies in support of marriage equality.
Students organized and participated in the rally in response to the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling to uphold Proposition 8, passed by California voters, which states marriage is between a man and a woman.
“We were disappointed for about five minutes, then we stood up and decided we wanted to send a really strong message,” said Vanessa Wilcox, president of the alliance. See Students protest Prop. 8 ruling with mock marriages The Desert Sun
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Gay Groups Prepare For Prop. 8 Decision
Gay groups across the nation are preparing for Tuesday’s ruling by the California Supreme Court on the state’s controversial gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. The court announced Friday it would hand down its decision Tuesday morning at 10AM. Justices will rule on a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate the November results of a referendum that placed a gay marriage ban in the California Constitution. Proposition 8 effectively overturned the high court’s 4 to 3 decision that legalized gay marriage last May and put an end to the thousands of gay and lesbian marriages that took place during the June-to-November “summer of love” when gay marriage was legal. The court will also rule on the fate of 18,000 marriages. Gay marriage proponents began preparing for the decision in March, shortly after the court heard oral arguments. The largest event is being organized by veteran gay activists Robin Tyler and Andy Thayer. The Day of Decision is a large, multi-state demonstration scheduled to take place on Tuesday night, just hours after gay activists learn whether they will be celebrating or protesting the court’s decision. California activities connected to the event include: In San Francisco a prayer service at Grace Cathedral is scheduled for Monday at 7PM, while a blessing on Tuesday at St. Francis Lutheran Church begins at 8:30AM; On Tuesday in Los Angeles, a rally will take place outside the County Marriage License Office at 12AM and a rally and march begins at 7PM in the West Hollywood neighborhood; Activists will gather at 7PM Tuesday for a rally at the Palm Springs Courthouse; And San Diegans will rally Tuesday at 5PM at Balboa Park.
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Philadelphia and Southwest Launch Gay-Friendly Philly Contests
he Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) has launched a contest as part of the Philadelphia - Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay(R) tourism marketing campaign. Entrants can sign up to win “Philly’s Ultimate Gay Stay,” including a trip to the city and dining, shopping and pampering at some of the city’s gay-friendly businesses, at gophila.com/gayphilly.
Online banner ads promoting the contest will run nationwide on logoonline.com and outtraveler.com, while a print ad will run in Passport Magazine. In addition, targeted outreach at out-of-market events and businesses in cities such as Chicago, Denver, Palm Springs and Columbus maximizes the value of this promotion, which runs through mid-May.
“Philly’s Ultimate Gay Stay” includes:
- Two round-trip tickets to and from Philadelphia on Southwest Airlines
- A two-night stay at a Center City hotel
- Two VIP tickets to The Franklin Institute Science Museum’s Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy, making its exclusive world appearance in Philadelphia
- Two shopping sprees — one at Matthew Izzo, a home, design and clothing boutique in Old City, and one at Open House, a home store in Midtown Village
- Two all-inclusive dinners — one at the Mexican bring-your-own-tequila spot Lolita and one at Indian BYOB Bindi
- Two salon services at Charlie Salon
- Two signature Philadelphia souvenirs
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside(R) a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.
For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.
Website: http://www.gophila.com
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Gay rodeo gears up for riding, roping, dancing
The Greater Palm Springs chapter of the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association kicks off California rodeo season this weekend. Cowboys and cowgirls will display their riding and roping skills starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday through Sunday night at AC Dysart Equestrian Park, 2101 W. Victory Ave., Banning.
About 174 people have registered, participant Bill Barker said.
Attendees can also enjoy dancing and exhibits on the rodeo grounds. A dance will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Holiday Inn, 1800 East Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.
Admission: $15 a day for rodeo events, $20 for the dance.
Information: www.palmspringsrodeo.org
See Gay rodeo gears up for riding, roping, dancing
The Desert Sun
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Vigils set for eve of Prop 8 arguments
(San Francisco, California) Same-sex couples and their supporters will hold candlelight vigils in at least 15 cities across California the night before the state Supreme Court hears oral arguments challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8.
Among the major cities are San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs.
The March 4 …
Tags: Candlelight Vigils, Constitutionality, Eve, Major Cities, Oral Arguments, Palm Springs, Same Sex Couples, San Diego, San Francisco California, State Supreme Court
