Saturday, May 17, 2008

California Supreme Court overturns gay marriage ban

Ivan Larios, dressed in a wedding gown and Mardi Gras mask, joins thousands of celebrants in West Hollywood.
Hundreds gather on San Vicente Boulevard to celebrate the California Supreme Court's ruling.

Stuart Gafney, left, and John Lewis, of San Francisco, celebrate on the steps of the State Supreme Court moments after the court's decision legalizing marriage between same-sex couples announced May 15 in San Francisco, Calif. They have been together 21 years and were married in San Francisco before it was ruled illegal. They were plantiffs in the case. Couples will have to wait 30 days before the marriages can take place.


Kamaron Harper hugs her girlfriend, Terri Burnett, in West Hollywood.

In a 4-3 decision, the justices rule that people have a fundamental 'right to marry' the person of their choice and that gender restrictions violate the state Constitution's equal protection guarantee.
By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer May 16, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- -- The California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage Thursday in a broadly worded decision that would invalidate virtually any law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.The 4-3 ruling declared that the state Constitution protects a fundamental "right to marry" that extends equally to same-sex couples. It tossed a highly emotional issue into the election year while opening the way for tens of thousands of gay people to wed in California, starting as early as mid-June.

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