'Get Engaged Tour' Discusses Steps for Marriage Equality in California

The Get Engaged Tour is meeting at town halls across California to share polling results, and information on how to win marriage equality back.

In these town halls, local representatives will present to the community the data collected from the largest marriage equality poll conducted in California by a large coalition of LGBT organizations and gauge feedback from attendees on next steps. These gatherings well help identify local volunteers and establish or expand regional coalitions that can be integrated into a future statewide campaign.

The tour ends in two weeks.

This next week, gatherings are scheduled in:

* Modesto
* San Diego
* San Joaquin
* Walnut Creek
* San Luis Obispo
* Pacifica
* San Francisco
* Los Angeles
* Inland Empire/Redlands
* Napa
* Morgan Hill
* Berkeley
* Seaside
* San Bernardino
* Fresno
* Sacramento

Crossposted via Unite The Fight.

NO H8 Campaign - Photo Project to Repeal Prop 8

The No H8 campaign is a photo project and silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Barshley in direct response to the passage of proposition 8.

The photos feature people with duct tape on their mouth and No H8 painted or lipsticked onto one cheek. The photos are being used virally as peoples primary photo on social networking sites. The eventual plan is to compile the photos for billboard campaigns and magazine spreads to raise awareness and money to repeal prop 8.



Check out the photos, learn more, and submit your own at NO H8 Campaign.

Comical Video Urging Prop 8 be Overturned!

Yes On Equality - 2010 Marriage Equality Initiative!

The new 'Yes on Equality' campaign has learned from the mistakes of the prop 8 battle, the protests, etc. They are starting early with their campaign to put an initiative on the 2010 ballot to legalize same-sex marriage in California. The group has an online petition, and will be working hard to mobilize people to overturn prop 8.

Sign the petition to support the invalidation of proposition 8.

Watch "Fidelity" and Sign a Letter to California Supreme Court

The Courage Campaign is asking us to tell the Supreme Court to invalidate Prop 8, reject Ken Starr's case, and let loving, committed couples marry.

DEADLINE: Valentine's Day.



Sign the letter to the California Supreme Court.

Does Your Business Support Overturning Prop 8?

A number of businesses, including Google, have signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief supporting our effort to overturn Proposition 8. We appreciate support from businesses who are interested in fairness and equality for their LGBT employees and all California’s families. If your company would like to be involved in our efforts, please fill out the form below to let us know what you are interested in and how to get in touch with you.

Sign up with the National Center for Lesbian Rights as a business that supports overturning prop 8. You can sign the amicus brief to the courts, or find out how to help.

Camp Courage - Training Sessions Throughout California to Defeat Prop 8!

Camp Courage is a training program inspired by "Camp Obama" that will use community organizing methods that have developed leaders and nurtured progressive social movements for decades in an effort to repeal proposition 8 and bring back marriage rights to same-gender couples.

The first Camp Courage will take place in Los Angeles and the deadline to apply is Jan 13th, but soon after will move on to other parts of California like like Fresno, San Diego, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco.

Please address any questions to: CampCourage@couragecampaign.org

California Supreme Court to Hear Prop 8 Case

This just in .... California's highest court has just agreed to hear legal challenges to a new ban on gay marriage, but has refused to allow gay couples to resume marrying until it rules.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted three lawsuits seeking to overturn Proposition 8. The amendment passed this month with 52 percent of the vote. The court did not elaborate more on this decision.

Gay rights advocates in these case are arguing that the measure was actually a constitutional revision, instead of a more limited amendment. A revision of the state Constitution can be placed before the voters only by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature or a constitutional convention.

Lawsuits to overturn the initiative contend it was a revision because it denied equal protection to a minority group and eviscerated a key constitutional guarantee. Supporters of Proposition 8 counter that it merely amended the constitution by restoring a traditional definition of marriage.

In its order, the court established an expedited briefing schedule, under which briefing will be completed in January 2009 and oral argument potentially could be held as early as March 2009.

Six justices — Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Justice Marvin R. Baxter, Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar, Justice Ming W. Chin, Justice Carlos R. Moreno, and Justice Carol A. Corrigan signed the court’s order, but Justice Moreno indicated that he would grant the requests to stay the operation of Proposition 8 pending the court’s resolution of these matters.

The court has tended to defer to voter sentiment on initiative challenges, but it has overturned popular ballot measures in the past.

In 1966, the California Supreme Court struck down an initiative that would have permitted racial discrimination in housing. Voters had approved the measure, a repeal of a fair housing law, by a 2-to-1 margin.

Opponents challenged measure on equal protection grounds, not as a constitutional revision.

Additionally Federal courts have also overturned another contentious initiative, Proposition 187, the anti-immigration measure passed by voters.

Crossposted via Lez Get Real.

Overturn Prop 8 Petition - EQCA

Equality California is committed to defeating proposition 8. Please sign the petition to stand with the organization to overturn prop 8 either through the courts or through another voter referendum in 2010.
http://www.eqca.org/petition