Equality California, California’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, released a report yesterday urging gay rights activists to wait until 2012 to repeal Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in the state. While other groups support pushing for a ballot measure in 2010, Equality California has stated that 2012 is a more realistic goal, according to the Associated Press.
Some claim that momentum to overturn Proposition 8 could be lost by 2012 and that it is important to push for a ballot initiative in 2010. The Equality California report (see PDF), however, concludes that, based on recent polling and the need for mass mobilization and fundraising, a 2012 initiative is more likely to be successful.
Marc Solomon, the marriage director of Equality California, said, “Emotionally, we all want to win marriage back as quickly as possible. We really think that we have a shot in the next three years. But we have one shot, we don’t have two shots. We’re not waiting at all. We’re going hard. But we think the campaign is a three-year campaign.”
Proposition 8 passed 52 percent to 48 percent in November 2008, and overturned a May 2008 ruling of the state Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.
Associated Press 8/12/09; Equality California Report 8/12/09; Feminist Daily Newswire 5/26/09