Marriage

Winning Marriage Back

The campaign to win marriage back will take us all, working together to restore the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.

The critical work of talking about marriage door to door and telling our stories needs to happen now.

Win Marriage Back: Make It Real! is a coordinated field and media effort to build support for the freedom to marry at the local level and over the airwaves. Together, we are introducing ourselves to the people of California, winning their hearts and minds, and ensuring that we win marriage back once and for all.

Federal Court Challenge to Proposition 8

Perry v. Schwarzenegger is a U.S. District court case challenging the validity of Proposition 8. Unlike the California State Supreme Court challenge, the petitioners are challenging the merits of Proposition 8 under federal law. Equality California filed a friend-of the-court brief outlining our position.

Do you think it is unconstitutional to allow the majority to vote on the rights of a minority? Ask President Obama to file a brief in support of this case at www.eqca.org/enough.

Returning to the Ballot

Every day without marriage equality is another day that couples and families go without the respect, dignity and rights they deserve. EQCA is — and has been — fighting tirelessly to permanently win marriage back as soon as possible.

Many believe we should wait until we are guaranteed a victory before proceeding. We do not agree. We believe it is essential that we select an election and build a campaign for that election. We believe the 2012 election gives us the clearest path to victory because:

Voters who support us are more likely to vote in 2012. We have the chance to gain four more points in 2012 than in 2010 through voter turnout alone.
Funders are skeptical about supporting an expensive campaign right now, in the midst of a recession and without having done the work we must do to prevail at the ballot box.
Some key organizations do not support a ballot initiative in 2010, including many organizations working in communities of color who feel they need more time to build support in their communities.
It is much easier to build the support we need outside of electoral battles, which only increase divisiveness and lead voters to become entrenched in their views.

Equality California reached its position through extensive feedback from our members, donors, community partners and political experts.

Newspaper Editorials

Recent editorials in major California newspapers have all come out in favor of winning marriage back for same-sex couples.