California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8, looks set to head for the US Supreme Court, following a ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that declared Prop 8 unconstitutional. The Ninth Circuit decision upholds a ruling by US District Judge Vaughn Walker which found Prop 8 was unconstitutional as it denied gay men and women equal rights guaranteed by the US constitution.
Prop 8 was passed in November 2008 when 52.4 of voters voted to amend California’s constitution in order to only recognise marriages between a man and a woman. California’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of the amendment’s constitutionality; however this was overturned on appeal in the US District Court in August last year – a verdict confirmed by last night’s unanimous decision from the three 9th Circuit judges. Anti-gay marriage activists are now expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Pro and anti gay commentators were rife on Twitter over the decision with comments ranging from Republican Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich’s
‘Court of Appeals overturning CA’s Prop 8 another example of an out of control judiciary. Let’s end judicial supremacy’
To Ru Paul’s
‘Prop 8, sashay away,’.
OIP Staff, File Image
