Thanking the Plaintiffs Who Helped Overturn Proposition 8

The morning after yesterday's historic Proposition 8 decision, where Judge Vaughn Walker said that California's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, I can't help but think of that infamous quote by Margaret Mead.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

No doubt that yesterday's ruling on Proposition 8 changed the world. Tens of millions of LGBT people woke up yesterday never hearing a federal judge say that marriage bans violated constitutional rights. Those same tens of millions of LGBT people went to bed last night, with visions of Judge Walker's words in their heads: "Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license."

Whether you live in Oklahoma or Florida, Oregon or Arizona, Hawaii or Alaska or any of the other dozens of states with constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage, Judge Walker's words likely spoke to you in a very heartfelt way. That amendment banning you from getting married to the person you love? Just like Proposition 8, it's not rational, and it violates your constitutional rights to due process and equal protection.

The folks behind yesterday's decision? Sure, you can look at Ted Olson and David Boies, the attorneys who argued the case (officially known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger). Or you could look at Chad Griffin, Dustin Lance Black, Rob Reiner and the folks behind the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), which financially bankrolled and organized this case from the get-go. All of these folks deserve some thanks and praise.

But today I'm left thinking that if it wasn't for the four brave plaintiffs -- a lesbian couple from Berkeley and a gay couple from Burbank -- who got up on the stand and told their stories, and put their relationships on display for the world to see, we wouldn't be feeling so euphoric today. That's why those four folks -- Sandra Stier, Kristin Perry, Jeffrey Zarrillo, and Paul Katami -- deserve a huge heaping pile of thanks today. Care to send them a message? Click here.

As Maia Spotts wrote here in January, at the height of the trial for this case, these four folks were charged with speaking for millions of LGBT people around the country denied the right to marry. And they didn't disappoint when they got up on the stand. Take Kristin Perry's words, when she was asked by attorney Ted Olson why she wanted to marry her partner, Sandra.

"I have never really let myself want it until now. Growing up as a lesbian, you don't let yourself want it, because everyone tells you you are never going to have it," Perry said from the stand, before pivoting to describe what having the legal right to marry would look like to her. "I think what it looks like is that you are honored and respected by your family. Your children know what your relationship is. And when you leave your home and you go to work or you go out in the world, people know what your relationship means."

Honor and respect. Can't think of any better words to describe why the push for marriage equality is so important.

Or look at David Boies' questioning of Jeffrey Zarrillo. Boies asked Zarrillo what his partner, Paul Katami, meant to him.

"He's the love of my life. I love him probably more than I love myself. I would do anything for him. I would put his needs ahead of my own. I would be with him in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, death do us part, just like vows. I would do anything for him. And I want nothing more than to marry him," Zarrillo said from the stand.

But Zarrillo wasn't finished. Boies asked him a follow up question that gets to the heart of what Perry v. Schwarzenegger, and indeed every battle for marriage equality, is really all about. Boies said: Why do you want to marry Paul?

"The word "marriage" has a special meaning. It's why we're here today. If it wasn't so important, we wouldn't be here today. I want to be able to share the joy and the happiness that my parents felt, my brother felt, my friends, my co-workers, my neighbors, of having the opportunity to be married," Zarrillo concluded.

Yeah, I think it's time to send these plaintiffs a big, hearty thank you. A thank you for telling their stories. A thank you for giving their time to be a part of this case. And a thank you for not staying silent in the face of a law like Proposition 8 which clearly enshrined discrimination into California's constitution.

At least until yesterday, when the process for overturning Proposition 8 took a giant step forward.

Photo credit: DoNotLick