NYC-Feature Story

Prop 8: The Struggle Continues

By Christina Gee

“Got Milk?” The popular slogan is recognized by many as part of a campaign for the calcium-rich drink. The word “Milk,” however, has another association for California residents and the gay community. It brings to mind Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to run for public office in California and an advocate for gay rights. It’s striking that Milk, a movie about his life, grabbed the spotlight last year just as a new threat to the gay community arose: a proposition to ban gay marriage.

The recent proposition seemed to mirror a proposition Milk fought against. (A proposition, sometimes called a ballot initiative or referendum, is a public policy that is decided on directly by voters instead of legislators.) In 1978, Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative, would have restricted gays, lesbians and anyone publicly supporting gay rights from working in California public schools. It gained most of its fame through the support of singer and spokesperson Anita Bryant. Bryant had already successfully fought for the repeal (throwing out) of a Dade County, Florida, law that prevented discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Major Turnaround

At first, the Californian public was on Bryant’s side, with 61% in support of firing gay teachers and only 31% in opposition. This gap in opinion was soon to change, however. As a politician and activist, Harvey Milk led the movement opposing Proposition 6.

Along with fellow activists, Milk organized the “No on 6” campaign. Gay men and women went door-to-door educating the public on the consequences of such a discriminatory law. Their efforts were so effective that when it was time for the public to vote on it, Proposition 6 was defeated by more than a million votes. It was a ghastly loss for conservatives, but a victory for gay rights.

Radical Response

Thirty years later, gay rights supporters in California and elsewhere hoped for a similar victory. The battle began in 2002, when California voters passed a law that limited marriage to heterosexual couples. But in May of 2008, the California Supreme Court repealed that law and same-sex marriages were permitted.

The situation brought another radical response from conservatives: Proposition 8. The proposal meant amending California’s Constitution to recognize only marriages between a man and a woman.

On November 4, 2008, the controversial initiative passed with a vote of 52% in favor of the ban on gay marriage and 48% in opposition. Gay rights activists reacted with massive rallies and protests around the nation.

Time to Take Notice

For gay rights supporters, the passage of Proposition 8 is a big setback, coming 30 years after a big step forward. Unfortunately, more people probably take notice of the “Got Milk?” campaign than gay rights campaigns, probably because most people believe the benefits of calcium apply to them, but gay rights don’t.

But if you take away the rights of a group of people, it doesn’t matter if you are not included in that group. What does matter is that it could’ve been you. Perhaps the reason the “Got Milk?” campaign is so successful is because it tries to educate the masses. With regard to gay rights, Gus Van Sant’s movie Milk aims to do just that.

graph

Write a letter in response to this story. If selected, your letter could be published in the next issue of NYC.