Overview

Well, that’s it: we won. It’s impossible to overstate how monumental it is that Prop 8 is gone. Couples are getting married in the most populous state in the country. And nearly one third of Americans live in states with the freedom to marry.

So now let’s take a look at what comes next.

Transcript

Well, that’s it: we won. It’s impossible to overstate how monumental it is that Prop 8 is gone. Couples are getting married in the most populous state in the country. And nearly one third of Americans live in states with the freedom to marry.

So now let’s take a look at what comes next.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume, and welcome to Marriage News Watch for July 15, 2013.

It’s the victory we’ve been working so hard for: AFER has restored marriage equality to California for good.

In response, the Prop 8 Proponents have challenged our victory in court, but it’s a baseless filing. As Ted Olson put it, their attempt to halt the weddings is “a desperate and frivolous act.” And marriages are continuing unabated around the state.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out AFER’s backstage glimpse at decision day and the very first weddings. We had a camera crew there to capture all the personal moments and surprises. It’s a great way to relive our incredible victory.

With this win behind us, there are still 37 states that don’t have the freedom to marry. But the Prop 8 and DOMA rulings have created new momentum from coast to coast, and we’ll see a lot of action in the states over the next few months and years.

There’s particular focus now on the more challenging red states. Eleven couples filed suit last week in Arkansas, challenging that state’s 2004 ban on marriage. Arkansas also has a proposed ballot measure in the works.

New polling in Texas shows a jump in support, with only a quarter of respondents opposing any form of relationship recognition. There’s a public awareness project called the “We Do” campaign forming in Mississippi. Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker, Representative Patricia Todd, announced her intention to challenge that state’s marriage ban. Openly gay Colorado House Speaker Mark Ferrandino is building a coalition to repeal Colorado’s ban.

In Pennsylvania, openly gay Representative Brian Sims will introduce a marriage bill of his own. There’s also a new lawsuit in Pennsylvania, and state attorney general Kathleen Kane says she won’t defend the state’s marriage ban in court.

A marriage lawsuit in Michigan will move ahead. In New Jersey, there’s renewed pressure for a legislative vote to override the governor’s veto, and for summary judgment in a lawsuit challenging the state’s marriage ban. A new survey shows sixty percent support the freedom to marry in New Jersey.

There’s a flurry of activity in New Mexico, where a coalition of legal groups has asked the state Supreme Court to rule on the legality of marriage. For its part, the Supreme Court has asked the state Attorney General to respond by the end of this month.

In Oregon, signature-gathering will start this month. And a lone group in Ohio plans to push ahead with a popular vote, ignoring calls for a more gradual strategy.

And this is just new activity in the last few weeks. Other states, such as Hawaii, Nevada, and Illinois, already had marriage equality efforts that are quickly moving forward.

And finally, in all the excitement over California, it’s easy to overlook this month’s other major milestone: the beginning of marriage in Delaware. The first couple to wed was State Senator Karen Peterson and her longtime partner Vikki Bandy.

Congratulations to all the happy couples in Delaware, in California, and all the other states celebrating the freedom to marry. The rest of the country will join you soon enough.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. Thanks for watching.