Proposition 8 Is Wrong for Women and Families: Vote No

Judy PatrickPosted October 30, 2008 | 08:03 PM (EST)

California's Proposition 8 consists of a single sentence: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

We disagree.

Everyone should have the choice to marry the person they love. It's a personal and fundamental freedom guaranteed by the California constitution. But this November, Californians will vote on Proposition 8, a divisive measure that aims to take away this basic freedom from same-sex couples.

Proposition 8 is wrong for one simple reason -- by eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry it enshrines discrimination in our constitution. It mandates one set of rules for same-sex couples and another set for everyone else. Our laws should treat everyone equally.

We agreed with the California Supreme Court's decision this past May when it ruled that the state constitution does not tolerate a distinction between unions of opposite-sex couples and those of same-sex couples. We encourage voters to affirm the Court's ruling by voting no on Proposition 8.

The debate over Prop 8 points to a larger question about the way in which we value families. As the reality of American families becomes more and more diverse, will we as a society become more open or more exclusive? A majority of families in the US do not fit the traditional definition of a nuclear family. They are headed by single parents, span multiple generations or encompass non-blood related relatives.

This choice is not merely a moral one. It has important implications for women, children and for our families' economic and social well-being.

Kids, no matter who their parents are -- a married heterosexual couple (biological or adoptive parents), a same-sex couple, a single mom or dad or a grandparent -- should never feel that their lives are less-than. Studies show that kids thrive in all kinds of family structures, as long as they have loving and stable environments. Many same-sex couples in California are already raising children, and we do those children a disservice by denying their parents the right to marriage.

Families are also often defined by economic interdependence. Our current legal and economic structures favor straight married couples over other kinds of families and, moreover, a 30-year political assault on the social safety net has left households with more burdens and constraints and fewer resources. There is, however, potential to create new structures that make it easier for all kinds of families to provide one another with adequate material support. We should find ways to recognize and accommodate all family structures with our public policies in order to build more stable families and communities. We believe that by continuing to diversify and democratize partnership and household recognition we all benefit. We support efforts that expand existing legal statuses, social services and benefits to support the needs of all our households.

Proposition 8 supporters are right that domestic partnerships come exceedingly close to guaranteeing the same rights as marriage, as the state's high court recognized. Still, there are differences. Some are statutory -- domestic partners must share a residence, while married couples can live separately -- and others are pragmatic. Studies have found that domestic partners do not receive the same treatment or recognition from hospital staff, employers and the public as spouses do.

Opposition to same-sex marriage is only one part of a broader so-called "family values" agenda that includes abstinence-only sex education, stringent divorce laws, coercive marriage promotion policies directed toward women on welfare and attacks on reproductive freedom. Voters will recognize the proponents of Proposition 8 -- they are the leading Christian Right organizations that have been attacking women's rights and LGBT rights for decades: the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America and the Eagle Forum, among others.

Meanwhile, opponents to the measure represent a broad coalition, including the California Teachers Association, the California Nurses Association, the League of Women Voters, the California NAACP, California Federation of Labor, United Farm Workers, a number of religious institutions, elected public officials and nearly every major newspaper in California. A full list of the hundreds of groups endorsing No On Prop 8 can be found on the campaign's website.

There is a sense that we have become increasingly polarized as a nation in recent years, and many people are yearning to move toward a more connected, inclusive society. By decisively defeating Prop 8, we have an opportunity to begin to strengthen that new social fabric. We can reject the notion that we should use the ballot to take away rights and create more narrow definitions of families that separate "us" from "them." Instead, we can put forth a new vision that recognizes not only committed same-sex couples, but all families. Voting No on Prop 8 is just the first step.

It's time to put this issue to rest. Marriage is a fundamental right that belongs to everyone. Vote No on Proposition 8.

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By:

Judy Patrick and Amanda Cassel

The Women's Foundation of California

Judy Patrick is President & CEO of The Women's Foundation of California and has been a leader in the women's movement for over 25 years.

Amanda Cassel is Program Officer for Public Policy at the Women's Foundation of California.

The Women's Foundation of California is a statewide organization investing in women and girls to build a more just and equitable society for all.