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Prop. 8 Rally Takes Manhattan

On the same day that the state of Connecticut began allowing same-sex marriages, thousands of New Yorkers gathered to protest the recent ruling in California taking away those same rights. Over 15,000 people gathered Wednesday night in protest of Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that overturned a recent court ruling allowing same-sex marriage.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted November 13, 2008
Prop. 8 Rally Takes Manhattan

On the same day that the state of Connecticut began allowing same-sex marriages, thousands of New Yorkers gathered to protest the recent ruling in California taking away those same rights.

Over 15,000 people gathered Wednesday night in protest of Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that overturned a recent court ruling allowing same-sex marriage. Prop. 8 passed with 52.5% of the vote after members of the Mormon church donated over $20 million to pass the initiative.

After similar protests in California and Utah, New Yorkers turned out in droves and marched down Columbus Drive in New York, blocking traffic for six blocks. Protesters carried candles, homemade signs, and a huge banner with the words "God Loves Gay Marriage" scrawled across it.

"Two, four, six, eight, we have got to stop the hate," protesters yelled. A few drivers stopped in traffic joined in the chanting as the march passed by.

"People are really fired up and outraged at what happened in California," radio host Michelangelo Signorile said. "It's something that just touched a nerve in everybody, the idea that they took away a right that we already had and that this church was instrumental in doing that."

The march, which started at the Manhattan Mormon temple and ended at Columbus Circle, was planned three days in advance. "It was done completely on Facebook and it was just word of mouth," said Corey Johnson, one of the organizers for the event.

The rally ended at the southwest entrance to Central Park, after one protester climbed on a lamppost and shouted down to the marchers, "What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!"

Dean Jansen and his husband marched in the protest and carried a sign saying "Obama: Help Us Stop H8." Jansen said President-elect Barack Obama needs to be more vocal in his support for gay rights.

"Before the election he came out and said it was very divisive and discriminatory. Now that he's elected, it's safe, he can do it now. And it's an opportunity. And so many people believe in him and believe in what he's all about and he's really the leader we need to send out that message."

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Keywords:  Prop 8 
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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Warra
    Date posted: 2008-11-16 2:58 PM
    Hometown: Beaverton

    Comment:

    I'm the asian guy in the picture on the right, and looking up at the sky. This event awesome was rad! I'm glad i went.


  • Name: Tony
    Date posted: 2008-11-14 12:35 PM
    Hometown: New York City

    Comment:

    Tara why do you assume the person in question was not under 21? And if she were under 21 or even in her twenties why would using the word "girl" be construed as some kind of "infantilizing" slur?


  • Name: Tara
    Date posted: 2008-11-13 11:25 PM
    Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC

    Comment:

    On the second page, the author refers to a lone person who voiced opposition at the protest by saying, "one girl...." I doubt he was referring to someone under 14. From the line he attributes to this passerby, I assume he's talking about an adult woman. That term is clearly more accurate, not to mention respectful, than the infantilizing term, "girl." Think about it: Would the author use the parallel term, "boy," if this passerby were male? I doubt it. I would think that the author cares about language and power.


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