A 75-foot banner held at the front of the march read, ‘God Loves Gay Marriage.’ Photos: GRCC.
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By TRENTON STRAUBE
Friday, November 07, 2008
Editor’s note: Read our related article about Internet activism here, a feature about the Join the Impact rally here and a feature about criticism of the LGBT movement in California here. In addition, Prop 8 opinion pieces are here, here and here.
Thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets eight days after the election to protest Proposition 8, a gay marriage ban that passed in California, and the Mormon Church, largely viewed as the masterminds behind the prohibition.
Marchers rallied at 6:30 p.m. in front of a Mormon temple at 65th Street and Columbus Avenue then snaked their way to Columbus Circle. The peaceful crowd—organizers estimated 10,000 people; ABC put it at 4,000—shut down traffic for blocks. There were no arrests.
Corey Johnson, who spearheaded the event via a Facebook page, cited three reasons behind the march. “For me, it’s to show solidarity with California, to let the leadership of the Mormon Church know that we’re not going to lie down and take this, and to give people an outlet, to channel their energy and anger into something positive—which we know is working on marriage equality here in New York.”
Proposition 8 passed in California by 52 percent. Earlier this year, that state’s high court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage equality. About 18,000 gay couples have married there since June.
Anti-gay measures also passed in Florida and Arizona, and Arkansas passed a gay adoption ban. But it was Prop 8 that sparked national outcry.
“There’s a special sense of pain and outrage,” said veteran activist Ann Northrop, who helped Johnson organize the march along with Michelangelo Signorile. “The Mormon Church mounted a specific campaign, urging members to contribute. There’s supposed to be a separation of church and state in this country, and they reached out beyond their daily lives and actively took away my rights. I’m offended by that and feel the need to fight back.”
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was among the marchers. “Everyone here wants to turn this anger into focused action that will help change the situation in California and, as important, move us forward in New York,” she said.
Also this election year, Democrats took control of the State Senate, which set off a power play among conservative Dems who threatened to not support soon-to-be Majority Leader Malcolm Smith unless he guaranteed he wouldn’t push for gay nuptials. A same-sex marriage bill passed the state Assembly last year, and the governor has said he would sign the bill once it passes the Senate.
“We have a tremendous victory in the New York State Senate,” Quinn said, “This is going to be the most progressive and supporting state Senate we have ever seen. I believe that the Senate stands ready to do the right thing.”
Ultimately, she said, the march isn’t about New York or California. “It’s about this country. A little part of our community was left out on Election Day, and we want to make sure we’re included.”
Several Midtown marchers said the event reminded them of the 1998 vigil for Matthew Shepard. That was the last community protest numbering in the thousands, but that one ended in arrests.
Wednesday’s participants also gave differing reasons for taking action—and expressed them vocally and visually. Some of the slogans and chants:
• “Gay, Straight, Black, White: Marriage is a civil right!”
• “Who Would Jesus Hate?”
• “No More Mister Nice Gay.”
• “My Brother Isn’t a Second-Class Citizen.”
Civil rights issues motivated Nana to march. She attended the rally with her co-workers from The Boiler Room, an East Village bar, after an activist dropped of fliers there alerting them of the march. “I’m here for gay rights. I would like my rights like everyone else,” she said. “And the Mormons started this, so why not direct it at them?”
The Reverend Sherri, holding a banner with other congregants from the Judson Memorial Church, agreed. “How would the Mormon Church feel if a right they took for granted was taken away?”
But not everyone in the LGBT community wanted to direct anger at the church.
Gilbert Baker, an activist from the Harvey Milk 1970s era, predicted how the Mormons and Catholics will spin the protests: Poor innocent us, they marched on our church!
Indeed, church spokesman Michael Otterson told the Associated Press that he was “puzzled” and “disturbed” by the march because it was a majority of Californians who approved Proposition 8.
“A very broad-based coalition defended traditional marriage in a free and democratic election,” Otterson said in reference to Prop 8.
For the march, Baker created a 75-foot banner that read: God Loves Gay Marriage. “I thought that was the most positive message and went to the central argument we have to make,” he said.
Not everyone agreed. Baker said that ACT UP founder Larry Kramer criticized the banner, saying, “As someone who doesn’t believe in God, I could do without the banner—it strikes me as the sort of thing the other side does to us.”
Baker’s reaction? “There may be disagreements on tactics, but you know what? I do believe in God, and I do believe God loves gay marriage.”
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