Fight For Gay Marriage Rights Far From Over
Gays Lose Battle Over Marriage In Maine, but Pick Up Some Victories
© Jon Pike
Nov 4, 2009
Maine voters passed, by a margin of six percentage points, a referendum that shot down a recent state law allowing same-sex couples to marry in Maine. Yet, despite what seems to be a clear repudiation of same sex married couples, election results from this week paint a more complicated picture of how Americans view same-sex couples. Some of these ballot results are not nearly as well-known, or as well-publicized as the vote in Maine, but they are there, and when coupled with the relatively narrow margin of the vote in Maine, may give cause for hope for gay rights activists.
Results from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Washington, and New York
Voters in Kalamazoo, Michigan had the opportunity to vote down a municipal ordinance which barred discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. The City Commission passed the ordinance in June of this year, but opponents of the ordinance were able to put the question of repealing the ordinance onto the ballot. By voting “yes” to the referendum, voters would have repealed the city ordinance. The referendum failed by a two-thirds vote.
The State of Washington recently passed a law that gives domestic partners the same rights as married spouses. Opponents of this measure were also able to put it on the ballot as a referendum. The margin was slim, but voters upheld the law that was passed in the state legislature.
Finally, gay rights watchers were watching the race in New York’s 23rd congressional district. In that race, a pro-marriage equality Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, left the race after many conservative Republicans endorsed Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman. Hoffman was endorsed by the National Organization For Marriage, an anti-gay marriage group. While the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group, endorsed Scozzafa, initially, they threw their support to the Democratic candidate, Bill Owens.
Where These Actions Leave the Issue of Marriage Equality
The Human Rights Campaign was disappointed at the victory of the Maine referendum, President Joe Solmonese said in a news release, ““I am angry. But more importantly, I am determined that with the anger I feel today from this outcome in Maine, we’ll rise ever stronger to demand equal treatment under the law and equal respect for our relationships in Maine, California, New Jersey, and every state of the Union.”
Just like in the fight over Proposition 8 in California, gay rights advocates are disappointed by the election results, but in some places on the margins, they appear to be winning some smaller, if less publicized battles.
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