A federal appeals court ruled California’s Proposition 8, ban on same-sex marriage, unconstitutional, reportedly stating that the ban serves no purpose other than to “lessen the status and human dignity” within the gay community. The court said the ban singled out a minority group of people for unequal treatment for no compelling reason. At the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a three judge panel gave gay marriage opponents time to appeal the 2-1 decision before they allowed weddings to resume amongst same-sex couples. They are one step closer to the Supreme Court.
There are six states that allow same-sex marriage, which include New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, as well as the District of Columbia. California is home to more than 98,000 gay couples and winning in the most populous state would be one of the gay rights movement’s greatest accomplishments.
