request marriage sacramento

A couple weeks ago I attended my first Equality Action Now meeting.  EAN is a local, grassroots, gay rights activist group working diligently towards spreading the message of and achieving equality for all. We met in the back room at Hamburger Patties.  About ten of us gathered around a large table - a diverse group overall, a broad range of ages and backgrounds. The group all seemed to know each other quite well.  They were incredibly receptive, welcoming, warm and friendly to their newest member, and I felt comfortable and part of the team within minutes.

Among many agenda items covered that evening, was the event called "request marriage sacramento."  I had never thought about Valentine's day being a popular day for couples to go to the county clerk's office and request marriage licences.  I guess it makes perfect sense, I just never really thought about it.  I also learned that the LGBT community and it's supporters take action on this day every year.  Same sex couples go to the county clerk's office and request marriage licenses knowing wholeheartedly that they will be turned down.  This blatant portrayal of unequal rights is on display for the community to see, including the straight couples whose requests are accepted and are allowed to breeze right past the same-sex couples who are being turned down.

So, this all went down yesterday.  I really wanted to be there - but they held the event from noon to 2pm, and there was no way I could get out of my meetings.  I was disappointed to miss this event, but based on FB status updates and pictures posted, it looked like a great turnout.

Isn't it crazy to think we live in California, it's 2011, and equal rights DO NOT exist for all.  Weird.
We've got to keep fighting.  And the straight allies need to come out of the closet and fight this fight!

Since I was unable to attend - I do not have any photos from yesterday's event.  But below are some of my photos from a prop 8 rally back in February of 2009.  The pictures may be outdated - but the message is not...