Gay Marriage on Trial: ‘Today Could Be the Start of Something Historic’
Perry v. Schwarzenneger kicked off today, with early morning candle-light vigils outside the courtroom and, inside the courtroom, a line of civilians hoping to view history in the making. With broadcast footage of the trial currently blocked by the Supreme Court, the four young lawyers who were first in line at 6:30 in the morning were lucky to make it in. All four just passed the bar. “I’m here also for personal reasons. I’m gay and this is a big deal, I want to get married some day. I’m worried but excited,” says Eric Lunsford. With him was Jessica Ourk, who came because “This could be our generation’s Brown v. Board of Education.”
Ourk’s friend Grace So, 26, had a huge engagement ring on her finger. She was Number 3 in line. “I just got engaged last night, to a man. But I feel strongly that everyone should have this opportunity.” She, like Lunsford, says she is a practicing Christian and “is appalled” that Christians are against gay marriage.
Just behind them were David Bowers, 63, and Bruce Ivie, 53, who have been together almost 30 years and are one of the lucky few who are legally married in California. “But I don’t like being in a sub-group of our clan,” says Ivie. “I want what we have from my lesbian sisters and gay brothers.” He and Bowers says they still fill out a patchwork of documents each year, including filing state tax returns as married and federal ones as single. “Today could be the start of something historic” says Ivie. “A change.”
During the plaintiff’s testimony about the process of coming out, homophobia, and the desire to be married, Bowers lowered his head with emotion. “You could feel everything in the room slow down” he said, later by the elevators during a break. “No one couldn’t be moved by that.”
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