San Jose Mayor Comes Out in Opposition to Same Sex Marriage.
I’m glad my upcoming wedding will not be in San Jose. I’m now considering going elsewhere for the wedding gown I was planning on buying there after reading this story.
San Jose has a sizeable gay population and many in the community had been waiting to hear where Mayor Chuck Reed stood on Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in California by defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.
In an interview with CBS 5 on Friday, the mayor broke his silence.
“I don’t support changing the definition of marriage,” Reed said, “but whether this is the appropriate ballot measure, we’ll have to wait until it goes on.”
Reed emphasized that even though he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, he supports domestic partnerships for gay couples.
“I support the extension of benefits, and I supported the extension of protections from discrimination for same-sex couples and I’ll continue to do that — but I don’t support changing the definition of of marriage.”
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“We’re deeply disappointed by the mayor’s decision,” said Aejaie Sellers of the Billy (De)Frank LGBT Center. “We know that the state Supreme Court came out and said that marriage is an open institution, according to the constitution. It’s unfortunate that the mayor feels that he knows better.”
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Despite Reed’s stand, gay and lesbian leaders next week plan to ask the city of San Jose’s Human Rights Commission to go on record opposing Proposition 8.
I imagine half a century ago Reed might have been saying something like “I support the extension of benefits, and I supported the extension of protections from discrimination for interracial couples and I’ll continue to do that — but I don’t support changing the definition of of marriage.”
