Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Proposition 8 may have the nation abuzz, but the Houston area has remained quiet when it comes to how the gay marriage ban will affect local Houstonians.

The law went into effect November 5, 2008 and said in essence that marriage would only be recognized between a man and woman, nullifying any gay marriage after that date. Many in the gay, bi-sexual, lesbian and trans-gendered community felt it was enough of a setback in the fight for equal rights for GLBT persons that rallies were organized across the country to protest the appeal denial. Houston’s day to be heard was May 26, 2009.

Approximately 125 people stood outside Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in north Houston. Despite the sun making its descent and the blazing heat of the day beginning to give way to another balmy evening, a sliver of Houston’s gay community was on fire for a cause that doesn’t affect them directly.

“It’s was very disappointing that any human right can be taken away,” said Kennedy Loftin, a 28-year-old transplant from east Texas. “Sending it back to the ballot box is never a good thing when it comes to a human right.”

Although feelings were strong many in attendance felt it is going to take more than just a rally to get the Houston population galvanized. Maria Gonzalez, professor of English at the University of Houston and one of the leading experts on gay issues at the university said that the numbers game is deterring people from increasing participation. The Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 2005, ensured that Texas would only honor marriage between a man and a woman, and a constitutional amendment was added with 75 percent for and 25 percent against. Out of the handful of districts against the amendment was the Montrose area, 134 – former district of Martha Wong.

“We wish we had just 51 percent of the vote against us here, like they do in California, but it’s way more obvious – so you can understand why there’s some apathy in the community,” Gonzalez says. She said Houston worked to oust Wong for letting the community down, but now they are having a difficult time making their voices heard. Nevertheless, she feels there is a growing sentiment of desire to become involved from this Obama generation.

“I was thrilled to see a whole different generation of activists stepping out and getting angry over Proposition 8,” Gonzalez continues. “They understand now that there has been a whole lot of fighting before them, and there will be more to come.”

Some analysts predict that Texas will not see the legalization of gay marriage until almost a decade from now. According to fivethirtyeight.com, a political monitoring and polling website, Texas will not legalize gay marriage until 2018; even though in 2009 more people are warming up to the idea. Fifty-five percent of Americans have warmed to the idea of gay civil unions according to a recent Gallup poll.

Until legislation is passed to ensure those equal rights people like Billie Willmon Jenkin, fondly known as Momma Billie, will continue to fight for the rights of her son and his partner, whom coincidentally have no desire to get married.

“No one gets a say in whether I can marry or not,” she says. “Our constitution is to guarantee rights, not take them away.”

Meghan Baker, the president of IMPACT Houston – a organization dedicated to the GLBT issues in Houston, says without stable financial backing behind a movement to counteract Prop *, the community will continue to spin its wheels. Donors gave more than $83 million to support the measure, and prompted many to question whether this was a civil rights issue. Calls to NAACP civil rights team were unreturned.

Houston residents believe that the issue will see its day in the high court, and when that happens, there will be a different result. “The Supreme Court did their job because the issue was about whether voters had the right to amend the Constitution,” says Jerry Simoneaux, long-time Houston area attorney and gay rights activist. “They needed to see if things were done properly, and they weren’t. California voters were duped and they’re finally figuring it out.”

Many in Houston’s GLBT community hope that one day they too will be able to vote.

Photos Taken via Sub Urban Media Group, LLC

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