Prop. 8 Lessons

Along with other center staff members and thousands of volunteers, I have spent weekends standing on doorsteps in precincts throughout Los Angeles where majorities voted to pass Prop. 8. We’ve literally had more than 7,500 face-to-face conversations with voters about Prop. 8, the marriage issue, and the fact that it will be returning to the ballot. We talk about the tough subjects, including children and even religion. We try different tactics to see what works in convincing people to change their minds. We ask them specifically if they’ll support us the next time. And we diligently keep track of what we’re learning and tweak our approaches to make them more effective.

All of this information will be vital to future campaigns seeking to defeat measures similar to Prop. 8 or to repeal Prop. 8 itself. It hopefully will enable us to develop specific strategies that will be successful in overcoming parents’ irrational fears regarding children and their understanding and acceptance of LGBT people.

The sad truth is that the real danger to children isn’t equality under the law for same-sex couples. It’s the harm done to LGBT children and to the kids of LGBT parents by discrimination that leaves families unprotected and relegates them to second-class status. And it’s the misleading, reprehensible and demeaning propaganda of the bigoted zealots behind the anti-marriage campaigns.

If the lessons and recommendations of "The Prop. 8 Report" are taken to heart, I have no doubt that the tide can turn on these measures. May that day come soon!