Marriage Equality in
California Gets a New Warrior

The man who helped to instill and preserve marriage equality in Massachusetts is now defecting to California to help restore same-sex marriage rights in the Golden State.

Marc Solomon is leaving his position as MassEquality's executive director to lead Equality California in efforts to reverse Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that constitutionally rescinded same-sex marriage rights in the state. Solomon will be EQ's marriage director, while executive director Geoff Kors will remain in his current position.

Solomon worked as the political director of MassEquality before taking over as executive director in 2006. He helped defeat an antigay marriage amendment sponsored by the Massachusetts Family Institute in June 2007, and led efforts to repeal a 1913 law preventing nonresident same-sex couples from marrying in Massachusetts. Solomon is seen as a powerfully connected political leader.

"It's been my greatest honor to help protect marriage rights in Massachusetts," Solomon said in a statement. "I'm excited to take the lessons we've learned to California, and I'm so pleased MassEquality will continue to help other states win marriage equality while advancing a full equality agenda in Massachusetts."

Solomon comes to Equality California after the group was criticized for its ineffective campaign against Prop. 8, which narrowly won passage. Marriage equality now lies in the hands of California's supreme court, which is weighing the constitutionality of the recently passed ballot initiative. Most activists in the state are skeptical that the supreme court will overturn Prop. 8, and if it doesn't, the only means for reestablishing marriage equality in California will be a new ballot initiative.