Gays will officially be able to get married in California starting June 17th

[Floydness]

Beginning June 17, just over a month after the state Supreme Court reversed a voter-approved gay marriage ban, same-sex couples will officially be able to get married in California. Above, a reverend and an activist march in a gay pride parade in Long Beach, Calif., earlier this month.

The state said it chose June 17 because the state Supreme Court has until the day before to decide whether to grant a stay of its May 15 ruling legalizing gay marriage.

Gay-rights advocates and some clerks initially thought couples would be able to wed as early as Saturday, June 14. The court's decisions typically take effect 30 days after they are made.

The guidelines from Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health, to the state's 58 county clerks also contained copies of new marriage forms that include lines for "Party A" and "Party B" instead of bride and groom. The gender-neutral nomenclature was developed in consultation with county clerks, according to the letter.

"Effective June 17, 2008, only the enclosed new forms may be issued for the issuance of marriage licenses in California," the directive reads.

A group opposed to gay marriage has asked the court to stay its decision until after the November election, when voters are likely to face a ballot initiative that would once again define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Passage of the initiative would overrule the Supreme Court.


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Under the Supreme Court's regular rules of procedure, justices have until the end of the day June 16 to rule on the stay request, according to the memo sent by e-mail to county clerks. Lawyers involved in the marriage case have said previously the court could grant itself an extra 60 days to consider the stay.

A poll released Wednesday found that for the first time, about half of California voters support same-sex marriage.

The Field Poll found that 51 percent of respondents backed legalizing same-sex marriage and 42 percent opposed it. A 2006 poll found that 44 percent supported same-sex marriage and 50 percent objected; in 1977, the first year Field posted the question to California voters, only 28 percent were in favor.

"I would say this is a historic turning point or milestone," poll director Mark DiCamillo said. "We have speculated in the past there would be some time in the future when a majority would support same-sex marriage. Well, the lines have crossed."

The survey of 1,052 registered voters was conducted over the phone from May 17 to May 26 and had a sampling error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The poll's findings conflict with a Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll of 705 voters released last week that found 54 percent backed the proposed gay marriage ban and 35 percent opposed it.

Andrew Pugno, legal adviser for the coalition of religious and social conservative groups sponsoring the measure, said the Times poll is more consistent with his group's internal polling.

"We could acknowledge there has been increasing acceptance of the idea of gay relationships over the last 10 or 20 years, but we think when it comes to marriage there is still a solid majority who want to see it reserved for a man and a woman, and that is all this initiative is about," Pugno said.


what do you guys think? I think, why the hell not? There are much worse things going on today that we need to address. Men and women get married for the wrong reasons all the time, isnt marriage about "love" anyways? so why not let two people that in love share this bond... opinion anyone?

[QuietTruth]

Ya'll best watch out. God's gon be pissed, and watch there be like a cyclone over there now, LMFAO!

[Teddy Roosevelt]

If they want to be miserable like everyone else, then let the wedding bells ring.

[jeromechickenbone]

If they want to be miserable like everyone else, then let the wedding bells ring.

+1 on that

[Turf Hitta]

Oh my God, the world is over! Now the faggots will be suckin dicks with wedding bands on.

[thisoneguy360]

I don't see what all the hype is about. Yeah it's fuckin weird but who gives a fuck who people want to marry?

[Machiavelli]

I don't see what all the hype is about. Yeah it's fuckin weird but who gives a fuck who people want to marry?

[Sparegeez]

Good for them.

[virtuoso]

The only reason why this even became a political issue is due to the fact there are so many gay politicians and not just gay politicians but mostly gay politicians who mess with teens. The whole gay issue has been driven by them I don't really have an opinion on gay marriage but at the end of the day gay rights are more important than police brutality because most of these sickos (politicians) are homos and especially the republican contingent.

[D-Stress]

its apocalypse!

[M Dogg™]

I can't wait until fires, mudslides and earthquakes are blamed on God for being pissed at gay marriage.

[K.Dub]

I don't see what all the hype is about. Yeah it's fuckin weird but who gives a fuck who people want to marry?

[Turf Hitta]

I can't wait until fires, mudslides and earthquakes are blamed on God for being pissed at gay marriage.

LOL "GOD DAMN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF THE GAY!" -Pat Roberson

[Corporate Hustler]

The end of the world is near.

[Turf Hitta]

The end of the world is near.

somebody has been saying this everyday since the beginning of time and the end is still multiple billions of years away. Sorry to break the news but homos getting married is not going to speed up the process.