Since November 2008, the rights of Californian Same Sex Couples to enter into a legally binding marriage have been banned as a result of the passage of Proposition 8. This issue has been highly debated over the course of the last four years; however, today the Ninth U.S. District Court of Appeals has ruled 2-1 that the law is unconstitutional.

The Young Democrats of America in cooperation with the YDA LGBTQ Caucus and the California Young Democrats strongly applaud the decision of the Ninth U.S. District Court of Appeals. Kristian Cosme, Chair of the YDA LGBTQ Caucus provides the following statement: “The decision of the court today to uphold the original ruling of Judge Walker deeming Proposition 8 as unconstitutional is the right step in the battle for national marriage equality. It was the only ethical decision that could be made as it is the one that is most closely aligned with the spirit of equality and freedom that has laced our Constitution since our forefathers founded it.”

“The California Young Democrats were proud to vote HELL NO on Proposition 8, and we are thrilled that the court today found this deeply discriminatory law unconstitutional,” said Jennifer Longley, President of the California Young Democrats.

The Court in their written decision said Prop 8 “…served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationship and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for “laws of this sort.”

“The Young Democrats of America applauds the ruling of the 9th District Court of Appeals as one that is fundamentally not a political ruling, but one that upholds the basic premise of our Constitution that all who are law abiding citizens of this nation are endowed by our Creator those unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As an organization, we will continue to advocate for fidelity to the Constitution when answering these questions of fairness and of basic human dignity as did President Abraham Lincoln, and continue to believe and offer as warning for those who will deride today’s ruling, that those who deny rights to others deserve it not for themselves,” said YDA Executive Vice President Colmon Elridge.

On behalf of the Young Democrats of America, we want to thank the California Young Democrats for their tireless efforts in fighting for marriage equality. Today’s decision in California helps pave the road to national marriage equality, but the fight will and must continue. Join us as together we continue to fight for equality for all citizens of this great nation.