Loving California

Oh Califonia! How proud I am of you! I was born in San Francisco, and although I always loved my fair city, during the 80s I was seriously torn up because secretly, I knew I would eventually have to move to Los Angeles to begin my show business career. I had a deep crush on all of Southern California. Isn’t it funny when you can have a love affair with a network of small cities connected by freeways? So I cheated on San Francisco with Los Angeles, and I ended up marrying LA, but now I keep reigniting my San Francisco passion by returning time and time again.

Now I see you can love two cities, and you can love a whole state even more. Now that California has gay marriage, I feel like the whole state has been upgraded. The traffic seems lighter, cars moving faster, breezier through the streets because everyone is in a good mood making wedding plans in their head. It is unseasonably hot right now, but it isn’t unbearable, because the notions of freedom and equality are keeping us cool. The right to gay marriage feels like what it is called – just ‘right’ – and I can’t imagine living anywhere else right now!! yeah!!! And pride is going to rock this year – especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles – so if you live in another state, please come for the party!!!

8 thoughts on “Loving California

  1. I loved your posting. I just relocated to San Francisco and the decision and the love in the Castro that night really moved me. There are two videos of the celebration that night on YouTube that capture the spirit and emotions of the evening. I wanted to suggest them (and candidly admit that the second one is mine):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34G8Mp9Yb2w

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiFGIoPFvRo

    You are wonderful, hysterical and beautiful all at the same time.

    Keep on rocking,

    Ryan

  2. I don’t have the $$ to relocate to SF, but I visit there often.
    The most beautiful, artistic, fun experiences happen to me there.
    For example, I love to photograph street art, and was taking some shots up near Polk street.
    Don’t know what it is about the camera but I had two transexual ladies jump into my shots and start posing. I told them they were beautiful art as well.

    Any way here is my question….If two gay individuals marry in CA and move to another state, is it recognized?

  3. I have to admit to having very mixed feeling about this “triumph.” I used to joke that gay marriage wouldn’t help my boy friend and me because even if it was legal, our wives wouldn’t let us.

    I look at the gay marriage controversy as the Emperor’s New Marriage. Neither side is right. Of course I want anyone who wants to be a married couple, gay or straight to get equal rights. But what about singles and us polyamorous folks? We don’t get equal rights, and gay marriage makes that even harder. It is the tyranny of special rights for couples.

    The real solution to this is to get the government out of the marriage business, give it back to religions, and give every individual a set of personal rights that they can do with as they see fit.

    Si

  4. This is an awesome victory for the LGBTQ communities everywhere.

    Unfortunately California is really expensive to live ($800-900 minimum for a studio apartment). And by the way, if you get married in California under current laws your marriage is valid in New Mexico, New York, and Rhode Island.

  5. I have lived in three states in my life, and two of them – my post-college state of Massachusetts and now my current state of California – allow gay marriage. I am thrilled for those gay couples that have wanted to marry and have been denied that right. It is a good time to be a Californian. (And I’m confused by the above comment – wouldn’t a gay California marriage be recognized in Massachusetts as the law stands? If not, it seems totally counter-intuitive that a state that permits gay marriage wouldn’t recognize another state’s married gay couple as such. However, the law is frequently counter-intuitive, and an ass as well, so I guess it’s possible…)

    In the broadest sense, I don’t think the government should be in the marriage business, either – I am part of a CA heterosexual couple that has chosen not to get married, since we do not recognize the the need to have the state validate our union. Though this has led to some tedious legal filings and paperwork, it remains significant to us to repudiate governmental sanction of our (15-year) relationship.

    However, I look on gay marriage a little bit like I view gays in the military – I wouldn’t want to be in the armed forces for anything you could give me, but I will heartily work for the rights of gays to be out and in the services. It ain’t my choice, but it should be able to be your choice.

  6. I see marriage as a failed and oppressive hetero institution that is senseless for queers to mimic. Nothing has done more to destroy hetero love than the institution of marriage.

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