GU Students Join Rally Against Proposition 8

Nearly 100 Georgetown students joined local protesters to march from the Capitol building to the White House on Saturday to oppose California’s passage of Proposition 8.

Proposition 8, which passed on Nov. 4 with more than 52 percent of the vote, banned gay marriage in California by adding an amendment to the state's constitution. This action overturned the California Supreme Court’s former recognition of marriage as a basic right for both heterosexual and homosexual couples.

The "In re Marriage Cases" decision handed down on May 15, 2008 looked at California’s former definition of marriage as a “union between a man and a woman” and declared it a violation of “the equal protection guarantee of the state Constitution.” This decision took effect on June 16.

The D.C. protest was part of a nationwide series of rallies for gay rights on Saturday as a part of Join the Impact, an organization founded by Amy Balliett, a Seattle-based activist and blogger. Balliett started the movement only days after the passage of Proposition 8.

According to their Web site, the movement “seeks to encourage the LGBTQ community not to look towards the past and place blame, but instead to look forward toward what needs to be done now to achieve one goal: full equality for all.”

GU Pride joined in on the protest, coordinating with the D.C. chapter of Join the Impact to bring Georgetown students to the D.C. rally. First rallying at the front gates of the university around noon, the group of Georgetown students left for the Capitol building to begin a city-wide march with other demonstrators along the National Mall before gathering in front of the White House.

Olivia Chitayat (COL ’10), president of GU Pride, said she felt motivated to fight on behalf of LGBTQ rights, especially following the election of President-elect Barack Obama.

“It was amazing to see America vote [for] Barack Obama as president,” she said. “At the same time, to see these discriminatory bans pass just made me so upset and angry and sad.”

Chitayat said that she hoped Saturday’s marches would lead to further progress on LGBTQ rights.

Chris Dodge (SFS ’10), communications director for the Georgetown University College Democrats, also attended.

“I came with about a dozen other kids, a lot of College [Democrats]. But it wasn’t a [College Democrats] event per se,” he said. “We came over as friends.”

Some Georgetown students hailing from California also marched to express displeasure at the passage of Proposition 8.

Ryan Guptill (COL ’10), a student from San Francisco, said he was drawn to the protest because of the potential effects Proposition 8 could have on his community.

“I know people who have been married in California,” he said. “I can’t imagine creating a law preventing two loving individuals from coming together and having that union recognized by society.”

Chitayat attributed much of the event’s success to the energy of Georgetown supporters.

“It was actually really amazing to see such a large group of Georgetown students be so active and excited,” she said. “The crowd parted when Georgetown arrived because we were so loud and energized and ready to go. [I] was very proud to be a part of the Georgetown community.”

Notably absent from the protest were counter-protesters. Some demonstrators pointed to this as evidence of the strength of their cause.

Dodge said he was enthused by the lack of opposition during the march.

“I’ve actually been surprised,” he said. “Maybe they couldn’t take the rain.”