California Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage Thursday in a ruling today. West Hollywood is hosting a celebration tonight.... RALLY & CELEBRATION TONIGHT IN WEST HOLLYWOOD 7:00 PM Corner of Santa Monica Blvd. & San Vicente The California Supreme Court has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage This is an historic day, not only for California, for but the nation. With this decision, LGBT can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel in our civil rights movement, at which equal opportunity and full civil rights will be extended. We still have many challenges ahead, including a November ballot measure by the foes of equality. However, Californians and the American people continue to demons rate, more and more, their fundamental belief in fairness to all people, no matter their status. Governor Schwarzengger has stated in the past that the courts need to sort this issue our before his supports marriage equality, and now that the courts have sorted things out, I look forward to his support of marriage equality for all Californians. West Hollywood will host a rally this evening, Thursday May 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the intersection of San Vicente and Santa Monica Boulevards as we celebrate this important victory! Please join us. Best regards, MAYOR JEFFREY PRANG City of West Hollywood ============================== Excerpt from the Court's Decision: A number of factors lead us to this conclusion. First, the exclusion of same-sex couples from the designation of marriage clearly is not necessary in order to afford full protection to all of the rights and benefits that currently are enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples; permitting same-sex couples access to the designation of marriage will not deprive opposite-sex couples of any rights and will not alter the legal framework of the institution of marriage, because same-sex couples who choose to marry will be subject to the same obligations and duties that currently are imposed on married opposite- sex couples. Second, retaining the traditional definition of marriage and affording same-sex couples only a separate and differently named family relationship will, as a realistic matter, impose appreciable harm on same-sex couples and their children, because denying such couples access to the familiar and highly favored designation of marriage is likely to cast doubt on whether the official family relationship of same-sex couples enjoys dignity equal to that of opposite-sex couples. Third, because of the widespread disparagement that gay individuals historically have faced, it is all the more probable that excluding same-sex couples from the legal institution of marriage is likely to be viewed as reflecting an official view that their committed relationships are of lesser stature than the comparable relationships of opposite-sex couples. Finally, retaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite-sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise ? now emphatically rejected by this state ? that gay individuals and same-sex couples are in some respects "second-class citizens" who may, under the law, be treated differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals or opposite-sex couples. Under these circumstances, we cannot find that retention of the traditional definition of marriage constitutes a compelling state interest. Accordingly, we conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional.