The city of Palm Springs, California on
Wednesday approved a resolution in support of gay marriage, The
Asheville Citizen Times reported.
The city's unanimously approved
resolution states that it supports the “right to full civil
marriage equality for all residents of Palm Springs who wish to be
married regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual
orientation.”
The resolution is only symbolic;
California voters in 2008 approved Proposition 8, a constitutional
amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union. Proposition 8
overturned a state Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage in
the state.
Openly gay Mayor Steve Pougnet urged
councilors to “do the right thing.”
“I just could not believe it,” said
Sherry Fulton, who has been with her partner, Ruth Debra, for 20
years. “It means full recognition. It means acceptance Living in
an openly, accepting community is so important.”
Opponents of the measure said it would
drive out heterosexual families.
“If you want this whole place to look
like Arenas – the whole city – that's what it's going to be,”
said Owen Mangan, referring to a gay-friendly block in downtown Palm
Springs. Mangan attended the meeting wearing a black t-shirt that
read, “Leviticus 20:13 Ever Read It?”
Palm Springs is the only city in the
Coachella Valley to adopt such a measure, according to Equality
California.