Bay Area Celebrates Marriage Equality in Redwood City

Bay area residents rallied at the San Mateo County Clerk’s Office in Redwood City, Caifornia Wednesday to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions that make all marriages equal. 

Rainbow striped flags strapped to American flags fluttered in the breeze while a pair of black Labradors tugged at their red leashes and whined for attention.   

Sara Matlin, Chair of the North Peninsula Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in light of the today’s decisions, the fight for committed couples to get married is “two steps closer” to being resolved.

“Gay marriage strengthened our marriage,” Matlin said, describing her relationship with her husband.  “Let Liberty be the true defense of marriage,” she said, animatedly waving her microphone-free arm to emphasize her words in front of a crowd of about 50 people. 

Matlin was one of many who testified about their efforts toward creating equality in marriage. 

Jeffrey Adair, Redwood City resident and President of the Peninsula Stonewall Democrats, shared the story about how Rich Gordon married him and his partner Craig in his chambers about five years ago, when same-sex marriages first became legal in California.

“I think we were eighth in line at the clerk's office,” he said, smiling proudly.  Earlier in the day, he told Patch that the rally was more than just a celebration.

“This is a moment in history that people will talk about 50 years from now," Adair said.  "We’ll think back to this moment and remember it as a shift in American society not unlike voting rights or interracial marriage.”

Adair said that the Supreme Court’s decisions on the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8 opened more than 1,100 federal rights for people in same sex marriages that heterosexual couples already have. One of them was surprising. 

“We get to file our taxes together now,” he said.  He and his husband have filed California state taxes as a married couple for years. However, they had to file federal income taxes as single individuals.

“This is going to make our accountant’s life much easier,” he joked.

Representatives from the offices of many Bay Area politicians also spoke at the rally Wednesday. Staffers from the offices of U.S. Representative Jackie Speier, California Assemblyman Rich Gordon, San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, and California Senator Jerry Hill’s office read statements that shared their support for marriage equality and their regret that they had to be at their respective offices during the time of the rally. Their speeches were punctuated by chants of “love and justice!” and elated proclamations of “woooooo!”

As San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley stood in front of the crowd, he described the excitement he felt when he realized how much society had changed today.

“What a day this is!” he said.  "It is a wonderful day that all families can enjoy. It is a great day for love."


Editor's note: This article was originally published June 26, 2013 at 06:43 p.m.  A link to the Peninsula Stonewall Democrats was embedded into the webpage on Thursday.