Ursinus at the Prop 8 Protest

The United States broke down many barriers this election cycle, not in the least being the first black president-elect, Barack Obama. While many of us celebrated this, if only for its historical significance, the truth is that November 4th was not a day for jubilation in the gay community. Thousands of married couples were stripped of their rights when Californias voted for Proposition 8, a constitutional ban against gay marriage. Across the country, other referendums passed, including one in Arkansas that effectively eliminated the right for gay couples, among other unmarried couples to adopt children. These efforts culiminated in the protests of November 15th around the country, from Grand Forks, ND and Houston, TX to San Fransisco, CA and New York City, NY. Twenty-five Ursinus students were privileged to participate in this historical moment, in downtown Philadelphia. A few photos of this action are below, and more information about the protests can be found here, and other national LGBTQA issues here.

Photos

Ursinus in Philly

This group shot was taken of all Ursinus attendees (and a few friends!) after an exhilirating march around city hall.

Standing in the City Hall Courtyard

The first part of the protest took place in front of city hall. There were so many people that it took us awhile to find each other because we all came by different means at different times. Since there were no counter protesters, we let the traffic go by hear our chanting.

Protest Signs

What's a protest without a written statement as well as a verbal one? Like the protest itself, the absence of counter-protesters led to an overwhelming positive environment that was reflected in our signage and our chants. Not too bad for all of the frustration that created this grass roots protest!