Pasadena LGBTQ Community Organizations Celebrate Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Exuberant joy lit the faces of the Pasadena crowd gathered Friday night near the Metro Gold Line Lake Station celebrating the historic Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.

“We’re thrilled over here at All Saints. We couldn’t be happier it — was a great news story to wake up to and we’re so proud of this decision and the Supreme Court acknowledging that individuals have a human right, a fundamental human right to love and to marry whomever they want,” Juliana Serrano, a minister at All Saints Church said.

Cars and truckers passing by honked and waved in support of the seven local organizations including LGBTQ of All Saints, Pasadena Pride Center, and Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley.

“It’s just an acknowledgement that we are not any different than straight people. This is as big as Roe vs. Wade. It not only impacts us here in the United States, but we’re an example to other countries who have not passed equality yet,” Sister MJ of the Community of Divine Love said.

However, Aaron Saenz of the Pasadena Pride Center believes this is simply the first step of many to recognize that all people have equal rights.

“It’s just one step. We still have so much more work to do and so it’s kind of like ‘let’s celebrate for five minutes and let’s get back to work,’” Saenz said.

Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia already recognized same-sex marriage. The 5-4 Supreme Court Ruling will force 13 remaining states, mostly in the South and Midwest, to allow same-sex marriage.

Saenz believes his work goes beyond the issue of same-sex marriage. “It goes beyond this issue as well. People of color in our society are being attacked. Look what just happened in South Carolina. We are still not a perfect union that the forefathers had dreamed about. But you know, one step closer.”

Mitch Scaff of Altadena is grateful for the recognition and what he considers to be an important step, and maybe even one of the last necessary steps.

“There’s a lot of prejudice that we grew up with. Those of us who survived the AIDS epedemic want the same thing that anybody else does. The American Dream. Have somebody to grow old with,” Scaff said

La Crescenta resident Marvin Owen was not as pleased with the ruling.

“For thousands of years marriage has been between a man and a woman. Just because a small minority of people want to have same sex marriage, I don’t think the majority should have to bend with that. If males can marry males and females can marry females, what is next? I love my dog and my dog loves me, can we get married? Where does it end?” Owen said.

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