2000s Significant Event

 

Judge Walker: Opposition to Proposition 8

    As part of the 2008 case Perry v. Schwarzenegger, two homosexual couples filed a lawsuit against the California government officials and supporters of Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage. Surprisingly, on August 4, 2010 Judge Walker of San Francisco ruled that, “voter approved Proposition 8 was unconstitutional, violating the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” His ruling was a stepping stone in the fight against same-sex marriage discrimination amidst an economic recession and the war in Iraq. Laws were recognizing same sex couples, and with that came seething backlash from homophobes and the right leaning politicians.

    Therefore, Walker's political label as an “independent-minded conservative,” made his stance on gay marriage that more surprising. This resulted in speculation of his sexuality by supporters of Proposition 8. Walker would have to deny claims of being in a relationship with another man (of which would be refuted later.) Whether he was gay or not, the result of his ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger ended in a stayed pending appeal to the United States Supreme Court until June 26, 2013. In the meantime, Judge Walker retired in 2011 that he confirmed he had been in a relationship with another male doctor for ten years, marking him as the first known gay person to serve as a U.S. federal judge! He stated that he,"never considered his sexual orientation a reason to recuse himself from the case," which goes to show that many homosexuals can also be in unbiased, professional settings while also trying to be a force of good for a community.


Judge Vaughn R. Walker (Retired) | FedArb




https://www.apa.org/about/offices/ogc/amicus/perry 

​​https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SAN-FRANCISCO-Walker-becomes-chief-district-2697207.php 

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/06/federal-judge-who-struck-down-prop-8-comes-out/


Comments

  1. RBOctober 25, 2023 at 11:18 AM

    It's hard to agree that this is THE MOST significant event of the 2000s but it definitely is an interesting and notable event.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karen MatsuokaNovember 29, 2023 at 4:26 PM

    This is super interesting! This is my first time learning about Judge Walker and him being an "independent-minded conservative". I also thought it was fascinating how you added the events that were happening around the same time that there was recognition of same-sex couples.

    ReplyDelete

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