A Special Mothers' Day Message

A Mothers' Day in Limbo Kris Perry and Sandy Stier may be one of the two lead couples challenging Proposition 8, but like many gay and lesbian parents, they will spend this Mother's Day waiting for equality. Read the full editorial at The Adocate's website > When the court ruled last August that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional, and that all California couples should have the freedom to marry, we never imagined that our family would celebrate another Mothers' Day in limbo. As long as our relationship is not afforded the same access to the same language and same protections as other Californians, Mother's Day will remind our four sons that our family is still—in the eyes of the law—something less than other families. More than anything, we want our sons to live in a household with parents whose lifelong commitment to one another can be recognized. We don't want them to have to feel singled out by the fact that our relationship, a marriage in everything but name, nevertheless doesn't have a name. We want our relationship to be as recognized the same as their friends' parents, and as those of our straight friends. We don't want to have to worry about what will happen to our kids if something were to happen to one of us, about whether they'd be protected. This weekend we will celebrate our family. Our boys will give us each cards and make us breakfast. But this weekend is also a painful reminder that the state still enforces discrimination. We will continue to fight Prop. 8 so that our family – and so many others – can have the protections, recognition and equality it so rightfully deserves. We will not give up. Warmly, Kris Perry & Sandy Stier Plaintiffs, Perry v. Brown, the court case challenging Prop. 8 American Foundation for Equal Rights