After I posted an analysis and a list of Alaskan statements and comments celebrating last week’s marriage equality ruling by the California Supreme Court, I received two more responses that I want to highlight. 

Jay and Gene Dugan-Brause, founders of Out North Theater in Anchorage, wrote from London to add their comments: “It’s a very good decision and one that will be helpful in future litigation.” Read their full comment below the original post. 

Also, the chair of the Anchorage Chapter of PFLAG was out of state on Friday, so Board Member Jackie Buckley sent the following comment.

Anchorage PFLAG chapter is thrilled with the 4-3 decision by the California Supreme Court in support of full marriage equality for GLBT Californians. We hope that California will lead the way for more states to loosen their grip on the status quo and open doors for GLBT families, especially along the west coast.  

Alaska’s Constitution held great promise for GLBT citizens due to Article One’s promise of non-discrimination on the basis of sex. Prior to the addition of Article Twenty-Five, it seemed likely that Alaska might have been the first or second state in the union to have marriage equality across the genders. Unfortunately, for the time being, our own constitution fails us, and remains, as our Alaska Supreme Court stated in their October 28th domestic partner benefits opinion in 2005, out of harmony with itself. At this point, Alaskans do not even have the benefit of civil unions, and there are no employment or public accommodation protections; no laws to support or protect our families. Only municipal and state employees benefitted from the domestic partner ruling. No widespread change moved across the Great Land as a result.  

After Massachusetts allowed marriage equity, its neighbors began to see that the earth did not shatter and that great calamities did not befall the region. Over time, the surrounding states have embraced domestic partnership or civil unions, and have begun the legal processes that may lead to full marriage equality in New England and along the eastern seaboard. The wheels are turning in neighboring states, especially in New York. Perhaps this process is like an inoculation. With activism, desensitization, and funding, perhaps the west coast will be the next region to be infected with change. Moving up the coast, maybe Alaska will be in the path of a tsunami of change.