Defending marriage equality in LA

LOS ANGELES--On August 12, 50 people turned out to protest the opening gala of the "It Takes a Family" conference hosted by the Ruth Institute, the educational arm of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage.

With less than two weeks of organizing, activists from several organizations banded together to reject the bigotry and lies of the Ruth Institute. The protest reached its peak with demonstrators chanting "Shame! Shame! Shame!" at the conference participants.

Activists held signs that read "LGBT: We Demand Equality," and "1 in every 3 Teenage Suicides Is of an LGBT Person." The shocking statistic was extremely relevant as the Ruth Institute specifically targets youth to propagate their hate and ignorance.

During the two-hour protest, activists did not stop chanting. Students from Santa Monica College and other colleges also made a significant portion of the participants.

This successful protest was followed a week later by an emergency demonstration called in response to a stay granted by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals barring same-sex couples from marrying while Prop 8 supporters appeal a recent decision overturning the ban on same-sex marriages.

Held in West Hollywood, the demonstration included many of the same participants who turned out for the Ruth Institute protest. At one point, the activists marched around an intersection and covered all four street corners. This demonstration included West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath, who spoke passionately about the importance of achieving equality for all LGBT people.

One of the organizers at the demonstration expressed interest in building a network of LA activists to fight for LGBT rights in the coming months.