In wake of Prop 8, slight adjustment means a lot


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One word added to the GLBTA’s traditional t-shirts makes a world of difference.

The LGBT Ally Alliance distributed the shirts in front of Tommy Trojan Monday, an annual event that coincides with National Coming Out Month.

In past years, the t-shirts have read, “Gay? Fine by me.”

But this year, the Ally Alliance made a change. The new shirts read, “Gay marriage? Fine by me.”

The difference was also reflected in this year’s OUTList, published in the Daily Trojan last week. Students, faculty, staff and alumni were asked to sign if they supported marriage equality, whereas previously people signed to indicate their support for the LGBT community.

The change in focus comes after last year’s passing of Proposition 8, which overturned the California Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of same-sex marriage and restricts marriage to a union between a man and a woman. Prop 8 has been the subject of debate and protest since the election.

Ally Alliance’s shirts were distributed just a day after about 200,000 members of the national LGBT community descended on Washington to demonstrate for equal rights, and two days after President Barack Obama reiterated his intention to end the military’s “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. President Obama has also pledged his support in repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages.

The t-shirt distribution also, coincidentally, fell on the same day Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved a measure making May 22 a day of recognition of gay rights leader Harvey Milk.