California has voted to ban gay marriages only months after the practice was legalised, in a move which left thousands of homosexual couples stranded in a legal limbo. The proposal to limit marriage to members of the opposite sex was approved by 52.1 percent of voters, compared with 47.9 percent who voted against, with 95 per cent of votes counted. The referendum, known as Proposition 8, called for the California constitution to be amended by adding the phrase that: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California." The plan, for which groups voted at the same time as for the president, was viewed by Conservatives as the people's way of overturning the state Supreme Court's ruling in May that legalised gay marriage.
California has voted to ban gay marriages only months after the practice was legalised, in a move which left thousands of homosexual couples stranded in a legal limbo.
The proposal to limit marriage to members of the opposite sex was approved by 52.1 percent of voters, compared with 47.9 percent who voted against, with 95 per cent of votes counted.
The referendum, known as Proposition 8, called for the California constitution to be amended by adding the phrase that: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California."
The plan, for which groups voted at the same time as for the president, was viewed by Conservatives as the people's way of overturning the state Supreme Court's ruling in May that legalised gay marriage.
Awfully disappointing that this thing passed. "The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde
