Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins on why we need Proposition 3
Proposition 3, the initiative on the November ballot to protect marriage equality in California, is very personal to me.
In 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ+ people had the fundamental right to share a full, protected, and respected life with the person that they loved. It was then that I had the opportunity to marry my spouse, Jennifer. During that “Summer of Love,” I officiated more than eighteen marriage ceremonies as many of our friends rushed to get married—but this hopeful time came to a devastating end when Proposition 8 passed that November. The state of my marriage, and so many others, was in limbo.
After many years and a handful of court cases later, marriage equality was legalized in California and across the country. However, as the overturning of Roe v Wade and ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community make clear, there is still work to do to protect marriage equality. That’s why we need Proposition 3.
Proposition 3 removes outdated, discriminatory language from Prop 8 defining marriage as only between a man and a woman and replaces it with a provision that establishes the right to marry as fundamental in California. The Roe ruling was a wake-up call—a reminder that the fight for equality is far from over and that we must be proactive in safeguarding our freedom to marry. Proposition 3 is our chance to protect these Californian ideals. By enshrining the right to marry in our state constitution, Prop 3 will protect marriage for same-sex and interracial couples, should the right be overturned federally.
Preserving marriage equality helps California continue to serve as a beacon of hope. As a young lesbian growing up in rural southwest Virginia, California represented a place where I could live authentically and have the opportunity to love freely. While today we may feel a sense of security, we cannot become complacent in our fight to protect our rights. In recent years, we’ve seen our hard-won rights come under threat from an increasingly conservative Supreme Court that seems willing to roll back critical civil rights protections. The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022 made it clear that even long-standing precedents can be undone, putting many rights—including marriage equality—at risk. Proposition 3 is our chance to safeguard our marriage rights in California, ensuring that our state remains committed to protecting freedom and equality for all.
“Let’s come together, vote YES on Prop 3, and ensure that California continues to be a place where love always wins.”
While marriage equality is at the heart of Prop 3, this initiative is about more than just securing the right to marry. It’s about affirming our values as a state and as a community. It’s about ensuring that California remains a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Californians have long been champions of love, justice, and equality. Prop 3 is our chance to take action and prove that’s true. By passing this initiative, we are sending a clear message: in California, equality is non-negotiable. No matter what happens at the federal level, we will protect the right of every individual to marry the person they love, and we will defend our diverse and inclusive communities against any efforts to turn back the clock.
As an LGBTQ+ lawmaker, I’m asking for your support—not just for me or for those who currently enjoy the right to marry, but for all future generations who deserve to know that their love, too, is valued. Let’s come together, vote YES on Prop 3, and ensure that California continues to be a place where love always wins.
Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was the first LGBTQ person to lead the State Senate and the only woman to ever lead both houses of the legislature. Toni and her spouse Jennifer live in the South Park community of San Diego with their dogs, Joey and Mia.
