On Sept. 19, the mayor of San Diego, Calif., changed course and announced his support for same-sex marriage.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders—in an emotional news conference—said that he realized that he could not tell his lesbian daughter that her relationship is not as relevant as that of a heterosexual couple. He said, ‘I’ve decided to lead with my heart … to take a stand on behalf of equality and social justice.’
The day before, the city council voted to support a lawsuit before the state supreme court that challenges Proposition 22, California’s same-sex marriage ban.
Gay individuals and organizations praised Sanders, who previously had stated publicly that he was against same-sex marriage. ‘We applaud the true leadership Mayor Sanders has shown today by supporting marriage for all loving and committed couples in California,’ said Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors in a statement. ‘Today, Mayor Sanders and the City of San Diego have demonstrated that support for equality crosses party lines.’ Lesbian councilwoman Toni Atkins, in a separate statement, added that ‘Mayor Sanders acted with courage, fairness, and integrity.’