Boycotts related to California Proposition 8

This page covers the boycotts related to California Proposition 8. In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, thus reversing a state judicial ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in California. Prior to the measure passing and after the measure passed, opponents of the initiative announced boycotts and other actions against supporters of Proposition 8.

Proposition 8

See also: California Proposition 8 (2008)

Proposition 8 was an initiated constitutional amendment on the California ballot on November 4, 2008. Protect Marriage, also known as Yes on 8, led the campaign in support of Proposition 8. The initiative was designed to amend the California Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, thus reversing a court ruling by the California Supreme Court that ruled that same-sex marriage was legal in California on May 15, 2008, and banning same-sex marriage.

To qualify for the ballot, the initiative needed at least 694,354 valid signatures, which was equal to 8% of the total votes cast for governor in the previous general election. The initiative proponents submitted 1,120,801 signatures to the secretary of state, and on June 2, 2008, the initiative qualified for the ballot on November 4, 2008.

On November 4, 2008, the amendment passed with 52.24% of voters in California voting for it and 47.76% voting against it. On May 26, 2009, the California Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 8 was constitutional but that same-sex marriages performed before the constitutional amendment went into effect remained valid. On August 4, 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Proposition 8 violated the U.S. Constitution. However, the decision was stayed on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court. The Ninth Circuit upheld the district court's ruling to overturn Proposition 8 on February 7, 2012. The U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal on June 26, 2013, and the Ninth Circuit permitted same-sex marriages beginning on June 28, 2013. The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the case on the grounds that the defendants, who were the campaign's sponsors, did not have legal standing.

Supporters and opponents of Proposition 8

Supporters of Proposition 8 included the American Family Association, the California Catholic Conference of Bishops, the California Family Council, Concerned Women for America, Focus on the Family, Knights of Columbus, National Organization for Marriage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R), who was a 2008 presidential candidate at the time, also supported the amendment.

In support of the amendment, part of the official argument from the voter guide read, "Some will try to tell you that Proposition 8 takes away legal rights of gay domestic partnerships. That is false. Proposition 8 DOES NOT take away any of those rights and does not interfere with gays living the lifestyle they choose. However, while gays have the right to their private lives, they do not have the right to redefine marriage for everyone else. CALIFORNIANS HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. If gay activists want to legalize gay marriage, they should put it on the ballot. Instead, they have gone behind the backs of voters and convinced four activist judges in San Francisco to redefine marriage for the rest of society. That is the wrong approach."

Opponents of Proposition 8 included the California Democratic Party, the ACLU of Northern California, the California Teachers Association, the California SEIU, Equality California, and the Human Rights Campaign. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D), who was a 2008 presidential candidate at the time and won the presidential election that year, opposed the amendment.

In opposition to the amendment, part of the official argument from the voter guide read, "When you’re married and your spouse is sick or hurt, there is no confusion: you get into the ambulance or hospital room with no questions asked. IN EVERYDAY LIFE, AND ESPECIALLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. Only marriage provides the certainty and the security that people know they can count on in their times of greatest need. EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE. Prop. 8 separates one group of Californians from another and excludes them from enjoying the same rights as other loving couples."

Boycotts occurring before Proposition 8 passed

Prior to Proposition 8 passing, opponents of the initiative established boycotts against supporters of the initiative.

• In July 2008, Fred Karger launched the group Californians Against Hate. The initial focus of the group was a boycott of three hotels, two in San Diego and one in Idaho, owned by Douglas Manchester, a donor to the campaigns supporting Proposition 8. Karger told the New York Times, "Our main beef is the exhaustive amount of money he contributed with glee to take away this brand-new right and to write discrimination into the California Constitution for the very first time."
• In September 2008, a boycott campaign was directed at Bolthouse Farms. William Bolthouse donated $100,000 to the Proposition 8 campaign, and the Californians Against Hate, a nonprofit organization founded in 2008 to oppose Proposition 8, began a boycott against Bolthouse Farms. Action in the boycott included demonstrations at stores carrying Bolthouse Farms products. The boycott effort ended in early October when the CEO of Bolthouse Farms told the organizers of the boycott that William Bolthouse sold his stake in the company in 2005, and when the company agreed to provide a "diversity program designed to support inclusiveness in its dealings with all stakeholders including the LGBT community."

Boycotts occurring after Proposition 8 passed

After Proposition 8 passed, opponents of the initiative continued boycotts against supporters of the amendment.

• Scott Eckern, the artistic director of the California Musical Theatre and Sacramento Music Circus, contributed $1,000 to the campaign in favor of Prop 8. A boycott against the theaters was suggested by opponents of the amendment. Eckern announced his resignation on November 12. In Eckern's resignation notice, he said he was resigning in order to avoid harm coming to the theater groups for which he had worked. Eckern also wrote an apology letter.
• Opponents of Prop 8 issued a post-election call to boycott the El Coyote restaurant, a Mexican restaurant located on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles. Marjorie Christoffersen, who was a manager at El Coyote, donated $100 to the "Yes on 8" campaign.
• Rich Raddon, the director of the Los Angeles Film Festival, resigned in late November. Raddon supported Proposition 8 and contributed to the "Yes on 8" campaign. When donors to Proposition 8 were criticized after the election, he resigned. Film Independent, the sponsors of the L.A. Film Festival, ultimately agreed to accept his resignation.