Comedian Wanda Sykes, who came out publicly after Prop 8 lost in the November election, is a new member of the EQCA board. She spoke at the dinner.

On Valentine’s Night, Feb. 14, Equality California held its San Francisco Equality Awards Gala; its 11th anniversary; and five years of California same-sex marriage in the Rotunda of SF City Hall. A gourmet dinner was prepared by Paula LeDuc Catering, followed by entertainment by out, proud, loud, Black activist comic Wanda Sykes, star of stage and screen. But first Sykes served as emcee, bringing to the stage event co-chairs City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Deb Kinney, and Linda Scaparotti, for recognition of their efforts. 

“It is a privilege to be here, and you all look amazing,” said Sykes. “I am looking out there and seeing all you underprivileged folks, and it breaks my heart,” she joked. She noted that her own lesbian marriage took place on Oct. 25. “That was the happiest day of my life, when I got suckered into it,” she laughed, “but then the Nov. 4 election became one of the saddest days of my life, when Proposition 8 eliminated our right to marry.” She said, “You know, sadness can lead to anger; and anger can lead to burning cars and rioting; and looting – oh waitaminnit, wrong crowd. I’m sorry, I meant that anger can lead to action,” she said. “I’d like to sway you to do things my way – burning and looting – but I’ll try your way for a little bit,” she jested. “But then I’m doin’ some lootin.’” She continued, “Anger can lead to action, and action can lead to change.” She said creating change was the reason she recently joined the Equality California (EQCA) board of directors. After the dinner, attendees returned to hear over half an hour of her hilarious comedy. 

But before that, she said seriously, “The board and staff of EQCA work hard every day to advance equality.” She noted that 50 bills (more than any other nation) have passed California Legislature “that have provided all of us more rights than we ever dreamed of just ten years ago.” She concluded, “With all your help, we will achieve our dream of full equality,” and introduced “EQCA’s hot, sexy bastard who is helping make this possible, EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors.” 

“Last year was a year of extraordinary highs and devastating lows,” said Kors.  He said having the taste of equality and then having it ripped away by a slim majority of our fellow Californians was just too much, and far greater than never to have tasted equality at all. “Many civil rights leaders have spoken to me that the road to equality is extremely difficult and very long,” he said. “To think we would have achieved equality without lots of pain and tears and awful losses along the way was wishful thinking and a bit naïve.” He added, “But we also have to remember how much all of the LGBT community has accomplished here in California over the last, short, ten years since EQCA was founded.” He pointed out that in 1999, a person could be fired from a job or denied a home with no recourse under California’s Fair Employment and Housing laws. They could be denied routine healthcare because they were transgender. Same-sex partners were legal strangers. A deceased partner’s family could take away the other partner’s rightful inheritance, home, and children. “Ten years ago, we were 25 points behind on the issue of marriage equality,” Kors said. “But thanks to members of EQCA and other organizations, we now have an unprecedented 50 pieces of LGBT rights legislation here in California; have defeated over 30 anti-LGBT bills; built the largest pro-equality voter list and coalition of allies in the nation; helped elect hundreds of legislators and statewide officials who support true and complete equality; and moved public opinion on the freedom to marry more than 20 points.” He said, “We are well on our way to complete acceptance and total equality, and EQCA is in it for the long haul until we have accomplished our full mission.” 

The 2009 San Francisco Equality Awards were presented to “two extraordinary individuals who have been part of history-making for decades,” said Kors. He introduced Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California and courageous advocate for LGBT visibility and support in the corporate world. “He has helped lead AT&T to be one of the most generous corporations in the nation for LGBT civil rights, and under Ken’s leadership, AT&T was the first of only a handful of national corporations that made a donation to the No on 8 Campaign,” Kors said. Presenting the Equality Leadership Award, Kors said McNeely has worked for equality in the workplace and spoken to many a legislator about equality. 

McNeely thanked EQCA as well as his life partner, Andrew, “who has taught me to live authentically and honestly and has served as my guiding light,” and his mother, “who taught me that anything is possible, and all things are achievable.” He said, “We are so blessed to have so many wonderful leaders and brilliant minds fighting for equality and civil rights.” He also thanked “those who are fighting a quieter fight, day and night, in our communities, in our churches, and even in the executive suites of some of the largest corporations in America.” He said, “We are all changing minds by living genuinely authentic lives. There is a role for all of us in this struggle.” He said he was grateful to AT&T “that they have always allowed me to live openly as a Black gay man.” 

Kors then presented the First Lifetime Achievement Equality Award to the Honorable Carole Migden. He said he first met Migden in 1989, when SF was one of the first to enact domestic partnership; but it was quickly ripped away by voters. He was getting signatures to put the issue back on the ballot, when Migden was getting signatures to run for SF supervisor. “She told me what I was doing was far more important than helping her campaign, and that is the kind of person and leader Carole Migden is,” said Kors. He noted that in 1999, Migden orchestrated the first and largest domestic partnership legislation in the world. “She is a true hero for a more just society,” he said. 

“This Valentine’s Day is perfect for our gathering, because the essence of our movement is about love, and that we love differently,” said Migden. “Our love has devised centuries of religious tyranny, criminalization, torture, and even death; but on this night, we say we are fed up with having to justify ourselves. We recoil and are sickened by the hatred and preoccupation of those who want to cut us down,” she said. “Yet despite these hurtful indignities, we will draw strength and comfort from the huge obstacles we have surmounted and victories we have accomplished.” She said, “We stand on the brink of marriage with the full panoply of domestic partnership rights, including everything allowable to straight couples in California.” She urged, “We must learn and honor our history, and share it with each other and others; so we can draw strength from our brothers and sisters who came before us and sacrificed so much.” She concluded, “Let us rejoice, because we shall win over Prop 8, and victory is just a moment away!” 

Then she ended on a laugh, saying, “Next time you invite me, I will tell you about the time then Mayor Dianne Feinstein sidled up to me and asked, ‘Carol, will you tell me what a glory hole is?’”