Councilmember Lyon Hails Historic Marriage Rights Victory, Plans Local LGBTQ Protections – Pasadena Now
On Nov. 5, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 3, which removes discriminatory language and protects marriage rights regardless of sex or race. The historic constitutional amendment signals more than a legal victory — it represents a dramatic evolution in public attitudes and opens the door for expanded LGBTQ protections in Pasadena, according Pasadena Councilmember Jason Lyon.
"Prop 3 rights a historic wrong," Lyon told Pasadena Now.
"Californians overwhelming support for the proposition — which far exceeds the support back in 2008 for Proposition [8] — is powerful evidence of how much we have evolved on this issue," Lyon noted.
The constitutional amendment comes at a crucial time for LGBTQ rights, as growing concerns mount about potential challenges to the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that first legalized same-sex marriage nationwide and made it legal in California.
"Because of Prop 3, married Californians won't be plunged into the pain and uncertainty of not knowing whether their marriages remain valid in this, our home state," Lyon explained.
Lyon added that there will be a concerted effort to have the Supreme Court roll back civil rights gains for all marginalized groups, including LGBTQ Americans.
"I think it's likely that marriage equality will be one of the constitutional rights that could be rescinded by this activist court," he said.
The amendment, which faced no direct fiscal impact on state or local governments, received broad support from diverse organizations, including the Sierra Pacific Synod of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, and Equality California.
Building on this momentum, additional protections for LGBTQ+ residents, including an anti-discrimination ordinance planned for 2025, are on Pasadena's horizon. Lyon sees an opportunity to expand the conversation beyond marriage equality.
"We have an opportunity here to build on the public support for LGBTQ rights by engaging in a dialogue in our institutions and public spaces about some of the issues that are still difficult for some folks," Lyon said.
Lyon specifically highlighted transgender visibility as a priority, expressing hope to bring that experience "out of the shadows and more fully into the diverse fabric of our city."
