Pursuit of Equality (tbc)
- Run time: tbc
- Genre: Documentary
- Release date: 10th July 2005
- Starring: Gavin Newsom, George W. Bush, Rosie O'Donnell
- Directed by: Geoff Callan, Mike Shaw
- Official Website: http://www.pursuitofequality.com
Plot Synopsis
Just 35 days into office, San Francisco’s newly elected Mayor Gavin Newsom, with his strong belief that all people should be treated on a non-discriminatory manner, launched the new civil rights movement of the millennium.
On February 12, 2004, at 11:06 a.m., following the orders of the mayor, San Francisco’s Assessor-Recorder Mabel Teng presided over the marriage of two icons of the lesbian movement, Del Martin, 83, and Phyllis Lyon, 79. By inserting the words “applicant one” and “applicant two” in place of “bride’’ and “groom”, Del and Phyllis became the first same-sex couple to be married in the United States, thus changing the way America looks at marriage.
Soon after the weddings, President George Bush called on Congress to promptly pass an amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, asserting that same-sex marriages defy “more than two centuries of American jurisprudence and millennia of human experience. ‘’ He warns that such unions in San Francisco and other communities threaten “the most fundamental institution of civilization.”
Following this historic ceremony, thousands of same-sex couples rushed to San Francisco City Hall to wed. Those opposed to same-sex unions fought back, stating that Mayor Newsom was defying God’s Law, as well as the laws of the state. They called on all people in favor of traditional marriage, as well as all Christians, to take a stand and protect marriage, what they believe to be one of the United States’ most sacred institutions.
As Rosie O’Donnell and her partner Kelli Carpenter travel to San Francisco to wed, protestors call the actions of Mayor Newsom political anarchy; demand that he step down, and that the weddings stop. As we watch the touching ceremony between Rosie and Kelli, the euphoria at San Francisco’s civil altar hits an all-time high.
San Francisco’s actions sent a shockwave, which reverberated across the nation. Other civic leaders who tried similar tactics where immediately met by strong resistance. The issue reached a critical point when it became a topic in the 2004 Presidential Race.
The excitement continued to build until, March 11, 2004, when at 2.33pm, the justices’ of California Supreme Court ordered an immediate halt to same-sex weddings. The debate continues across the country.
On August 12, 2004, the Justices of the California Supreme Court voided all 3,955 marriage licenses and disrupted the relationships created by Mayor Newsom’s edict.
The issue continued to be unresolved. This intense film takes viewers to the heart of civil rights issues revealing the social fabric of the country. It shows the profound implications of civil and human rights decisions and presents questions, which are critical to the future of how Americans view values and government.
With an exclusive look into San Francisco’s new generation of politics, Pursuit of Equality takes its viewers on an exclusive behind-the-scenes journey into private closed-door discussions with Mayor Newsom and his inner circle, as they uproot the status quo and attempt to change the way the nation looks at love, life, and marriage.