Melissa Etheridge: Prop 8 'Blatantly Hateful'

Access Hollywood - October 30, 2008 4:18 AM PDT
Story photo: Melissa Etheridge: Prop 8 'Blatantly Hateful'Access Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Melissa Etheridge is speaking out loudly against California's Proposition 8 ballot measure, which would amend the state constitution and deny same-sex couples the right to marry.

"Prop 8 is a blatantly hateful, and fearful proposition that I believe the great citizens of California can see through," the musician wrote in an essay for The Daily Beast.

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"Now, I know my preference of life mate freaks some people out," she added. "Maybe it is just their fear of sex or intimacy. I know that they hold up the bible and say that it's wrong. Fine, let me stand before my creator and take any consequences there might be to living my life in truth and balance with my spirit."

"I called my son over. I said 'Read this, tell me what you think," she wrote. "He, being 9 years old and very proud of his reading skills, read 'Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same sex couples to marry.' He looked at me, very matter-of-factly and said, 'Wow, that's lame.'"

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Melissa wed wife Tammy Lynn Michaels in 2003, the day after then-Gov. Grey Davis gave same-sex couples domestic partnership rights.

"They were limited rights, but doggone it, it was a beginning," she wrote, remembering her happiness at the ruling earlier this year that legalized same-sex marriage. "We told our children about it and all danced around the room in family glee."

Melissa and Tammy now have four children, including 2-year-old twins, but while adopting daughter Bailey Jean in 1997, she and former partner Julie Cypher didn't have the same options as heterosexual couples.

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"The social worker would come to my house numerous times, evaluate me, have me fill out all of the forms and then regretfully deny me my right to adopt my children because California law prohibited social workers from adoption approval of same sex couples," she wrote, noting a judge overruled the decision.

Celebrities including Brad Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres, T.R. Knight, Pete Wentz and Steven Spielberg have donated huge dollar amounts to defeat the proposition, and Melissa seemed hopeful that it would not pass.

"I will be waking up with my children on November 5th and I will be fixing them breakfast as I usually do. I look forward to telling them that prop 8 was defeated. I am sure my son will say, 'Good, that was lame,'" she concluded.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Ellen DeGeneres Says Vote NO On Prop 8
PLAY IT NOW: Melissa Etheridge Talks Gay Marriage In California

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: LGBT - Politics - Music - Celebrities

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comments 1-10 of 85  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Robert
    Gays attack a long held religious tradition and when we say, wait a second this is our tradition, what are you trying to do with it, we get called "haters"? We didn't attack the Gay community, they attacked us. If there is any 'hating" going on it is from the Gay community towards the Christians. Stop with the Christian bashing!
    report abuseposted December 27, 2008 7:06 AM PST
  • Princess
    ... and haven't looked back...
    report abuseposted December 13, 2008 11:23 AM PST
  • Princess
    Sorry guys, the voters spoke. It should remain as it was lawfully decided. By the people, of the people, for the people. Nobody is saying someone can't be homosexual. We should be able to choose for ourselves. But to have all these perks for folks who do not fit traditional views on what's healthy and what's not for our families, that's an outrage. We left CA as fa
    report abuseposted December 13, 2008 11:22 AM PST
  • dedicated listener
    Sorry the media is so one-sided!!! Give us yes voters due respect dear media
    report abuseposted November 14, 2008 5:37 PM PST
  • dedicated listener
    Thanks for the info, not that I watched these celebs before , but I'm not going to begin watching now. Clay Aiken is a disappointment to me, however. Honestly, where is the justice? I'm just a poor lowly voter. I don't have the money, the prime time opportunity, the celeb status, etc. etc. etc. to voice my views. Only the polls. Allow me that privelege as you shout a
    report abuseposted November 14, 2008 5:32 PM PST
  • nina s
    WHOMEVER WAS IN CHARGE OF NO ON 8 CAMPAIGN DIDN'T DO AS WELL AS THE yessers. they had the huge BRIGHT Yellow signs, and we had the little black square picket sign things. THEY lied, WE didn't. GEEZ couldn't we at least twisted the truth a little? Maybe we would have gained that extra 4% vote and WON.
    report abuseposted November 7, 2008 12:00 AM PST
  • tikiman
    Glory to the Statehood. Individual rights such as gay marriage is not productive to the welfare of the State. We must give up our selfish rights to secure our position to rule globally! Unite for the common good Comrades! Glory to Obama and Our collective freedoms.
    report abuseposted November 6, 2008 5:18 AM PST
  • wow just wow
    I wish people would realize what is going on here. Legalizing Gay Marriage, is not going to change Religions, it is sad to see a country based on separation of church and state is willing to say Gay's can't Marry because that goes back on my religious values. I am sorry, but a Legal marriage is nothing sacred it is just the right to see your love one when they are ill and tax b
    report abuseposted November 5, 2008 9:02 AM PST
  • cherbear
    Okay gays, I don't care if you're going to walk hand in hand or maybe even foist your own "vows" for each other. To wed is another thing. Just like marrying your rose bush, it has no merit. To legalize this seems dangerous, just like making Obama Pres. Running amok is not okay!
    report abuseposted November 1, 2008 3:39 AM PDT
  • Pamela G
    oh, just thought i'd add...to those who seem to think being a christian hetero might mean they're on on their 2nd/3rd marriage: 20 joyous years for me/hubby and going strong. hope that helps! :-)
    report abuseposted October 31, 2008 2:47 PM PDT
comments 1-10 of 85  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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