• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Word On the Street: Proposition 8

Word On the Street: Proposition 8 Splashing over headlines in recent news, Proposition 8, an initiative to ban gay marriage in California, has been overturned, now legalizing same sex marriage in the state. Following this controversial decision, we hit the pavement running in NYC and asked Black women out and about their opinions on the issue. Take a look at what they had to say when we asked: Do you still think marriage should be sanctioned only between a man and a woman? Or do you think the African-American community should be more supportive of gay marriage as a civil rights struggle?
By · Updated October 29, 2020
01
Anad Wilson

Age: 34
Hometown: Alta Monte, FL
Occupation: Senior Logistics Analysts, Utility Industry

“I feel as though the African-American community needs to open their eyes when it comes to gay and lesbian unions. We have so many other issues within the African-American community. We got Black men beating our Black women, we got people on drugs, and we’re gonna brush all of that under the rug because we’re gay? If we could have two Black women or two Black men together and we could feel good, people wouldn’t be sleeping around as much. We can be together without making it seem like it’s evil. To all y’all African-Americans who think it’s wrong, it is not up to you guys. It is up to God. It’s up to God and the individual.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
02
Michelle Taylor

Age: 49
Hometown: Valley Street, NY
Occupation: Real Estate Manager

“I think we should be more open and supportive. People are entitled to happiness in their union. I don’t want to hold them against it.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
03
Carmen Jackson

Age: 49
Hometown: Queens Jamaica, NY
Occupation: Home Attendant

“God made woman and man and put them on the earth to produce. Not woman and woman and man and man.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
04
Tawana Smith

Age: 36
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Investment Banking

“What we’re talking about is a civil issue not a religious issue. So, if we just keep it at that – we have a separation of church and state in our government — this is again a separation of church and state. So, if you don’t want a marriage in your church that’s completely different then a civilly sanctioned marriage that allows the financial privileges, and property rights, and things like that. I do support gay marriage, love is love; I don’t care.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
05
Denise Jones

Age: 52
Hometown: Guyana, South America

“I think marriage should be just between a man and a woman because that is the law based on the word of God. If you can remember during the time in the Bible — God destroyed the city and that was because we had mixed marriages and men with men and women with women. We’ve got to live up to God’s standards and God’s laws.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
06
Monet Knight

Age: 43
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Investment Management

“Well, originally I do respect the standards that God created for us, but the world that we live in and the evolving changes that are taking place -— I think that there is some need to open up to the topic and I think there is a need to open up to the admittance that love is universal between men and women, women and women, and men and men -— I’m not going to deny that. So, I’m open to it, I’m kind of balanced to it, I still have old values, but I’m not totally left field with it.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
07
Katrina Groover

Age: 45
Hometown: Yonkers, NY
Occupation: Production Editor

“I think we should open it up. Not just between men and women, but consenting adults for sure. I support gay marriage -— sure I do.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
08
Sherma Reid

Age: 40
Hometown: West Orange, NJ
Occupation: Operations Manager

“We should be open. It’s a matter of somebody’s opinion —- what they like, what they don’t like —- we should be open. Once these folks do whatever they do, that’s about them. Whatever makes them happy. Absolutely, not a problem.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
09
Hilda Thompson

Age: 46
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Executive Assistant

“I think we should be more supportive. I mean the world is made up of all kinds of people, all walks of life, all religions, and I think people should have freedom of expression and love whomever they please. I think love is the bottom line. If the person you love makes you happy and adds to your life and makes you a better person which in turn adds to the world, I say sure.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
10
Diorling Nurse

Age: 41
Hometown: Newburgh, NY
Occupation: Legal Secretary

“Religiously, I feel like marriage should be between a man and a woman, however if two same-sex people want to get married, why not? Go ahead. I mean, they can be as miserable as the rest of us. I was at a couple of friends’ house recently and found out a couple of my friends were in that type of relationship. One of the girls, I just met and she’s very passionate about it, and she feels like what’s the big deal? They’re not really hurting anyone. And when I heard her explanation and everything, I was like you know what, you’re absolutely right. Whatever you choose, when judgment day comes, that’s between you and your God. That has nothing to do with me.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
11
Vielhirs Bishop

Age: 44
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Customer Service Representative

“I think it should be open up. To each his own. If gay couples want to get married, I think that should be their right.”

Word On the Street: Proposition 8
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now