Canadian musicians Tegan and Sara have weighed in on the recent passing of California’s Proposition 8.

In their blogs for Spinner.com, the Quin sisters drew on personal experience in denouncing the amendment, which will take away the right for same-sex couples to marry.

“I have been living in Montreal for six years. Montreal — and Canada in general — has the reputation for being a more lenient, understanding and open-minded country. Although I am grateful for the legislation that has made me ‘equal’ in the eyes of the law, you cannot legislate away people’s disgust or ignorance. You can’t remove the stinging intolerance and slurs of homophobic audience members’ words in my ears,” wrote Sara.

“… As of 2005, I, as a Canadian, can marry. It is truly sad for me to think that there are millions of people like me, who cannot access these rights, these customs.

“‘Gay marriage’ is not what is at stake. It’s the right to choose to marry, the right to benefits, the right to adopt, the right to access the same set of rights extended to every citizen in the United States of America. Those rights do not extend to homosexuals. And it’s f—ed up. And you should care, straight or gay, white or black. Canadian or American.”

In her own blog, Tegan wrote: “I feel rage when I imagine the Prop Yes people celebrating, thinking they’ve won something, when, in fact, they’ve just stolen something.”

She expressed her hope that the passing of the proposition would inspire greater movement in the fight for the civil rights of all people.

“My rage is slowly transforming. It started as a rock in my stomach. Then a fire in my heart. Yesterday it was a fog in my mind. As the days have passed, I’m becoming focused and I am starting to feel brave again. I want to rally and march and be proud. This morning I felt triumphant. 67% of people who voted No on Prop 8 were under 30! Change is coming! As Melissa Etheridge wrote in a recent article, “Gay people are born everyday. You’ll never legislate that away.”

Tegan and Sara will be blogging for Spinner.com for the next six weeks.






Related Stories: