Michael and I got married on Aug. 14, 2004. It was a beautiful day and we were joined by many of our loving friends and family members. At the time, however, our marriage was not legally recognized. Now, four years later, the state of California has changed its Constitution to end discrimination against same-gendered couples that seek to marry. Thanks to this new law, now my husband and I can become legally married!

I cannot begin to explain what this means to us. To have our love recognized, to have our relationship held in the same regard as that of our heterosexual friends, and to have it legally protected is literally a dream come true.

Certain political and religious groups have been working hard to reverse the laws protecting marriage equality. They have written a proposition that will seek to eliminate the right of same-gendered couples to marry. This ballot measure will be coming up for all of us in California to vote on in the Nov. 4 elections.

If you feel that such couples as my husband and I should have the same rights to love and marriage as every other citizen of the state of California, and that we should have those rights protected by law, then I ask that you please vote NO to Proposition 8. Furthermore, if you can, talk to the people in your life about how you feel. Let them know that you support marriage equality and that they should, too.

David Kilburn, the SLO Chapter Leader of Marriage Equality USA, has formed a Yahoo group that will help us organize an effective local campaign to defeat Proposition 8. Please consider joining this group by going online to [email protected]/group/noon8slo/. Collectively, we can make a difference.

For more information about Prop 8 and how you can help defeat it, go to noonprop8.com or eqfed.org/equalityforall/join. We only have three months before Californians go out and vote!