This piece by Aaron Fischman about why support for gay marriage seems to be accelerating dramatically is spot on in my view. Fischman attributes the rise to three factors: (1) an increase in activism since prop 8; (2) more realistic media portrayals of lesbians and gays; and (3) gays and lesbians coming out to their families and friends.
From Fischman's assessment of the impact of Prop 8:
Casey Robinsons, 34, who has been engaged to his partner Jaron Kie for the last year, argued that Proposition 8 ironically helped the marriage equality movement.The entire piece is worth reading.
“I think the passage of Prop. 8, in the long run, will actually be one the best moments in LGBT history.”
Although as Robinson noted, the 2008 passage of California’s Proposition 8 eliminated the marriage rights of tens of thousands of people, it effectively energized the gay rights community.
“The LGBT community, especially the gays in the LGBT community had become extremely complacent,” said Robinson. “They just figured over time they would get everything or it didn’t even bother them.
He added, “there was a resurgence of activism post-Prop. 8.”
