He remembers thinking how they looked like everybody else in America. Plante recalled how the line outside San Francisco City Hall defied media stereotypes of the LGBT community.
KPIX assigned Hank Plante to cover the rush by same-sex couples to get married. Under the direction of mayor Gavin Newsom, San Francisco city and county officials defied California law and began issuing wedding licenses to same-sex couples. 'It dramatically changed the conversation between corporate America and the courts on same sex marriage,' said Sheehy.Īnother historic first took place in 2004. Tens of thousands of companies have complied. San Francisco's Equal Benefits Ordinance passed and took effect in 1997.īottom line: If you wanted to do business with the city, you had to give same-sex couples the same benefits you offered to straight, married couples.
