John Duran spent two decades fighting for the legal right to get married in California. He used it Sunday.
WEHOonline caught up with Duran this week. He talked about the wedding, the nearly three decade relationship behind it, and why he’s not worried about the Supreme Court.
Duran, the former West Hollywood mayor and civil rights attorney, married his partner of 27 years, Mark Morris, on May 3rd – their anniversary. They’ve been domestic partners the whole time, so they’ve had the legal protections. Getting married, Duran said, was just finally the right moment.
“I am a gay man of a certain age that didn’t think marriage would ever be an option for me,” Duran said. “I saw the consequences of not having our relationships legally recognized through the horror of the AIDS epidemic. This is why we started working on domestic partnership legislation when I was the Co-Chair of the LIFE AIDS Lobby in the early 1990’s.”
Duran served on the West Hollywood City Council from 2001 to 2020 and was mayor four times. He co-founded Equality California in 1999 and chaired the organization for years, working to get same-sex marriage through the California Legislature. The bill passed. The governor vetoed it. Then came Prop 8.
“We founded Equality California in 1999 with the specific intent to establish marriage for lesbian and gay Californians,” Duran said. “I served as Co-Chair of EQCA for years and we fought the Governor and Legislature to get it passed (and it was vetoed) before Prop 8. I was doing the fight because it was about equality for our gay couples.”
27 Years, Then a Wedding
He and Morris hadn’t really talked about getting married until last year. Duran said they agreed on one condition before they’d do it.
“My partner Mark and I have been together for 27 years now as domestic partners, so we had the legal protections,” Duran said. “But we started chatting about doing it last year and decided it was time to take the plunge. But only if we got married on our annual anniversary date May 3rd. We didn’t want 2 separate anniversary dates.”
On the Supreme Court
Duran said he doesn’t share the concern that marriage equality is at risk from a conservative Supreme Court, and he’s thought through the constitutional reasons why.
“First, marriage is a state issue generally and not a federal issue,” Duran said. “So, if the conservative Justices were to do anything, they might say that each of the states can define marriage as they choose. But that would obliterate the ‘full faith and credit’ clause of the US Constitution that requires each state to recognize the legal decrees of the other states. And I cannot imagine Chief Justice John Roberts, or Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh or Barrett, wanting to shred a critical part of the US Constitution over marriage equality.”
He said abortion and marriage equality aren’t the same argument in the conservative legal mind, and that it’s worth understanding the difference.
“Conservatives that I speak to generally consider abortion to be in its own category because they believe that life starts at conception,” Duran said. “They believe they are saving and protecting lives. The same intensity of the rationale does not flow to marriage equality. Having shared my optimistic point of view, I still insist that we all remain vigilant and ready to do battle.”
Love Without Permission
Duran said he’s never needed the government’s blessing to know what he and Morris have together.
“I have spent over 20 years fighting for marriage equality,” Duran said. “But I have never needed the approval of the State or any Church to validate my love for my partner. We love each other with or without government or religious sanction. No institution could ever thwart our love. So, it is better that the states and US government, synagogues, churches and mosques support long term relationships and love than to try and destroy that which is indestructible between two lovers.”
Congratulations Mark and John! Wishing you both happiness and health.
I am happy for Mr. Duran and Mr. Morris, so best wishes to both.
Sending my loving congratulations.
I have my popcorn ready for the other comments should they be accepted by the editor.
Hey we are happy for John and Mark. A long belated honeymoon is in order.
I appreciate John Duran’s involvement and lead in our fight for and establishing LGBTQ+ rights. I too appreciate John’s domestic partnership and his commitment to his relationship, but those things have never stopped John from putting his dick where it didn’t belong nor where it would comprise his work, our city and result in a $500,000 settlement payout. If we’re celebrating John, let’s look at all his of his achievements.
@dpb, why do you insist on spreading and repeating false information? An insurance company made a payment on one matter to avoid the costs of litigation, and without any admission of any liability. And the related matter, which was fully litigated in court, resulted in a full vindication, as the lawsuit was completely bogus and without merit.
LMAO. Of course you’re right, lol.
This makes me very happy. I wish John and Mark a beautiful togetherness. John has done more for gay rights than any person who has ever served on the West Hollywood City Council through his selfless love of doing the right thing, advancing rights for all, and being an eloquent and elegant spokesperson for an agenda much bigger than himself. I remember the days when John Duran could muster not hundreds, not thousands, but tens of thousands of people in response to issues like Governor Wilson’s veto of key legislation. His roaring rhetoric, his passionate prose, and his devotion are… Read more »