Proposition 8: An Instagram Love Story

There are three stories here. The first story is your classic love story - boy meets girls… except it’s a boy meets boy, or girl meets girl story. The second story is about the struggle over the legalization of same sex marriage in the state of  California. The third demonstrates, through photos people shared on Instagram and Flickr, how we use shared photos, individually and collectively, to tell our stories.

I used photos publicly posted on Instagram and Flickr under the hashtag #prop8 to tell the classic love story with the protagonists the many same sex couples and the antagonist the legal system. There is no Jamie and Taylor. They are meant to serve as surrogates for all the stories that unfolded over this struggle. My goal was to use this project to demonstrate how shared photos contain a visual story language. The soundtrack is the instrumental version of Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis' Same Love. You can link to it on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/wIqSbooA2CM

STORY TABLE FOR PROP 8: AN INSTAGRAM LOVE STORY

It’s your classic boy meets girls story, except it’s a boy meets boy, or girl meets girl story.

Jamie first meets Taylor at a surprise party for someone they both barely know.  Jamie is coming out of a bad break up and Taylor is drug along by well-meaning friends.

Something about Taylor catches Jamie’s eye at once.

They are introduced briefly, but Jamie interprets Taylor’s shyness for disinterest. Later when they cross paths again volunteering at the food bank, they find the chemistry is mutual, they soon become inseparable.

To everyone’s amazement it is Taylor who proposes, Jamie is swept away.

It is Valentine’s Day 2004 and the mayor of San Francisco has just directed the county clerk to start issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.

Jamie and Taylor start making their plans, working on the invite list and checking out venues. Three weeks later on the night of their engagement party the California Supreme Court issues a stay ordering no further licenses pending court review.

Jamie and Taylor are deflated, but friends counsel them that it will likely be just a minor delay. However, six months later the state rules that the mayor had exceeded his authority and invalidates any same sex marriages that had taken place that February.

Jamie and Taylor take down their wedding planning board and pack it, along with the guest list, venue photos, menus and fabric swatches, in a bin and place it in the attic.

They discuss having a ceremony anyway but, having tasted the idea of being legally married, anything less feels like too much of a compromise.

They try to go back to the way things were, but there is a shadow cast over their relationship now.  Sometimes it fades away a bit, but then there is another court issuance that suggests hope or further disillusions them. The state senate passes a bill eliminating gender requirements for marriage, but Governor Schwarzenegger vetoes it.

Then, in the summer of 2008, the court rules that denying marriage to same sex couples is unconstitutional and weddings begin again at city hall.

Jamie and Taylor are overjoyed!

They throw a spontaneous party and invited their friends over to “unbox” their wedding plans. They decide right away on February 14, 2009 as their wedding date.  Exactly five years from when they first became engaged.

When haters forwarded Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, they take it in stride and continue with their plans.

 But in November, when it passes with 52% of the vote, they cancel their plans once again.  But this time is different for them.  Rather than retreating back to the way things were before, they mobilized. The march, they write letters, they harness their social networks, friends and fellow employees to do the same.

Again the courts issued edicts of hope and disillusionment – the US District court declares Prop 8 unconstitutional, but proponents appeal the ruling. This just fuels their resolve. Jamie and Taylor continue to march, write letters, and further the cause.

 The Ninth Circuit affirms that Proposition 8 violates the US Constitution, but Proponents appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court. Jamie and Taylor maintain their resolve.

 The battle finally reaches the Supreme Court and in June 2013 and the court denies the appeal. San Francisco issues a one-sentence statement, "The stay in the above matter is dissolved effective immediately."

 Jamie and Taylor marry on February 14, 2014. Exactly 10 years from when they were first engaged. Their adopted children are their ring bearers.

THE SCRIPT FOR AN INSTAGRAM LOVE STORY: BOY MEETS BOY, GIRL MEETS GIRL

It’s your classic boy meets girls story, except it’s a boy meets boy, or girl meets girl story. Jamie first meets Taylor at a surprise party for someone they both barely know. Jamie is coming out of a bad break up and Taylor is drug along by well-meaning friends. Something about Taylor catches Jamie’s eye at once. They are introduced briefly, but Jamie interprets Taylor’s shyness for disinterest. Later when they cross paths again, volunteering at the food bank, they find the chemistry is mutual, they soon become inseparable. To everyone’s amazement it is Taylor who proposes, Jamie is swept away. It is Valentine’s Day 2004 and the mayor of San Francisco has just directed the county clerk to start issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.

Jamie and Taylor start making their plans, working on the invite list and checking out venues. Three weeks later on the night of their engagement party the California Supreme Court issues a stay ordering no further licenses pending court review. Jamie and Taylor are deflated, but friends counsel them that it will likely be just a minor delay. However, six months later the state rules that the mayor had exceeded his authority and invalidates any same sex marriages that had taken place that February.

Jamie and Taylor take down their wedding planning board and pack it, along with the guest list, venue photos, menus and fabric swatches, in a bin and place it in the attic. They discuss having a ceremony anyway but, having tasted the idea of being legally married, anything less feels like too much of a compromise. They try to go back to the way things were, but there is a shadow cast over their relationship now.  Sometimes it fades away a bit, but then there is another court issuance that suggests hope or further disillusions them.

Then, in the summer of 2008, the court rules that denying marriage to same sex couples is unconstitutional and weddings begin again at city hall. Jamie and Taylor are overjoyed! They throw a spontaneous party and invited their friends over to “unbox” their wedding plans. They decide right away on February 14, 2009 as their wedding date.  Exactly five years from when they first became engaged.

When haters forwarded Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, they take it in stride and continue with their plans.  But in November, when it passes with 52% of the vote, they cancel their plans once again.  But this time is different for them.  Rather than retreating back to the way things were before, they mobilized. The march, they write letters, they harness their social networks, friends and fellow employees to do the same.

Again the courts issued edicts of hope and disillusionment, but this just fuels their resolve. Jamie and Taylor continue to march, write letters, and further the cause. The Ninth Circuit affirms that Proposition 8 violates the US Constitution, but Proponents appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court. Jamie and Taylor maintain their resolve. The battle finally reaches the Supreme Court and in June 2013 and the court denies the appeal. San Francisco issues a one-sentence statement, "The stay in the above matter is dissolved effective immediately."

Jamie and Taylor marry on February 14, 2014. Exactly 10 years from when they were first engaged. Their adopted children are their ring bearers.