Davina Kotulski - Activism and Leadership

Activism and Leadership

In 1999 Kotulski led a panel discussion at the California Psychological Association to discuss organizing against the Knight Initiative. She met Tom Henning that same year and joined Californians for Same-Sex Marriage (CASSM), an organization committed to pro-actively putting same-sex marriage on the ballot in California.

Beginning in February 2001, Kotulski and her formerly "unlawfully wedded" wife, Molly McKay, began going to City Halls in the San Francisco Bay Area asking for marriage licenses and organizing annual "Marriage License Counter" protests to draw attention to the hundreds of rights same-sex couples are denied. Kotulski and McKay joined Marriage Equality USA and with L.J. Carusone and others the two women founded Marriage Equality California (MECA). They began organizing events such as annual Tax Day Protests held on April 15 to point out the inequities same-sex couples face with regard to taxation and representation, and launched an effort to win marriage equality in California. Kotulski served on the California Freedom to Marry's Outreach Committee. (The California Freedom to Marry Coalition morphed into the Equality Alliance and is now known as the Let California Ring Campaign under the auspices of Equality California's Equality California Institute.

To recognize the life of Diane Whipple, to honor her survivor Sharon Smith, and to point out the injustices same-sex survivors face, Kotulski helped organize the Diane Whipple Anniversary march on January 26, 2002.

On October 11, 2003 she organized Come Out For Equality bringing together straight allies, clergy like Reverend Cecil Williams and San Francisco Poet Laureate, Janice Mirikitani, LGBT service members and veterans, binational couples, and children of same sex parents to elevate support for equality for LGBT people and address the injustices of the Don't ask, don't tell Policy and the Defense of Marriage Act and to raise awareness for the Uniting American Families Act formerly known as the Permanent Partners Immigration Act.

On February 12, 2004, Kotulski and McKay did their fourth annual marriage license counter action. Unbeknownst to them, Mayor Gavin Newsom had begun allowing same-sex couples to marry, in what would become known as San Francisco’s 2004 Winter of Love. As soon as they finished their rally, Kotulski and McKay became the 17th couple to wed at San Francisco’s City Hall, married by Assemblymember Mark Leno. They honeymooned at the Marriage Equality Valentine's Day Rally, organized by Kotulski and McKay with other marriage equality leaders – the rally featured comedian Margaret Cho. They and several other newlyweds then planned a Northern California Marriage Equality Visibility and Educational Bus Tour.

In August 2004 the California Supreme Court invalidated their marriage, along with those of 4,000 other couples. Kotulski's response was to organize a Marriage Equality Caravan with the help of Molly McKay, Belinda Ryan, Wendy Daw, Jacqueline Frank, and Bev Senkowski. On October 4, 2004, Kotulski and 43 other activists loaded a bus and traveled across the country stopping in 13 states and hosting marriage equality forums and panels at universities and churches. The "Marriage Equality Express" culminated in the first national marriage equality rally in Washington, DC on October 11, 2004, National Coming Out Day. The rally featured the Hawaii Marriage Case Plaintiff Genora Dancel; Beth Robinson, Attorney in the Vermont Freedom to Marry case; Reverend Jimmy Creech, a Methodist Minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples and leader of Soulforce; Dr. Sylvia Rhue, National Black Justice Coalition; Robin Tyler, organizer for gay rights marches in Washington, DC and founder of StopDr..Laura.com; Kathy Kelly, Marriage Equality Georgia; Musicians Tuck and Patti, who sang what Davina, Molly and the husband and wife duo agree is the theme song to the Marriage Equality Movement-“Love Warriors”; politicians Mark Leno and Eleanor Holmes Norton. Marriage Equality Caravaners also told their stories.

Kotulski and McKay have appeared together on CNN, Newsweek, Time Magazine and USA Today. They are featured in three documentaries: Freedom to Marry (shown in 7 countries and featured on PBS), Pursuit of Equality, and I Will, I Do, We Did following the San Francisco marriages that took place in 2004, as well as several television shows including American Quest, documenting the National “Marriage Equality Express”, and a Queer Nation TV special in New Zealand.

In 2004 Kotulski’s book “Why You Should Give a Damn About Gay Marriage” was released. In November 2004, she became the Deputy Director of Marriage Equality USA and co-organized a LIFT THE BAN rally in Oakland, CA with the Service Members Legal Defense Network, Equality California, and Bay Area American Two Spirits. In June 2005 she became the Executive Director of Marriage Equality USA, replacing Connie Ress. After ending her term as E.D. Kotulski joined the Advisory Board of Marriage Equality USA. Kotulski has continued to participate in marriage equality actions, including the marriage counter actions. In 2010 her book “Love Warriors: The Rise of the Marriage Equality Movement and Why It Will” prevail was published.