Yaroslavsky's journey on gay marriage

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky writes on his blog that his position on same-sex marriage didn't evolve so much as flip 180 degrees after a conversation with his daughter a decade ago. He had supported domestic partner benefits on the City Council, campaigned against the 1970s Briggs initiative to ban gay teachers, and confronted the Los Angeles Police Department "for wrongly harassing gays and lesbians."

But until a decade ago, I didn’t embrace the movement for same-sex marriage. I didn’t see the point. Hadn’t we provided gay and lesbian couples with virtually all the benefits of marriage except a license? With so many other important fights to pick, was this among the most pressing struggles for our society’s well-being?

Then I got educated. I had a conversation with my daughter, one that reminded me of that old Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song, “Teach Your Children.” In the final refrain, it calls out to the young listeners of the day to “teach your parents well.” And in my home, like millions of others across America, that’s what happened.

“What difference does it make to you, Dad, if same-sex couples want to get married?” asked my daughter, who was then in her 20s. Although it was a simple question, I couldn’t summon a satisfactory answer no matter how hard I tried. The core issue was no different than any other civil rights struggle: a right extended by government to some was being denied to others solely because of sexual orientation, putting it in the same class as other discrimination battles our nation has known all too well.

In the fall of 2008, "during a five-month window when such marriages were legal in California," Yaroslavsky says he was honored to officiate at the wedding of City Clerk June Lagmay and her partner of 40 years, Rita Romero.

Add gay marriage: Here's part of a kind of brilliant list from McSweeney's billed as the best reasons gay men and lesbians should not marry.

Alex and William have only known each other for a few months and shouldn’t rush into a serious commitment.

Greg is probably in it for Brian’s money.

Wendy claims she loves Margaret, but she hasn’t put her feelings for Julia behind her.

Lisa is too career driven for an emotionally needy person like Amy.