WANDA SYKES - SYKES 'COMES OUT' AT RALLY

SYKES 'COMES OUT' AT RALLY

Comedienne WANDA SYKES has confirmed she secretly wed her gay partner just before same-sex marriages were banned in California.
The Curb Your Enthusiasm regular made the announcement at a rally against the passage of Proposition 8, which ended a summer of gay weddings, on Saturday (15Nov08).
She told the crowd at the Las Vegas protest, "Everybody who knows me personally, they know I'm gay. And that's the way people should be able to live our lives, really. We shouldn't have to be standing out here demanding something we automatically should have as citizens of this country.
"I'm proud to be a woman, I'm proud to be a black woman and I'm proud to be gay."
Her decision to come out at the rally has been applauded by gay rights leaders.
Gay + Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) President Neil G. Giuliano says, "People living openly and honestly increases visibility of our community and has a tremendous impact in terms of creating awareness, understanding and acceptance as we continue our march to equality."
Sykes became the second high-profile comedienne to wed her gay partner this year (08) - Ellen DeGeneres exchanged vows with actress Portia De Rossi in August (08).
Ironically, Sykes' character in U.S. TV sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine recently wed co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss on the show for immigration purposes.