Davina Kotulski

Davina Kotulski, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author of Why You Should give a Damn About Gay Marriage and activist for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equal Rights. Kotulski has been particularly active in the same-sex marriage movement, from fighting California’s anti-gay marriage ballot initiative, to her leadership with Californians for Same Sex Marriage, Marriage Equality California, the California Freedom to Marry Coalition, and as the former Executive Director of Marriage Equality USA.

Beginning in February 2001, Kotulski and her "unlawfully wedded" wife, Molly McKay, began going to City Halls in the Bay Area asking for marriage licenses and organizing annual "Marriage License Counter" protests to draw attention to the hundreds of rights same-sex couples contend they are denied. They also began organizing annual [Tax Day] Protests on April 15 to point out the inequities same-sex couples face with regard to taxation and representation.

To recognize the life of Diane Whipple and honor her survivor Sharon Smith, Kotulski helped organize the Diane Whipple Anniversary march on January 26 2002. Then, in response to having her San Francisco Marriage License invalidated, Kotulski organized the "Marriage Equality Express," an educational bus tour across the United States that culminated in the first national marriage equality rally in Washington, DC on October 11 2004. Time and Parade magazines included the rally when citing the importance of marriage equality activism as one of the top 10 issues of 2004.

Kotulski and her wife, Molly McKay, were the 17th couple married in San Francisco. They have appeared together on CNN, Newsweek, Time 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. Her written work is also included in an anthology entitled I Do/I Don’t: Queers on Marriage.

In 2003, Kotulski and her wife received the "Defenders of Love" Award from the East Bay Pride Committee. In 2004, Kotulski received the "Saints Alive" Award from the San Francisco Metropolitan Community Church and was “sainted” by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for her activism and advocacy on behalf of full marriage equality for all couples.