Wanda Sykes' Anger At Proposition 8 Prompted Her To 'Come Out'

Comedienne WANDA SYKES chose to reveal she was gay last year (08) when California's same sex marriage bill was revoked because she was so incensed by lawmakers' decision.

The Monster-in-Law star, who was married to record producer David Hall in the 1990s, never confirmed her sexuality until November 2008, when she spoke out against the state legislation Proposition 8, which saw homosexual unions made illegal just six months after they were declared valid.

And it was only then that Sykes felt it necessary to speak up and defend her lifestyle, revealing she had wed her partner of two years, Alex, while same-sex marriage was still legal.

She says, '(I came out) to put a face on it. And also I was angry, I was mad. I wanted to say, 'Look, you're not gonna treat me as a second class citizen.' I had to speak up, I know what my rights are and I had to speak up.'

The couple has since welcomed twins Olivia and Lucas.

--IANS-WENN