measuring victories
So what hasn’t been in national news as of late is California’s marriage buzz. This may be a good thing or something the media is trying to sway away from cause they know people are sick of the issue. (Also props for Biden for Reframing the argument at the VP Debate from a “right to marry” to “same rights and privileges”). But whether or not this passes, does affect people.
What is ugly in this debate is the campaign ads for passing Proposition 8, that would ban samesex marriages. There are ads placed and funded by most religious organizations (funded 40% by Mormons!) whose lives would not be directly effected by people outside their religions getting married. They’re trying to prove that it would by having school being forced to teach its okay for gays to marriage. Of course this argument is absurd and deals with favoring one religion’s beliefs and practices over all others. It is the whole argument that we can’t teach what goes against anyone’s faith or comfort level.
Now you notice in the first section I say affect (inferring distress) rather that effect (inferring an altered change) in regards to the Proposition 8 passing. This is because the marriage rights are the same as the same-sex domestic partner rights that were in place before. I’m not saying this a moot issue, and I’ll get more into this, but rather I believe that we under regard the civil union/domestic partner movement.
We currently have 3 states that allow samesex marriage (although CT just passed and CA is up for grabs right now). So that’s is 6% of our states recognize samesex marriage. But we don’t look at civil unions and domestic partner rights. The basic thing is that we NEED these benefits and assistance because studies have shown that samesex relationships, no matter what the label, do better when there is some sort of recognition and also when there are legal benefits to help. This adds OR, VT, NJ and NH to our list of states supporting samesex relationships (up to 14%). Okay and we can add DC doing this as well, but that’s not a state (14.2%)
In other states there are some recognition and benefits but as of now, are not equal to those of state level marriage rights (WA, HI and ME). So at recognition we’re improving (20.2%). And then NY has that weird law where it doesn’t have same sex marriage or anything there, but it will recognize other state’s recognitions albeit marriage, union or partnership. So you can get married in Canada or Massachusetts or civil unionized (just needed to say it) in New Jersey and New York is cool with you (22.2%).
So all in all things are improving, but if we define things at a marriage vs. non-marriage dichotomous victory stance things don’t look so hot (6% vs. 22%...I mean 22.2%). Trying to pass marriage bills with all the DOMA mess and people’s perspectives and stern beliefs on the issue of marriage make the task daunting if nigh impossible. Everyone admits it would be political suicide to support samesex marriage, but supporting civil unions and ensuring the rights of all people is something that people can follow through with. Let’s be pragmatic here, people needs these rights now. Creating a black or white, marriage or nothing stance will get us no where. Lets face it, getting 1/5 of the nation to recognize same sex relations his a huge step in the right direction. The more that follow suit can lead to an easier move to have such at a federal level (one hopes).
Now I am not belittling the CA campaign, more that it is the next step in the process. CA has its domestic partner rights, so losing this battle will be a defeat, but we’ll still have our rights, but less recognition. In the end goal, attitudes are changing, the old arguments are working as they did and same sex couple are more visual in culture now that it is hard to ignore their needs. This next step is getting marriage recognized in every state and welcoming equality in a more progressive future.
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Currently Reading: Wyrd Sisters
Author: Terry Pratchet