(no subject)
This week is an extremely important one for gay people and their families all across the nation. A landmark court case will begin in Federal Court to decide whether California's law against gay marriage is nationally allowable. This will pave the way for a future Supreme Court appeal to the constitutionality of denying gays the right to marry.
This is going to come out one of two ways: we are either going to get the right, everywhere in the US, to marry who we choose, or, we are going to be set back in gaining this right for years, possibly decades.
I don't know if the timing on this one is right, but it's happening none-the-less. So, give your gay friends some support during this one. It may just seem like a bummer to some of you, but it's emotionally devastating to have your relationship voted on year after year and week after week. With every victory, in our house, we smile and cheer, but inside, we hold our breath, waiting for it to be overturned. Every defeat and espescially overturning of rights leads "oh well, we can always move to Canada or Europe." Even though we don't want to and probably never will. Inside, we're crying, wishing people could get over it long enough to see we're people too. People who love, live, laugh, take our children to school, pay our taxes, serve our country, protest war, and generally live peacefully in our communities.
Personally, if this comes down to giving us rights, it won't change my personal situation immeadiately. I will still wait for graduation to get married, and will still not be leaving MA for a few years, however, when I do leave, it will be important for opening up my options: I don't want to live where my marriage won't be valid. But if this comes down as denying us rights, it will make me seriously consider applying for schools in other countries. I can not live the rest of my life wishing that I were an equal citizen, limited to living in New England or Iowa if I want to have even a state-recognized union.
This is going to come out one of two ways: we are either going to get the right, everywhere in the US, to marry who we choose, or, we are going to be set back in gaining this right for years, possibly decades.
I don't know if the timing on this one is right, but it's happening none-the-less. So, give your gay friends some support during this one. It may just seem like a bummer to some of you, but it's emotionally devastating to have your relationship voted on year after year and week after week. With every victory, in our house, we smile and cheer, but inside, we hold our breath, waiting for it to be overturned. Every defeat and espescially overturning of rights leads "oh well, we can always move to Canada or Europe." Even though we don't want to and probably never will. Inside, we're crying, wishing people could get over it long enough to see we're people too. People who love, live, laugh, take our children to school, pay our taxes, serve our country, protest war, and generally live peacefully in our communities.
Personally, if this comes down to giving us rights, it won't change my personal situation immeadiately. I will still wait for graduation to get married, and will still not be leaving MA for a few years, however, when I do leave, it will be important for opening up my options: I don't want to live where my marriage won't be valid. But if this comes down as denying us rights, it will make me seriously consider applying for schools in other countries. I can not live the rest of my life wishing that I were an equal citizen, limited to living in New England or Iowa if I want to have even a state-recognized union.