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Separate but Equal?

June 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Those who remember the fight for civil liberties of African-Americans and for women may well feel a certain recognition at what the gay community is currently experiencing. As the generations change and the youth of today are much more accepting of a homosexual lifestyle, gays are taking to the streets and the courts to demand basic rights in regards to their relationships.

 

The most prominent example is of course the right to marriage, a right which seems so unlikely to be challenged but which nevertheless is hotly contested. Currently gays can enter into a “civil union” that entails many of the same rights as those enjoyed by a married couple, yet this raises memories of the old “separate but equal” practices of discrimination. Those who oppose gay marriage argue from a definitional standpoint, asserting that marriage means a union between a man and a women; yet, what is really at stake is the societal recognition of a homosexual union as equally legitimate to a heterosexual one.

 

Considering that this nation that has overcome racism and misogyny nevertheless still faces discrimination on both counts, there is no doubt that a complete change in attitude with respect to gay marriage may take a long time to effect; yet, the very fact that this nation has made such great strides in these areas in such a short time should be cause for hope. America is a country of tolerance and progressiveness, ideals its naysayers would do well to remember.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Relationships Tagged With: , ,

Is Gay Marriage Really Opening Pandora’s Box?

February 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

To listen to a certain segment of the population, letting homosexuals marry opens up a whole can of worms. They are convinced that if gay marriage is legalized in the US, all forms of marriage will clamor for legitimization and dilute the overall idea. But will it really? Hardly.

For all of those Chicken Littles who want to run around yelling the sky is falling, they may as well keep their heads firmly stuck in the sand. Keeping the concept of marriage solidly between two people is what prevents it from becoming a free-for-all. It is up to legislators to keep an open mind while planting their feet firmly on the line and not budging from it.

And when it really comes down to it, marriage is a religious construct, not necessarily a legal one. Certainly a judge has the ability to declare a man and a woman as joined together, but there is nothing stopping the couple from heading to the alter for another ceremony. Why object to letting a homsexual couple to be able to partake in the legal rights that are afforded to hetero ones? From a legal standpoint there is plenty of advantage to be had. Hosptials can no longer turn away same-sex partners and wills can not be so easily challenged just to name a couple of benefits.

Biology is blind. There are times when nature will win out over nurture, and sexual preference is one of those times. Why deny someone happiness just because their brain set them on a course that is different from the majority?

 

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Relationships Tagged With: , ,

Coming Out is Good For Everyone

February 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Nine years can make a big difference in the lives of people who are looking for compassion and acceptance. With same-sex married couples in Massachusetts, it already has.

The Census Bureau reported a sharp increase of over 3,000 in same-sex marriage couples than were reported in the state of Massachusetts from 2000 to 2009. Although, prior to the year 2000, there were many blissfully wed couples living their dream of co-habitation, the white picket fence and the suburban lifestyle, they just weren’t reporting it to the Census Bureau. Many couples cited reasons that are widely known, but still not right or acceptable:

  • People wouldn’t understand their feelings and decision to “come out”
  • There would be a mockery made of their decision to openly admit their same-sex marriages
  • There could be dire consequences for same-sex married couples who made their unions public

Fortunately, in many states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire, same-sex marriages are now legal and recognized as such, making it more comfortable and easier for couples who are in love to feel confident and better in expressing their love – openly.

When it comes to same-sex marriages, it’s not something that has to be “tolerated,” but instead should be celebrated. Unfortunately, too many couples have lived so long “in the closet,” hiding their love for family and friends. They’ve lived in places where they likely felt more “accepted.” Whether it was in a suburban neighborhood in Connecticut, in Boston apartments or on a college campus in Vermont, their quality of living has been anything but quality-filled.

With the release of the Massachusetts Census Report, same-sex couples are seeing that there are others who share the same ideas as they do. There is more confidence in saying that they love someone of the same gender and want to share a legal lifetime commitment with that person.

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