Marriage equality was first legalized in May 2004 and now
there are 18 additional states and the District of Columbia that has followed
suit. When the marriage equality debate
began, what now seems like a lifetime ago, many of the opponents began used the
argument that same sex marriages would water down opposite sex marriages. Of course that argument was crazy. Some were of the thought that this would
negate traditional marriage. It was
evident that some within the heterosexual community were looking at it from a
different stance than those within the LGBT community. No, we were not trying to be like heterosexuals. We simply were attempting to get those same
rights afforded to us.
If I may use an analogy made by a pastor friend. She stated that when Mercedes came out with
the C – Class many of the loyal luxury automobile owners were in an
uproar. You see the importance of owning
this luxury car no longer held lucrative value or prestige. Now that you let others (that are viewed as “less
than”) in the “club” our cars no longer have the honor afforded that the high
price tag once afforded them.
I can say the same thing about marriage equality. Statements such as “Once LGBT men and women are allowed to legally marry each other my
marriage will be devalued”. Of
course we in the LGBT community were fighting for equality and not some
superficial status that marriage was thought to afford.
It was evident that some in the heterosexual community were
looking at it from a different stance than those within the LGBT
community. No we were not trying to be like
heterosexuals. We simply were attempting
to get those same rights afforded to us.
What heterosexuals failed to acknowledge or probably were not even aware
of is the fact that they are afforded 1,138 legal rights when legally married that are
not afforded unmarried couples including heterosexual couples who choose not to
get married. The one major difference is
those that chose not to marry had the option to turn down a right that we as LBGT
men and women were never afforded.
Now, marriage equality has passed in 19 states and DC and I
have yet to hear any late breaking news come on the television interrupting my
favorite program to announce that heterosexual couples around the country are in
distress because their marriages have less importance/value now that LGBT men
and women are allowed to marry each other in that state.
It is revolutionary that we have seen so many states approve
marriage equality in such a short time. Today
many other states are debating the passage of Marriage Equality. As history has shown recently, it is simply a
matter of time before the other 31 join in and this is no longer an issue. We are all going to be members of that same “country
club” some never thought we should be members of in the first place.
