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osodecanelaHow appropriate as this state marks our first legal marriages of same-gender couples, as we also mark the anniniversary of the Loving Decision.
in 1958, Richard and Mildred Loving were an interracial couple who married legally while living in Washington DC. They later returned to their native Virginia, where in 1963, they were arrested in their bedroom for breaking Virginia's miscegenation law, a law that forbid their marriage. It took 4 years for the case to wend its way up to the US Supreme Court; in a unanimous decision in Loving v. Virginia, the court upheld the Lovings' right to marry. Seventeen states still had miscegenation laws in effect at the time.
Seventeen.
Seventeen.
It clearly takes a while for the general public to catch up and come to terms with social change. Pennsylvania was the first state in the union to repeal it's miscegenation statute in 1780 (a progressive attitude on equality that this humble Quaker takes great pride in), while neighboring Maryland and Delaware's laws did not fall until 1967, 183 years later. We allegedly live in a democracy, yet is it right to allow the majority to decide what a minority amongst us may and may not do with their lives, and what civil rights we do or do not have? Has not the Supreme Court ruled that 'separate but equal', is not true equality? The courts are our protection in this environment, where forces dedicated to stiffling social change, publically monger fear and entice the tyranny of the majority at the ballot box.
As I look at our world at the not-so-ripe old age of 53, I remember the reality of the MLK's "I have a dream" speech at the March on Washington in '63, as well as the violence of the Stonewall riots in '69. I entered high school in the same neighborhood just two months after the riots. I never dreamed back then there would come a day when marriage would be a possiblitiy for me. It was enough to simply not be arrested for being gay. However, 39 years later I'm engaged to the man I've loved and lived with for the last 1/4 century. Legally in California, he's my domestic partner (such a romantic sound that has!), and within the next few months he will legally become my husband, with all the legal 'trimmings' that will bring here. However, should we move out of state, other than to Mass. or perhaps NY, our relationship and all its rights and responsibilties it brings, become another story. What heterosexual married couple has to deal with that?
My mother, in her late 70's still bristles, at the term 'gay marriage'. She has said in so many words, why do you have to call it that. She's still not comfortable with it, though she fervently wants to see me happy. Meanwhile, my nephew, called last night from Texas, to talk about the news of the marriages taking place. He correctly referred to it as "an issue of equality". At 22, he's grown up knowing gay and lesbian people his entire life; for him it isn't an issue.
Like so many of our queer brethren (and 'sistren'), LJ and I will make our trip to the 'alter' sometime in the next few months, and re-affirm bofore the Divine and our community our love and commitment to one another. It will be in the hope that the tyranny of the majority will not strip that right from us come November.
in 1958, Richard and Mildred Loving were an interracial couple who married legally while living in Washington DC. They later returned to their native Virginia, where in 1963, they were arrested in their bedroom for breaking Virginia's miscegenation law, a law that forbid their marriage. It took 4 years for the case to wend its way up to the US Supreme Court; in a unanimous decision in Loving v. Virginia, the court upheld the Lovings' right to marry. Seventeen states still had miscegenation laws in effect at the time.
Seventeen.
Seventeen.
It clearly takes a while for the general public to catch up and come to terms with social change. Pennsylvania was the first state in the union to repeal it's miscegenation statute in 1780 (a progressive attitude on equality that this humble Quaker takes great pride in), while neighboring Maryland and Delaware's laws did not fall until 1967, 183 years later. We allegedly live in a democracy, yet is it right to allow the majority to decide what a minority amongst us may and may not do with their lives, and what civil rights we do or do not have? Has not the Supreme Court ruled that 'separate but equal', is not true equality? The courts are our protection in this environment, where forces dedicated to stiffling social change, publically monger fear and entice the tyranny of the majority at the ballot box.
As I look at our world at the not-so-ripe old age of 53, I remember the reality of the MLK's "I have a dream" speech at the March on Washington in '63, as well as the violence of the Stonewall riots in '69. I entered high school in the same neighborhood just two months after the riots. I never dreamed back then there would come a day when marriage would be a possiblitiy for me. It was enough to simply not be arrested for being gay. However, 39 years later I'm engaged to the man I've loved and lived with for the last 1/4 century. Legally in California, he's my domestic partner (such a romantic sound that has!), and within the next few months he will legally become my husband, with all the legal 'trimmings' that will bring here. However, should we move out of state, other than to Mass. or perhaps NY, our relationship and all its rights and responsibilties it brings, become another story. What heterosexual married couple has to deal with that?
My mother, in her late 70's still bristles, at the term 'gay marriage'. She has said in so many words, why do you have to call it that. She's still not comfortable with it, though she fervently wants to see me happy. Meanwhile, my nephew, called last night from Texas, to talk about the news of the marriages taking place. He correctly referred to it as "an issue of equality". At 22, he's grown up knowing gay and lesbian people his entire life; for him it isn't an issue.
Like so many of our queer brethren (and 'sistren'), LJ and I will make our trip to the 'alter' sometime in the next few months, and re-affirm bofore the Divine and our community our love and commitment to one another. It will be in the hope that the tyranny of the majority will not strip that right from us come November.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-18 12:08 am (UTC)Is anyone else surprised that there is opposition to gay marriage? Judging from everything the anti-gay types used to say it appeared that they would be in favour of it but then when it became a topic now they're against it. It seems like they either just cannot be pleased or it's really about them needing an underclass that they can tell themselves that they're superior to.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-18 12:40 am (UTC)If not, well we may need to think about our options. The idea of leaving the US has crossed our minds. How'd you like a couple of new neighbours?
Ammunition
Date: 2008-06-18 09:36 am (UTC)------not a fucking peep from the fundys------
It's times like this that I'd like to show a picture of the carnage to one of these damn banshees, inform them that it's from a straight marriage, and suggest to them that it could have been prevented...by them...if they'd bother to open up their stupid little brains.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-18 03:41 pm (UTC)Congrats ... in advance...