The United States continued its long journey towards marriage equality on November 6, with Maryland, Maine and Washington joining the six states and D.C. area that have already legalized same-sex unions. These ballot victories finally put an end to a fourteen year streak of marriage equality defeats in thirty-two states, raising hope for a distant future when who you marry will not be the subject of national controversy.
This is the first time that gay marriage laws have passed through a ballot referendum, and were not at the mercy of “radical” judges or state legislatures. Such a shift in public opinion was therefore widely celebrated in the LGBTQ community. Voters are finally taking charge of this country’s civil rights crusade. Ideally, the rights of minorities should not be subject to a popular vote in the first place, but at least society is moving in the right direction.
Hope for greater marriage equality in the nation arose with Obama’s advocating of same sex couples during his campaign. He was the first sitting president to ever speak openly about endorsing the rights of the LGBTQ minority. While some heavily criticized him for supporting gay marriage, his stance energized his liberal base and made him incredibly popular with the ever-growing LGBTQ voter demographic. Predictions of political damage due to this event were proved false with his re-election last week.
Other small victories for the LGBTQ community include the election of Democratic House member Tammy Baldwin as Wisconsin Senator, making her the only openly gay member ever elected to the chamber. In Iowa, State Supreme Court justice Dave Wiggins kept his position, despite fierce conservative efforts to remove him for his major role in the court’s unanimous decision in 2009 to legalize same-sex marriage. Only two years ago, three other justices in Iowa were ousted for their participation in the same decision. Additionally, for the first time ever, a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage was defeated in Minnesota.
Clearly, the LGBTQ movement is gaining ground in America. Almost half of citizens believe their state should recognize the union of same-sex couples. Unfortunately, there is still much progress to be made. Thirty states have implemented constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Additionally, the Supreme Court has yet to give its attention to the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of gay or lesbian marriages that have been legally performed in select states. Already, federal courts have ruled that this act does not allow for gay or lesbian persons to be included in the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection. Though this is recognized, nothing has been done about the state’s authority to deny marriage equality.
However, the recent turning of the tide cannot be denied. The fact that the public implemented these enormous policy changes shows that a dramatic cultural shift is afoot. Like many young adults, I support gay marriage for the same reason that I support a woman’s right to choose. I believe that individuals should have the right to make personal decisions regarding health or love without being restricted by government. As citizens of this country, we should have the right to our own beliefs while respecting the differing views of others. If you believe that gay marriage trashes “traditional American values,” or “violates the will of God,” then by all means don’t marry someone who is the same sex as you. Those who assume the superiority of their opinions, and make their position a legal affair, restrict other citizens with their bigotry. Why not allow every individual to make choices for themselves, instead of stirring up controversy by imposing your own beliefs, which are usually religiously affiliated, on others? Unfortunately, history shows that this whole “tolerance” trend never really took off. Just take a European history class.
Unlike Canada, which legalized gay marriage on the national level in 2005, the U.S. places the issue of same-sex union under state jurisdiction. Now more than ever, the nation is divided as certain states become more tolerant of gay marriage. While this is a large step for the LGBTQ community, the continued controversy regrettably also fuels existing feuds between warring political and moral ideologies in this country. As the U.S. saw on November 6, America is deeply divided. The states that have legalized and forbid same sex marriage have started to resemble that all-too-familiar red and blue map. One can only hope that in the future, we will be able to reach across the chasm of convoluted controversy and establish a universal acceptance of those who love whomever they choose, regardless of gender, and without the interference of politics or religion. •
