Friday
December 02, 2005
SGN.org
Volume 33
Issue 48
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Sunday, Nov 22, 2009
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Supreme Court should extend marriage equality to same-sex couples |
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| Supreme Court should extend marriage equality to same-sex couples | |
| 'Most of us know that it just ain't right, constitutionally as well as morally, that some people are awarded the privilege of a legal marriage while others are denied.'
By Cathy Sorbo - Special to the SGN The Washington Supreme Court will be deciding, anytime now, if Gay Washingtonians really are equal to non-Gay Washingtonians with regard to the age-old ritual of marriage. I can't help but be baffled by anyone who opposes the legal recognition of a Gay union. I've read the forums of Gay marriage opponents. They think that homosexuality "just ain't right." Well, it's not right for everyone, that's for sure. They feel that homosexuality "is not natural." Pairing up with the one you love seems completely natural to me. Breast implants, birth control and Lycra are not natural, but that doesn't mean it should be illegal to have breast implants, an IUD or bike shorts. Well, maybe the bike shorts. With legal recognition of same-sex unions comes the acknowledgment that Gays actually exist on all levels of society, something that homophobics would rather not have to do. They might just have to have the conversation with their children as to why so-and-so has two moms or two dads. It means they are going to have to confront their aversions and fears regarding Gay people, and that is going to be uncomfortable for some. But not for most of us. Most of us know that it just ain't right, constitutionally as well as morally, that some people are awarded the privilege of a legal marriage while others are denied. And who can legally marry in this fine state of ours? For now, all it takes is for one person to be male and the other to be female. It doesn't matter if you've been married and divorced 60 times. It matters not if you are a convicted felon, a registered Level 3 sex offender or even a mime, for as long as your chromosomal makeup differs, you can be legally married and marinate in the fundamental rights that legally married people enjoy, such as health insurance benefits, hospital visitations and Social Security survivor benefits, just to name a few. Right now in this state, it is legal to have sex with an animal, but a loving, committed Gay couple cannot be married. Non-Gays abuse the so-called sanctity of marriage all the time, from marrying for immigration purposes to drunken willy-nilly Elvis-officiated ceremonies in Las Vegas that are annulled days later when the hangover subsides. What's going to happen to Washington state if the Supreme Court rules in favor of legalizing same-sex marriages? Will the backbone of society calcify and crumble to the ground? Has democracy in the state of Massachusetts imploded beyond repair or is it a fully functional place to live, work and raise a family? The recent struggles and legal troubles that Gay couples are dealing with now is comparable to the fight women went through simply to be able to vote. Does anyone remember that? It was only about in 1920 that U.S. women were allowed to vote. The more outspoken suffragists were jailed and most likely met unspeakable fates we will never know about. It was less than 40 years ago that the last holdout states banning interracial marriages turned their laws around. As society expands and changes, so must the laws that dole out equality to all citizens. Recently, Seattle played host to the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference. This yearly event is geared toward top-tier openly Gay elected and appointed officials and provides a "collegial, informative and friendly environment for networking and leadership development." Our very own Christine Gregoire was the first acting governor to address the conference. She publicly supports civil unions for same-sex couples and said, "We need to ensure that everyone in the state of Washington is treated with respect and gets equality." Now, doesn't that make perfect sense? Gay folks hold positions of authority. They must abide by the same laws as non-Gays. Gay people pay taxes just like anyone else, so why must committed same-sex couples be denied the benefits and privileges that are afforded to heterosexual couples? This continued denial of rights is blatant discrimination, and the institution of marriage will weaken not by allowing Gay couples to marry but by keeping legal marriages out of reach to some and not others. I trust the Supreme Court will figure it out, maybe by legally recognizing same-sex marriages providing couples remain 4 feet from each other, and 25 feet away from doorways and air vents of public places. Cathy Sorbo is a Seattle-based comedian; www.cathysorbo.com. This opinion-editorial originally appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Saturday, November 26, and has been reprinted here with permission. |
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International Readers |
 
It's new!A blog created by the SGN staff so you can be heard |
"Putting on the Ritz |
The Beauty of Freedom artist's reception |
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copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2005