DeGeneres announced her engagement to Portia de Rossi during a Thursday taping of her show, telling the studio audience that the California Supreme Court had struck down state laws against gay marriage. The studio audience leapt to its feet for a long ovation, and De Rossi was sitting in the audience, beaming and clapping. This monumental decision that will allow other states to join the state of Massachusetts in recognizing same-sex unions as legally binding.The court ruling means same-sex couples could be able to tie the knot in as little as a month. However, religious and social conservatives are seeking to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would undo the Supreme Court ruling and ban gay marriage. I do not believe right-wingers will be successful in overturning the decision. This ruling will do for gay marriages what the Roe vs. Wade decision did for women’s right to choose.
Recognizing these unions is important because in some instances it allows partners to benefit from medical insurance, survivors rights, and to have a say in the decision making process during medical emergencies, etc. I do not see why others would have a problem with these unions.
Gay relationships can be just as committed as their heterosexual counterparts and it is only fair that they receive the same rights and privileges as married couples. Some people get hung up on the title of “marriage”, believing that the title should be reserved strictly for unions between men and women. It doesn’t have to be called marriage, in fact maybe we should have a contest to determine an appropriate moniker for same-sex unions.
6 comments:
I was pleased to hear about the upcoming nuptials of Ellen and Portia. Many people who are anti-gay have the gay rights movement all wrong. They feel that GLBT community is asking for special treatment when in fact all they want is equality. I have no problem with that at all.
I am glad you pointed out the fact that they are not asking to be treated with any special deference, they just want the same rights and privileges that anyone in a committed relationship is entitled to.
I can understand how important this is in just a practical sense. I once tried to gain custody of a deceased friend's body because he was estranged from his family, who didn't want anything to do with him. The judge ruled against me, assuming that we were lovers. We weren't, but the court and his kin were perfectly happy to send him to Potters' Field for all eternity.
His family, I can understand, for he was an ex-junkie who in his darkest times cause them many problems. But the judge's reaction was inexcusable. I can only imagine if I actually had been his boyfriend that it would have been impossible. If this law takes hold, however, judges won't be able to base rulings on their bigotry.
X. Dell,
You make a perfect point about vindictiveness. If his family did not want anything to do with him, why would they try to stop you from taking custody and giving this guy a proper burial. It would have been no skin off their nose. The judge allowed his prejudice against drug addicts and/or homophobia to cloud his judgment.
All minorities need protection against bigotry from time to time. I think the Supreme Court decision will provide the foundation needed to insure that these types of relationships are respected.
I do feel badly about your friend. You can rest in the knowledge that you did all you could for him.
I'm thrilled that California is allowing gay marriages, same sex unions or whatever anyone wants to call them.
Malcolm said is perfectly. It's not special treatment, it's equality. I've known couples who have been together for years and years (longer than my legally married friends!) and still would have no say in final wishes, inheritance, saving money on insurance family plans, etc. It's ridiculous and there is no reason that they should be denied this right when people like Britney Spears and/or Pamela Anderson can get married, remarried and divorced within months. Repeatedly.
THAT is making a mockery of marriage, not two people who are obviously in love and devoted to each other who just happen to be the same sex.
Congrats to Ellen and Portia!
California should have actually been the first state to incorporate this law because of its propensity for liberalism and being on the cutting edge in terms of gay and lesbian rights. I have always said that same-sex relationships are just as and maybe even more stable than heterosexual relationships because there can be more at stake.
It is tough enough trying to make a relationship work and going through the normal stuff that couples deal with. Then have everything compounded by public scrutiny and having the outside world be against you out of fear and lack of understanding.
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