The year after she graduated, one of the girls from our high school moved in with our female gym teacher and coach. Although we knew our coach was a lesbian, we had no idea about the girl. It surprised us but we were genuinely happy for them. Their relationship seemed to be very solid, they were kind to each other and they had a lot in common. Today, over twenty five years later, the girl and the coach are still together. I saw a picture of them in the university alumni newsletter a year or so ago and they still look very happy.
When I think of all the successful long-term relationships I’ve known, the coach and the girl from my high school top the list. It depresses me that they aren’t allowed to celebrate their relationship in marriage like they want to. I believe everyone should have the right to marry the person who makes them happy, who loves them, and promises to stand by them for better or for worse. That is a truly rare and wonderful thing that too many of us take for granted.
Heterosexuals certainly do not have the market cornered on love, commitment or fidelity. Our divorce rate statistics attest to that. While I do agree that marriage is a sacred thing and should not be entered into lightly, I do not agree that two people who love and respect each other and who want to spend their lives together should be stopped from celebrating that in a legal ceremony with their family and friends just because they both use the same restroom in the mall. The question of sexuality should not be a factor in anything a person wants to do, whether it be a working in a particular occupation, raising a child or being a spouse.
Maybe the right to marry should have to be earned by everyone. That might give everyone the perspective they need.
Pride Weekends have been celebrated all over the country this month. Isn’t it disheartening that in this land of ‘all men are created equal’, they are not?
Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Very ironic, too, that ya’ll are off fighting terrorism when so much of it exists in your own country.
Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Here, here Debra – here, here.
Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I totally agree with you. But what’s this about pride weekends? I’ve never heard of such. I live in a pretty reserved/old-fashioned/intolerant community, so we don’t hear about such things.
Monday, June 30, 2008 at 10:04 am
I think you know that I disagree with you on this point. I’ll leave it at that for now. I’m not really in the mood for a heavy discussion at the moment (I think it might be lunchtime…), but I did want to let you know that I read this and respect your opinion, though I disagree with it. It’s certainly a topic worth discussing.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 4:32 am
Surprisingly, even though I am a Christian, I have no problem with gay marriage. If they let people like Britney Spears get married, or Pamela Anderson, why not two guys or two girls?