Historic Day for Gay RIghts

Today is an historic day for gay rights. The Supreme Court cleared the way for an immediate expansion of same-sex marriage by turning away appeals from all five states seeking to prohibit gay unions. The court’s order effectively makes gay marriage legal in 30 states.

This decision ends delays for same-sex marriages in five states—Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wishconsin. Couples in six other sates—Colorado Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming—should be able to get married soon. Those states will be bound by the by the same appellate rulings that were put on hold pending the Supreme Court review. These eleven states brings the total number of states to 30, plus the District of Columbia. This will essentially make same-sex marriage the law of the land.

I’ve been dancing around the house all morning. I must admit I have two reactions, both of joy. The compassionate side of my mind is thrilled for the thousands upon thousands of lgbtq couples who have been deprived of equal rights for so many decades. The other part of my mind, the ego, is thrilled for a different reason—it’s relishing the idea that gay equality is being rubbed into the face of all those ignorant, religious bigots who have so outspoken about denying gay people of marriage equality based on the assumption that straight people are somehow inherently superior. Yes, I’m not proud of that reaction, but my ego would dearly love to see the expression on the bigot Mary Fallin, the governor of Oklahoma who has been so adamant in refusing rights to gay military couples.

IMHO, marriage equality in America is the last big hurdle for lgbtq people to attain the same rights as every other American. That is why the homophobes have fought so hard to deny us, because now, at least in the eyes of the law, we are all equal. There is no one these ignorant bigots can point to and say “I’m better than you!”

Yes, it’s a great victory for so many, and more than anything, I feel an overwhelming gratitude in the feeling that the human race continues to move in a direction that is more compassionate and inclusive. It’s a great day indeed.