Straight
spouses and related support organizations are celebrating the August 4, 2010
decision by a California District Court to overturn the infamous Proposition 8,
which denied the right to marry to same-sex couples in that state and enshrined
discrimination in that state’s constitution.
Why is this federal court decision
a win for straight spouses as well? Why
has Prop 8 caused such a firestorm in the Straight Spouse Network and other
such organizations? If gay men and
lesbians have the right to marry partners of the same sex, without prejudicial
judgment by others, there will be fewer mixed-orientation marriages. Legalized gay marriage will help to prevent the
kind of deception and secrecy that cause mixed marriages to dissolve in
personal tragedy.
Following the historic decision in
the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger,
U.S. District Judge Vaughan Walker concluded that Prop 8 violates the United
States’ Constitutional rights of equal
protection and due process. He stated,
“Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and
lesbians for denial of a marriage license.”
Jody M. Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG
National summarized, “Equality for one means equality for all.” While this case applies only to California,
it is one more victory in favor of human rights for all. It framed gay marriage as a civil right, not
a moral or religious issue.
Simply stated, when gay people are
not forced by society into closets of secrecy, when they are not bound by
religious, family, and social pressure to marry a partner of the opposite sex,
then mixed-orientation marriages should be less frequent. Heterosexual spouses of gays will no longer suffer
the chaos and heartache we all know so well.
Seven other countries have already
sanctioned gay marriage. The United
States is lagging behind by harboring
institutionalized bias. Gay people are
still the only minority in the U.S.
who suffer legalized discrimination because laws in most states have not
evolved to protect them. While the issue
of gay marriage will undoubtedly end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, the recent victory
over Prop 8 in California is one more
step toward gaining fundamental legal protection from discrimination. This is cause for celebration.
It is no surprise that straight
spouses all over this country are elated to see a symbolic barrier
eliminated. The institution of marriage has
already changed dramatically, though slowly, and the fall of Prop 8 represents
progress toward the elimination of the straight spouse disaster. May legalized prejudice end! May all men and women marry the partner of
their choice, with equal rights for all.
This is our birthright as citizens of the United States of America.
Tags: gay marriage, Prop 8, same-sex marriage
