The Sticky Subject of Marriage (for all)

The upcoming election has been, decidedly, on the forefront of my mind these past couple weeks. And aside from this historical presidential election, we have a hotly contested initiative here in California that is garnering quite a bit of attention with both support and opposition. Proposition 8, if passed, would eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry (currently it IS legal for same-sex couples to marry in California). The supporters of this proposition say that gay marriage is an attack on the traditional family and that they don't want their elementary school children being taught that marriage between heterosexual couples is the same as marriage between homosexual couples. Opponents of the proposition see it as an attack on civil rights and a block in the struggle towards equality for all people - no matter what their orientation may be. It's a polarizing issue that affects people on a deeply emotional level and the outcome on November 4th will be painful for either side that loses.

So anyway, I am voting against proposition 8 because I am all about giving equal rights to people. For those that support the ban on gay marriage - their lives and families will go on as normal if this proposition doesn't pass. They will still be able to choose to get married in churches and have traditional weddings - it changes nothing about the sanctity of marriage for them. On the other hand, for same-sex couples who want to get married, if this ban does pass, it will mean they will not have the privilege to "be married" to the person they love. Sure, domestic partnerships grant almost the same rights in California to heterosexual married couples - but it just isn't the same to say "I now pronounce you domestic partners" as it would be to pronounce them wife and wife or husband and husband.

Unrelated to the outcome of the proposition, the Federal government still would not recognize these same-sex marriages for purposes of immigration or tax-filing status - meaning that there is still quite a ways to go before same-sex marriage would be anywhere near the same as heterosexual marriage. So why not make this move forward? It's a small step and California is only the third state to grant this right to same-sex couples. Churches need not be afraid - ministers are not forced to marry those with same-sex marriage licenses. If this is separatation of church and state, then leave it up to the conservative churches to ban same-sex marriages within their walls and leave it up to the courts and the law to allow marriage for any loving couple who wants to live till death do us part.