What today’s Supreme Court decision means to me
Like pretty much everyone who has access to the Internet or TV, I woke up today to the news that the Supreme Court has made its decision to allow same-sex couples to get married in all 50 states. My very first thought was, “I am just so happy.”
I am fortunate to live in one of the 37 states that allowed same-sex couples to get married back in April, because that’s when my then fiancèe and I decided to have our wedding (spring weddings are nice, you guys). We wanted to get married for all the reasons most people in healthy relationships want to get married: We loved each other and we were ready to commit to a lifetime of loving each other — for good and for bad. We happen to live in California, so legally, our marriage counted (and it was the best day of our lives. . . so far). But for same-sex couples living in 13 other states in the land of the free, they still couldn’t get married. Other, more powerful humans told them that their happiness didn’t matter, and somehow, my happiness, and every heterosexual couple’s happiness was more valid.
So today, as news broke, I was just so happy. Happy that every single human has the right to marry the person they love — to join their lives together, to throw the wedding of their dreams, to wear pretty rings that are legally binding, to have the option to start a family together without concern that they won’t legally be considered the “parent” if they aren’t biologically related and to always have a partner in everything life throws their way. And we all know that life has a pretty good arm.
Now that marriage is finally legal for all humans in the United States of America, it’s time we take out the “same-sex” and the “gay” and just call it “marriage.” Same-sex couples are now valid, so that makes us no different than opposite-sex couples, and we certainly don’t call it “opposite-sex” marriage.
Opinions and attitudes towards homosexuality are shifting worldwide, and we are at the forefront. My hope is that eventually, the terms “homosexuality” and “heterosexuality” will become synonymous — because there will be no need to differentiate the two. It won’t matter. We are all human with the same rights.
We have to remember, as huge of a win as today’s Supreme Court decision is for man and womankind, marriage doesn’t make us human. Our ability to love deeply and compassionately makes us human. Our ability to recognize right from wrong, our ability to adapt and to understand that we are all different makes us human. Legalizing marriage for same-sex couples is a huge step for equal rights for all people, but it doesn’t end here. Let us not forget that currently in 29 states, gay people can still legally be fired from their jobs simply for being gay, and the same in 34 states for being transgender. Today is a monumental day, there’s no question about it — but we can’t stop fighting (see: ENDA). We can’t stop fighting for humanity, because at the end of the day—and sometimes, at the start of the day—humanity is what we have.
(Featured image via Jill Layton)
Supreme court legalizes same-sex marriage in all 50 states, at last
