Wednesday, August 4, 2010

365 Challenge, Day 18: One Step Closer

These are the rings that TJ and I share. We wear them as a symbol of our love just as a heterosexual couple would.

But there is no marriage to act as a legally binding contract of our union. We cannot file our taxes together. I am not covered under his government sponsored health insurance. We had to fill out special forms when we purchased our home to ensure that neither of our families could take advantage of the survivor if one of us were to die unexpectedly.

The federal government has not yet deemed it necessary to intervene in the individual states' right to decide on this matter. That may change soon.

This afternoon, CNN broke the news that California's Proposition 8 has been overturned. Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has ruled that banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. There will, of course, be an appeal. I doubt it will bear fruit. Prop 8 has lost many of its initial supporters, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Should the appeals fail, it is very likely that this matter will quickly make its way to the Supreme Court...where it belongs.

Hatred, intolerance, and paranoia still exist. The fight is not over. But the GLBT community won a major battle today.







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