Freedom, equality and rights. Three words that are thrown around constantly, used everyday and are so important to the individual. Our universe is centred around them, we have rights advocates, freedom fighters and we constantly demand equality. Looking back throughout history it is quite clear to see that their has always been some fight or another over these three simple words. Denial of rights and freedoms are always a hot topic. We all aparently born free and equal, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights we all have rights no matter what race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status we have. So i ask you this, why the fuck today, in 2009, are we still fighting for our rights, can we not learn from history, is the human race really that dumb, naive and close-minded.
In the last few years the concept of same sex marriage has been constantly popping up with politics, media and any other outlet it can. Marriage. Its one simple word that holds so much meaning to individuals. Many countries throughout the world are denying same sex couples the right to marry. Legislation classes marriage being between one man and one women and this definition can be related back to the bible.
For me on a personal level, this issue does not affect me, for i am heterosexual women and am able to marry who ever i want. However, on an ethical level, i am deaply affected. I don’t understand how this world can deny a certain group of people the rights to marry the one they love and the majority of reasons why stem from an acient book based around beliefs and stories that may or may not be true. Im not trying to blame religion or deny whether it is true or not, as i have religious friends and families, i just believe that those reasons are not valid.
Throughout the world there are only a few countries that recognise same sex couples and allow them to marry, some being; South Africa, Canada and certain states within the United States of America. United States of America, easily can be recognised as the biggest country in the world, unfortunatly ours and most countries rely on the USA in some form or another. For a big country like this only four out of the fifty states recognise same sex marriages, a big country which centers on discrimination? And Australia! Dont even get me started, we dont even recognise it whatsoever, instead we have “civil unions” which is an utter joke.
Alas, everyday there are groups of people who are fighting so very hard to change this, one recent event that happened in California was the overturning of legal same sex marriages that were being performed throughout 2008, this was dubbed Proposition 8. Proposition 8 was a ballot vote within California and unfortunatly for homosexual Californian couples Prop 8 was passed however the marriages that had been performed before the passing was still recognised, this included the famous marriage of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.
Today was another sad day for the gay community, the state Maine which is situated within the USA voted for making same sex marriage illegal, it was meant to become legal in January 2010. However the brighter side to this sad story is the margin of the gap between legal and illegal was smaller in compared to Prop 8, showing that slowly but surely this war will be won.
Things take time, however the gay community has every right to be impatient, i don’t know if things will change, i hope they will, education is the key. I leave you with this, it sums up how i feel, its heartbreaking and honest.
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