Write to Marry Day

Today I was canvassing for the Republicans, because my school requires I volunteer for both parties. I wore my "Vote No Virginia" necklace, even though the vote in question was two years ago and all the necklaces in the world probably wouldn't have prevented the state from passing a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in our state.

I totally forgot it was Write to Marry Day, so I'm making this up off the top of my head. Bear with me, please.

I was really excited when I found out that the California Supreme Court had decided to allow gay marriage. As someone who was in the process of coming out and finding lots of acceptance and support, it struck me as a delightful inevitability - people were obviously becoming more accepting, so of course gay marriage would be allowed eventually, even if we had to go about it in the lame state-by-state kind of way.

It confused me, when I read the comments on various blog posts, that people were so happy they were crying, that this was such an enormous deal. I assume acceptance, or at least some degree of safety. I assume that even if I don't have a lot of rights now, I'll have them eventually, somewhere. It was strange to see how much I was taking for granted.

I don't assume it will be easy anymore. Recently, Pam's House posted a video with the story of a woman who was recording a "Yes on Prop 8" rally and was assaulted by one of the protestors. It only takes a quick Google search to see how much we're fighting against.

Teenagers don't generally imagine that they'll grow up and get a gay marriage, but that I don't even have the option bothers me more than I would have thought. I don't imagine, if I ever want to get married, that I'll be able to do it in my home state. It's not a good feeling.

I can't imagine how much worse it would feel to have the right to marry and have it taken away.

Gay rights and gay marriage is about more than just marriage. It's about equal protection under the law, and about how much right the government has to be involved in personal relationships, and about separation of church and state.

But for me, right now, it's about just knowing that you can have a wedding, in your home state, with your family and friends and with no one saying it's something less or something wrong or something not as good.

I don't know if I'll ever get that while I live in Virginia, but I would hate for anyone else to lose it.

So, any Californias out there, please vote No on Prop 8. Thank you.