GREAT NEWS!!!

Hey everybody! Even though Prop 8 was passed in California, we have new hope as the LGBT community.

Connecticut has officially began same-sex marriage!

On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, Judge Jonathan Silbert entered final judgment and finally allowed gay and lesbian couple tie the knot. The ruling also makes any laws that prevent such unions illegal.

Connecticut is currently only the second state to have legal gay marriage (until California gets Prop 8 turned over). While Californians voted for a marriage amendment, the people of Connecticut rejected a ballot measure that amended their
constitution. This is incredible news for the gay rights movement. I was personally unaware there was such a measure on the Connecticut ballot (I figured that when their Supreme Court ruled in favor of equality on October 10th that “traditionalists” couldn’t get their amendment on the ballot until the next election).

There are more than 9,500 same-sex couples in the state according to studies conducted by the UCLA (University of California). They estimate that about 3,000 couples will marry in the next year, and 4,700 in the next three.

This is very exciting. Connecticut may not have much influence as California, but to be frank, we really anything we can get right now. Prop 8 really screwed us over. Now that we have another state where the decision is secure from bigotry and being overturned, we are taking another step in equality.

Connecticut was also to first state to approve civil unions.

It gets me wondering: which state will be the next? I know it’s not gonna be Kansas (that doesn’t really matter to me; I have no plans of marrying before I get out of this hell hole). I hope the decision comes soon. I’d love to see the Democrats add a constitutional amendment about marriage-something along the lines of “no state shall limit or prohibit marriage based on gender.”

Some say America isn’t ready for full equality. I do agree. But was Arkansas ready in the 1960s when the Supreme Court ordered racial integration? Nope. They got over it really quickly though. It’s time the religious right gets the same medicine.

I have hope. I know one day gays and lesbians will not be second-class citizens. Until then, it’s time to fly that rainbow flag and spread the word the word of anti-prejudice. I don’t believe that there’s a “homosexual agenda,” but heck, maybe it’s time to put one together.