When most folks think of all the great strides the GLBTQ community has made in regards to the battle for marriage equality, as well as the goals we as a united community are continuing to work on in this particular battle, most folks sigh a sigh of collective relief and say to themselves "Thank God we've made it this far, yes!!!" Hey, I feel the same exact way that most folks do; however, when any group or community is striving for the guarantee of equal rights, they should strive not just for the basic, on-the-table rights, but the complete, whole-package rights. Such as the issue of gay marriage in regards to this country's immigration laws. Did you know that here in the United States same-sex couples cannot petition for legal residency for their partners? It's true and that's just not right. GLBTQ couples who choose to get married should have the same exact rights that their heterosexual counterparts do. This is a very serious issue and I think it's something that all of us, both married and non-married, need to address, not tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year, but right now today in whatever capacity we possibly can.
Take a moment to think about it. Imagine yourself in the very same shoes that some same-sex couples in America are currently in. Just like the rest of us, I'm more than certain that they did not wake up one morning and say to themselves "Gee, I think I'm gonna fall in love with someone in this-or-that country and we'll probaly get married someday and live happily ever after in the good ole' USA." Like any two people who fall in love and find themselves in a committed relationship, I'm certain that some of them discuss the issue of whether or not to marry, as well as the pitfalls that may or may not be connected to it, depending of course on their own set of circumstances. But to get married to another human being only to encounter the realization of "Honey, your visa is gonna be up soon, what are we gonna do??" Hey, we all know life isnt perfect but I personally cannot think of one single legitimate reason why two people who not only love each other but who are also legally married should have to be seperated from each other. It's wrong, unfair and downright inexcusable for any civilized society to do this to its citizens because it is literally attacking and attempting to disintegrate what those of us in this new milennium know as the definition of that word "family" - two people who love each other, build their lives together and grow together, as any true family does.
On that particular note, let the above be an excellent prime example of why we need to continue to fight for federal recognition of same-sex marriages in the United States of America. True, there are a few states that do recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, New York, Rhode Island and Maryland, to name a few, but it's not enough. We not only need EVERY state in the union to recognize and honor same-sex marriages, but we as a nation need to recognize and honor these marriages even when they take place outside of this country. In addition, and even more importantly, the individuals who are part of these marriages need every single bit of legal recognition that their non-same-sex couterparts do. Doesnt sound like that's asking for too much but in the eyes of our national government one would think we're asking for a free set of keys to the White House. For years we GLBTQ folks have been fighting for the rights, the freedom and the respect to love who we love and we've done pretty damn good in the last several decades; but, to have to fight even twice as hard after the fact is, in my opinion, totally ludicrous. I'm not gonna budge on this stance and I dont think that anyone else who shares my viewpoint should either.
I'm not demanding that everyone out there jumps on my bandwagon regarding this issue; however, I'd like to make a suggestion or perhaps even a request. Whether you're married or unmarried, the next time you find yourself encountering the issue of gay marriage in its various contexts, would you please take a few minutes of your time and make a stance on this issue? Whether it's signing or circulating a petition, or attending a local and/or state-wide same-sex marriage coalition meeting, will you please make your voice known on this extremely crucial issue? There are a ton of wonderful organizations out there that are dedicated to fighting for the rights of same-sex couples to marry and I think they all could use whatever support and help that the rest of us can possibly give them, especially those which are fighting to have DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) repealed as well as those fighting to have the UAFA (United American Families Act) implemented. Although there currently are 19 countries with gay immigation policies that allow their citizens to sponsor same-sex partners - Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom - the United States, and the rest of the world for that matter, needs to step up to the plate so that equal rights for all its citizens are ensured. Because this-or-that country is doing it? No. Because it's the right thing to do. Because it's the fair thing to do. Because no one should be denied the full equal rights of marriage regardless of their gender and/or sexual orientation.
I dont think it's impossible for any of us out there to imagine what it would be like to be in love with/involved with someone from a country different than our own. Sure, long-distance relationships do have their share of ups-n-downs just like any other relationship out there, but after establishing and defining that special connection with another human being, only to have one's national government dicate "Well, you two can do this-or-that but you cant do this and you cant do that" I gotta admit, I'd be seriously hocked off in a major, major way if I was in sucha situation. I'd even like to go as far as to say that I dont even know if I could personally handle that kinda double-standardized bullshit. By the same token, if you truly love someone and you find yourself wanting to spend the rest of your life with that one person, everything outside of that one mutual focus seems to be so damn irrelevant. Of course, that right there is where the problem is - here in the United States the government is making everything totally relevant via its archaic, prejudiced double-standards. And it's wrong. It needs to be changed. I've always said that people never choose who they fall in love with, it either happens or it doesnt; but, when it does happen, they should not have to sacrifice that love for the sake of what their government dictates to them because regardless of what obstacles any two people may encounter on that road together, they need to hold on tight to each other as much as they possibly can and never ever give up because that's what love is really all about. It's the most powerful thing in the world, on that everyone may rest assured. Thank you for reading.
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