I, like apparently the majority of gays in New York and America, did not think that Prop 8 had a chance of passing. This was our year. Sure, Hillary and David Archuleta lost their respective, albeit unequal contests, but for all of us liberal, non-God-fearing, cultural elitists, change was on its way. We didn’t expect that some change would not be moving us forward, but rather, reversing the California Supreme Court’s decision that allowed their gay and lesbian residents to marry. Were we simply riding the wave of optimism that washed across the country and foolishly thought that the victories in Connecticut and previous wins in other liberal strongholds would guarantee our success in the Golden State?
I can’t deny that I was aware of Prop 8, or that I was asked to contribute money to help support its defeat, but I honestly didn’t think that California, as vast and diverse as it is, posed much of a threat to my rights. Prop 8 has once again put gay marriage on the national stage, after an election that made it much less of an issue than four years ago. So what does this mean for us now? Our generation seems trained, if not poised to expect that gay marriage will be a guarantee for all in our lifetime. And while part of me thinks that still holds true, I think it may be time we reevaluate not only our expectations but our actions.
Don’t get me wrong, I want nothing more than for my rights to equal my married, heterosexual siblings, co-workers, and neighbors. I want my relationship to be considered a valid expression of love and companionship in the eyes of the law and for my eventual wedding not to feel like an exercise in alternative living with a scaled down version of a marriage certificate. But perhaps, Huffington Post contributor Johnathan Wilber is right, along with others, when they say that it is time to stop pointing fingers at the alleged minority voters and Mormon Church who are accused of being solely responsible for Prop 8’s success. Perhaps it’s time we point our fingers to the mirror. More… »
