Causecast

by KAREN MURPHY, Contributing Writer

California, what happened? Frankly I’m more than a little disappointed, oh state of my birth. You’re no longer the bastion of liberalism and civil rights that we always thought you were. Nope, when it comes to gay rights, and specifically about same-sex marriage, we look to New England (long famous for doing whatever the hell they want but not being very vocal about it) and … Iowa. Go Iowa!

Two people of the same sex are barred from marriage in the U.S. because of the Defense of Marriage Act (even typing those words makes me angry), which i think is blatantly unconstitutional.

After all, even in our darker and more overtly racially prejudiced days interracial marriages were always recognized by the federal government even when not recognized by states, so what gives? Why can’t same-sex couples tick the box for “Married Filing Jointly?” And more importantly, why after more than 200 years are we suddenly legislating a definition of marriage? (we have Bill Clinton to thank for that one, a man who evidently has had his own loose definition of marriage). The instant answer is to put pressure on President Obama to take a firm stand and move toward repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. He’s been all over the place about gay marriage, though, professing to support civil unions while opposing both a federal ban on gay marriage and California’s constitutional ban. Huh.

Time to come out and take a stand here in support of civil rights, Mr. President. So what’s the alternative?

Taking the fight to the 44 states that remain that don’t yet recognize marriage between two people of the same sex. Talk about arduous! Not every state will play nice with other states: if you get married in Massachusetts and then move to, say, Oklahoma (not singling anybody out here), then you’re SOL. Not considered married. Not accorded to the same rights. our country is a checkerboard, not even divided by red states and blue states, of acceptance vs fear.

Where do we stand, statewise?

Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa. Laws in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire legalizing same-sex marriage go into effect between now and January 1, 2010.

Legal unions that aren’t marriages but that have some or all the rights and responsibilities of marriages are possible in New Jersey, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Washington DC.

Thirty states have banned same-sex marriage and even put it into the constitution. Forty states, including some that have protection and recognition for civil unions, have passed legislationdefining marriage as between a man and a woman.
Clearly, we have a long way to go.

What can we do?

Find out about what’s happening in your state: laws pending or on the books that affect gay rights.
Contact your local lawmakers and tell them you want legislation that supports equal rights in marriage for all citizens.
Attend and support Gay Pride events this month
Awareness is the best place to start.

Photo by Jamison, flickr