Could Proposition 8 Finally End?

Originally published on www.vadamagazine.com

Gay marriage has been a huge talking point around the world for at least the last 10 years. If you live in the UK then you will know that the coverage the debate has received in the past six months alone is incredible, and hopefully the debate will end soon and gay marriage in the UK will become an everyday occurrence. In America however the debate has caused a huge divide between political parties, individual states and the everyday American.

Indeed the issue of gay marriage in America is a vicious fight that many gay Americans and their supporters have been fighting for years, where they have been met with success and vast hostility alike. Proposition 8 has been high on the agenda for many people around the world for the last few years, and it looks as though the battle to repeal it is once again rearing its head.

This week alone we have seen several incidents across the pond highlighted in the media surrounding Proposition 8, and the hopeful removal of it, as the Supreme Court is due to consider whether to overturn it on March 26th. This comes after the controversial decision in 2008 to add a clause to the Californian constitution, which stated marriage could only be recognised by the state if it were between a man and a woman.

One incident we saw, which could have huge effects on equal marriage in the US, was 75 leading Republicans signing a brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down Proposition 8. This figure has now swelled to over 100 and includes Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood, who was previously against supporting equal marriage. The official document filed with the Supreme Court has also seen a number of former governors and members of George W Bush’s cabinet change their stance on Prop 8 and sign the document, which could also lead to significant effects on the Republican Party.

The Obama administration has also become involved in the issue this week after filing their own brief to the Supreme Court, which also urges them to strike down the ban on equal marriage in the state of California. The document has been welcomed by supporters of equal marriage in America and could in fact be applied to other states that also ban equal marriage.

The administration said of gay Americans in the document: “They establish homes and lives together, support each other financially, share the joys and burdens of raising children, and provide care through illness and comfort at the moment of death.”

President Obama himself has been quoted this week mentioning how he would remove laws banning same-sex marriage if he were a Supreme Court judge saying: “If I were on the court, that would be the view I’d put forward.”

There is hope that with the weight of the President and his administration behind the repeal of Proposition 8 that it could help with its removal.

The Republicans and the Obama Administration are not the only ones to act vocally this week on the repeal of Prop 8. Hugely popular talk show host Ellen DeGeneres wrote an open letter to the Supreme Court on her website talking about her marriage to actress Portia de Rossi, saying: “Portia and I have been married for 4 years and they have been the happiest of my life.”

Some of America’s largest companies such as Facebook, Apple and eBay have also urged the court to remove Proposition 8.

All this debate in the run up to the Supreme Court’s ruling has also seen the revelation of a new poll that shows 61% of Californians support same-sex marriage, which is a record percentage in the state of California and a 9% increase over five years.

It would appear that in the land of free there is still a huge reluctance to allow some people their basic human right to marry the person that they love, and in America we have all read countless articles and heard news stories about the discrimination some gay people still suffer. But with the backing of the general public, celebrities, super companies, political parties and the president of the United States himself, March 26^th could see a huge step forward for equality not only in America but around the world.

Equality is an Issue Once Again

Originally published on www.vadamagazine.com

Gay marriage, civil partnerships, civil ceremonies and religious ceremonies are a few terms that you’ve probably heard being thrown around in the press and laden across the news for quite some time now. From the looks of it these terms aren’t going to be laid to rest anytime soon. That’s right the issue of gay marriage, or whatever other name you’d wish to give it, is back under the spotlight for a number of reasons.

Today sees the Marriage Bill being debated in the House of Commons, which would enable same-sex couples to marry in consenting religious institutions in England and Wales. You can probably guess why it’s been in the news for other reasons. Yes that’s right some people just flat out are not happy about it.

Firstly there was the news that senior Tory figures were trying to delay the gay marriage vote. This was because they believed it could prove deeply divisive and cause damage to the Conservative party in the run up to the 2015 election. The issue has been gaining increasing political currency and concern amongst the Tory party with a number of people threatening to resign claiming that there are more serious issues to be dealt with.

To my mind, I just have to say that if a member of the Conservative party wants to resign because of gay marriage then that’s one less bigot in power. Quite frankly they should not be in that position with their antiquated and discriminatory values. If a member of a political party resigned because they had racist ideologies then they’d most likely be chased through London by a lynch mob and publicly and politically tarred and feathered. Just look at the way Nick Griffin is treated by the general public (and when I say that I mean most people on the Internet). No one is suggesting the same treatment will fall on these defectors, but on a sliding scale of bigotry, this should cause many to re-evaluate their suitability for public office if they refuse to recognise equality in society.

Someone should really point out to these Members of Parliament that if it is not discussed now then it’ll just be back on the agenda once again come the next election. We’re not going away guys. So you can try and brush this issue under your expenses paid rug as much as you want, but the fact of the matter is it’s not going anywhere.

Now I turn my attention to the Church of England, because you cannot have an article about gay marriage without bringing them into it (for people who dislike the idea so much they don’t half harp on about it). Many may know that the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was formally confirmed as the head of the Church of England on February 4^th, the day before the debate in the House of Commons. A little bit controversial and risky don’t you think?

It was rumoured that on his first day he would attack the idea of marriage equality, something that Welby’s office quickly downplayed. He instead defiantly placed his flag in the middle ground, ambiguously stating “The Government wants it. We think there are issues around the way it is going forward.” However, this hasn’t stopped the Church being hit by criticism, mainly because of its 8 page briefing note on the bill that they’ve supplied to every Member of Parliament ahead of the vote.

Now it would take too long to go through all the criticism that has been levelled surrounding this, but one thing that did stick in my mind is something that Reverend Sharon Ferguson, the head of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said. After stating that the idea of Justin Welby attacking gay marriage was ‘absolutely horrific’ she mentioned that the Church should be trying to welcome gay and lesbian couples back into its pews.

I for one could not agree with her more. Over the years religion has belittled gay people and nearly every idiotic bigot out there with a mouth bigger than their brain has used their ‘knowledge’ of religion to exclude the LGBT community. Because of this many gay people have left the Church and don’t believe in religion. Through being unable to marry, many feel it is preventing them from displaying their love for another person.

Religion by all accounts is not as big (if that’s the right way to put it) as it once was. The fact that Jedi was recognised as a religion in the census shows us that in general the populace are less God-fearing, more force-loving individuals. So why on earth would the Church continue to persecute and isolate?

This debate is ultimately stilted as after all they are their beliefs and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, bigoted or not, with the same being true of oppositional MPs.

But just think about this, 50 years ago black people in America were made to walk on opposite sides of the street, stand up for white people on buses and suffer a whole barrage of abuse because of something they could not help: the colour of their skin. An interracial marriage in the 60s was a big deal, a very big deal. Comparing these past times to the present situation in 2013 makes you realise how shocking that was, and the thought of discrimination, racist mass marches and discriminatory political speeches happening in mainstream society today is unfathomable.

So when we do see these terms for gay marriage get banded about just think it’s not just about marriage, but equality and surely everyone deserves that in 2013? Didn’t R.E at school teach us that we are supposed to love everyone.